nationalism
love of country and willingness to sacrifice for it
Taiping Rebellion
(1850-1864) A revolt by the people of China against the ruling Manchu Dynasty because of their failure to deal effectively with the opium problem and the interference of foreigners.
Boxer Rebellion
1899 rebellion in Beijing, China started by a secret society of Chinese who opposed the "foreign devils". The rebellion was ended by British troops
Opium Wars
Two wars (1839-42; 1856-60) between China and Britain resulting from the Chinese refusal to allow the importation of opium from India. China ceded Hong Kong after the British victory in 1842. The British and French victory in the second war established fr
Treaty of Nanjing
(1842) An unequal treaty between Great Britain and China resulting from the 1st Opium War. The treaty stated that China was to reimburse Britain for costs incurred fighting the war. The Chinese were forced to open several ports to British trade, provide B
Meji Restoration
The restoration of the Emperor Meiji to power in Japan, overthrowing the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1868.
Tokagawa Shogunate
Founded by Ieyasu. Under their authority there was a burst of culture including kabuki theaters and haiku. They found Christianity troublesome, and used violence to get Christians out of their country. Also supoported closed door policy only keping one po
Berlin Conference
Conference that German chancellor Otto von Bismarck called to set rules for the partition of Africa. It led to the creation of the Congo Free State under King Leopold II of Belgium.
Scramble for Africa
Sudden wave of conquests in Africa by European powers in the 1880s and 1890s. Britain obtained most of eastern Africa, France most of northwestern Africa. Other countries (Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, and Spain) acquired lesser amounts.
Otto von Bismark
Called the Berlin Conference
White Man's Burden
A poem by Rudyard Kipling written in 1899. It is also the name given to the idea that the cultures of the native populations where European imperialism was occurring were inferior to western nations. Some interpreted Kipling's poem to mean that it was the
British East India Company
(1600-1873) A joint stock company that controlled most of India during the period of imperialism. This company controlled the political, social, and economic life in India for more than 200 years.
Sepoy Mutiny
(1857-1859) A revolt by the hired Hindu and Muslim soldiers of the British East India Company. It began as a result of the rifle cartridges that were distributed to the soldiers had to be bitten to remove a cover before being inserted into a gun. Rumors c
Boer War
(1899-1902) War between Great Britain and the dutch farmers in South Africa over control of rich mining country. Great Britain won and created the Union of South Africa comprised of all the South African colonies
Sun Yixian
(1866-1925) Chinese nationalist leader who fought to end foreign domination. He formed the Kuomintang, or Nationalist Party, which overthrew the Manchu Dynasty and established a republican form of government in its place. Also known as Sun Yat-sen.
Indemnities
Compensation ($) to other nations for war damages.
Berlin Conference
Meeting called by German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. European leaders met to discuss plans for dividing Africa peacefully. These leaders had little regard for African independence, and had no representation for native Africans. This began the process of
Qing
The last imperial dynasty of China (from 1644 to 1912) . It's closed door policy led to China failing to modernize/industrialize and this leads to the British easily imposing their will upon the Chinese during the Opium Wars.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
The predecessor of Tokugawa; succeeded Nobunaga Oda and laid the foundations of the Tokugawa shogunate. Moved capital to Osaka. By 1590 most daimyo had accepted his authority.
Austrian Empire
Traditional lands of present day Austria, The Czech Republic, and Hungary. Remained a collection of territories held by Hapsburg Emperor.
Daimyo
Japanese feudal lord who commanded a private army of samurai.
Samurai
Class of warriors in feudal Japan who pledged loyalty to nobles in return for land.
Cecil Rhodes
(1853-1902) British statesman who was instrumental in assuring British dominance of southern Africa. He founded the De Beers Mining Company, eventually controlling 90% of the world's diamond production. After becoming prime minister of the Cape Colony (no
Sati
The ritual suicide of a wife after her husband's death in Hindu/Indian culture.
Archipelago
A group or chain of islands.
Balance of power
A political policy in which countries attempt to preserve peace by keeping an equal military and economic status.
