9.1 NOTES
Building Overseas Empires
I. Motives Driving the New Imperialism
 Imperialism- the domination of one country of the
political, economic or cultural life of another country
or region
 Beginning in 1870 Europeans aggressively expanded
bringing much of the world under their control
I. Motives Driving the New Imperialism cont.
 Economic Interests
 Wanted natural
resources
 New markets to sell
goods
 Political/ Military
 Bases around the world
 Empire increased
prestige
I. Motives Driving the New Imperialism cont.
 Humanitarian/ Religious


Concern for “little
brothers”
Duty to spread blessings
of Western Civ.
Medicine
 Law
 Christianity

 Social Darwinism

Imperial domination was
nature’s way
II. Reasons Western Imperialism Spread Quickly
 Weakness of Non-Western
States


Old Empires like
Ottoman/China were in
decline
Slave trade/ Wars weakened
Africa
 Western Advantages
 Well organized
governments/armies
 Superior technology
 Maxim Machine gun,
repeating rifles, steam
warships
 Medicine, telegraph
III. Forms of Imperial Rule
 French direct rule
 Impose culture, law on colonies, French admin
 British indirect rule
 Protectorate
 Local rulers left in place, expected to follow orders
 Minimal occupation
 Sphere of influence
 Area where a power claims exclusive trading privileges
9.1 Assessment