The Effects of Imperialism

Directions: The following question is based on the accompanying Documents 1- 13 (The documents have been edited for the purpose of this exercise.) This question is designed to test your ability to work with and understand historical documents. Write an essay that:     Has a relevant thesis and supports that thesis with evidence from the documents. Uses all or all but one of the documents. Analyzes the documents by grouping them in as many appropriate ways as possible. Does not simply summarize the documents individually. Takes into account both the sources of the documents and the author’s points of view.

You may refer to relevant historical information not mentioned in the documents.

Question Evaluate the following statement regarding new imperialism of the late 19th and early 20th centuries: “Imperialism is a progressive force for both the oppressors and oppressed.” Make additional reference to sources to support your argument beyond the documentation that is offered. Some excerpts taken from: Teaching With Documents Copyright © 2001, Peter Pappas, www.edteck.com

Document 1
From: Imperialism and World Politics, Parker T. Moore, 1926 To begin with, there are the exporters and manufacturers of certain goods used in the colonies. The makers of cotton and iron goods have been very much interested in imperialism. Their business interests demand that colonial markets should be opened and developed and that foreign competitors should be shut out. Such aims require political control and imperialism. Finally, the most powerful of all business groups are the bankers. Banks make loans to colonies and backward countries for building railways and steamship lines. They also make loans to colonial plantation owners, importers, and exporters. The imperialist business interests have powerful allies. Military and naval leaders believe strongly in extending the white man’s rule over the ‘inferior races.’ To this company may be added another element—the missionary. Missionaries went forth to preach a kingdom beyond this world. But they often found themselves the builders of very earthly empires. Last, but by no means least, let us add politicians to our list of empire builder.

Document 2
From: O.P. Austin, “Does Colonization Pay?” The Forum, 1900 Modern progressive nations lying in the temperate zone seek to control garden spots’ in the tropics [mainly in Africa, Latin America, and Asia]. Under [the progressive nations] direction, these places can yield tropical produce. In return, the progressive nations bring to the people of those garden spots the foodstuffs and manufactures they need. [Progressive nations] develop the territory by building roads, canals, railways, and telegraphs. They can establish schools and newspapers for the colonies [and] give these people the benefit of other blessings of civilization which they have not the means of creating themselves.

Document 4
From: An Anthology of West African Verse, David Diop, 1957 The White Man killed my father, My father was proud. The White Man seduced my mother, My mother was beautiful. The White Man burnt my brother beneath the noonday sun, My brother was strong. His hands red with black blood The White Man turned to me; And in the Conqueror’s voice said, “Boy! a chair, a napkin, a drink.

Document 5
From: Sekou Toure, West African nationalist, 1962 Colonialism’s greatest misdeed was to have tried to strip us of our responsibility in conducting our own affairs and convince us that our civilization was nothing less than savagery, thus giving us complexes which led to our being branded as irresponsible and lacking in self-confidence. . . The colonial powers had assimilated each of their colonies into their own economy. Our continent possesses tremendous reserves of raw material and they, together with its potential sources of power, give it excellent conditions for industrialization.

Document 6
From: Cecil Rhodes, British imperialist in Africa, Confessions of Faith, 1877 I contend that we [Britons] are the finest race in the world, and the more of the world we inhabit, the better it is for the human race…It is our duty to seize every opportunity of acquiring more territory and we should keep this one idea steadily before our eyes that more territory simply means more Anglo-Saxon race, more of the best, the most human, most honourable race the world possesses.

Document 7
From: Romesh Dutt, The Economic History of India Under Early British Rule Englishmen…have given the people of India the greatest human blessing – peace. They have introduced Western education. This has brought an ancient and civilized nation in touch with modern thought, modern sciences and modern life. They have built an administration that is strong and efficient. They have framed wise laws and have established courts of justice.

Document 8
From: German cartoon, entitled “Thus colonize the English,” early 20 th century

Document 9
From: Rudyard Kipling, “The White Man’s Burden,” 1899 Take up the White Man’s burden – Send forth the best ye breed – Go, bind your sons to exile To serve your captives’ need; To wait, in heavy harness, On fluttered folk and wild – Your new-caught sullen peoples, Half devil and half child.

Document 10
From: An African proverb When the whites came to our country, we had the land and they had the Bible, now we have the Bible and they have the land.

Document 11
From: William Jennings Bryan,“The Paralyzing Influence of Imperialism,” Speech given at the Democratic National Convention, Kansas City, 1900 If it is right for the United States to hold the Philippine Islands permanently and imitate European empires in the government of colonies, the Republican Party ought to state its position and defend it… The Filipinos do not need any encouragement from Americans now living. Our whole history has been an encouragement, not only to the Filipinos, but to all who are denied a voice in their own government. If the Republicans are prepared to censure all who have used language calculated to make the Filipinos hate foreign domination, let them condemn the speech of Patrick Henry. When he uttered that passionate appeal, ”Give me liberty or give me death,” he expressed a sentiment which still echoes in the hearts of men. DBQ EFFECTS OF IMPERIALISM 4

Document 12
From: Roger Casement, report from the Congo Basin region, 1903 Here Nkwabali took up the tale from Moyo [Bangongo chief]: “We said to the white men, ‘We are not enough people now to do what you want us. Our country has not many people in it and we are dying fast. We are killed by the work you make us do, but the stoppage of our plantations, and the breaking up of our homes…”

Document 13
From: J.A. Hobson, Imperialism, 1902 Imperialism is a depraved choice of national life, imposed by self-seeking interests which appeal to the lusts of quantitative acquisitiveness and of forceful domination surviving in a nation from early centuries of animal struggle for existence. Its adoption as a policy implies a deliberate renunciation of that cultivation of the higher inner qualities which for a nation as for an individual constitutes the ascendancy of reason over brute impulse.