Boers
Dutch colonists living in South Africa. Also called Afrikaners. Dutch word for farmers.
Colonialism
The policy of maintaining colonies as a source of raw materials and new markets. Practiced during old and new imperialism.
Constitution
A document detailing the fundamental laws of a country or organization.
Cultural diffussion
The spreading of ideas through contact such as trade or war.
Democracy
A system of government in which the citizens hold the legislative, judicial, and executive power, based on majority rule.
Extraterritoriality
A policy that guaranteed European citizens in China were only subject to the laws of their own nation and could only be tried by their own courts.
French Indochina
Area of southeast Asia controlled by France during Imperialism. Includes Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
A imperialistic system founded by Japan consisting of other Asian countries during the early 20th century. Japan reduced its members to puppet nations, taking their raw materials and using them as new markets.
Imperialism
The complete control of a weaker nation's social, economic, and political life by a stronger nation.
King Leopold
(1835-1909) King of Belgium who began imperialistic trade inside of Africa which resulted in the Scramble for Africa.
Rudyard Kipling
(1865-1936) British writer and poet. His poem The White Man's Burden became a popular justification for European imperialism
Meiji
(1852-1912) Emperor of Japan from 1867 to 1912. He was responsible for the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate and the rapid modernization and industrialization of Japan.
mercantilism
The policy of building a nation's wealth by exporting more goods than it imports. Colonies are instrumental in this policy as they supply their parent nations with raw materials that are used to produce finished goods, and then exported back to the coloni
missionary
A person who spreads the teachings of a religion.
nationalism
Pride in one's country or culture, often excessive in nature.
natural resources
Various materials found in nature used in manufacturing such as wood, coal, and oil. One of the main causes for imperialism.
open door policy
A policy of the United States that stated China should allow western nations to trade in China. This policy did not include the consent of the Chinese, and was another form of imperialism
protectorate
A country or region that is controlled by a more powerful country.
republic
A political system in which a country is ruled by law, has representative government, and is democratic in nature.
Russo-Japanese War
(1904-1905) War between Russia and Japan over imperial possessions. Japan emerges victorious.
sepoy
A soldier working for the British East India Company, recruited from the native population of India.
Shaka Zulu
(1787-1828) During his rule, the Zulu broadened their land claims throughout southern Africa.
Sino-Japanese War
(1894-1895) Japan's imperialistic war against China to gain control of natural resources and markets for their goods. It ended with the Treaty of Portsmouth which granted Japan Chinese ports, city trading rights, control of Manchuria, the annexation of th
Social Darwinism
A social theory which states that the level a person rises to in society and wealth is determined by their genetic background.
sovereignty
The right of a country to govern itself without interference.
spheres of influence
An area of one country under the control of another. In China, these areas guaranteed specific trading privileges to each imperialist nation within its respective sphere.
Treaty of Portsmouth
(1905) ended the Russo-Japanese War. Negotions were brokered by Teddy Roosevelt.
Zulu
Tribe of South Africa people who live in the northern part of Natal. They were the dominate tribe in the late 19th century when European Imperialism began. They resisted both the Boers and the British, but ultimately lost their homeland and freedom by 187
Russian Revolution of 1905
Spontaneous rebellion that erupted in Russia after the country's defeat at the hands of Japan in 1905; the revolution was suppressed, but it forced the government to make substantial reforms.
Duma
Russian national legislature.
David Livingstone
Scottish missionary and explorer who discovered the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls (1813-1873)
Henry Stanley
British-American explorer of Africa, famous for his expeditions in search of Dr. David Livingstone. He helped King Leopold II establish the Congo Free State.
foot binding
practice in Chinese society to mutilate women's feet in order to make them smaller; produced pain and restricted women's movement; made it easier to confine women to the household
Cixi
Conservative dowager empress who dominated the last decades of the Qing dynasty.
Matthew Perry
Commodore who led the Great Whit Fleet to Japan asking them to open their ports to trade.
Treaty of Kanagawa
Shogun agreed to open two open ports to American ships.