10.4.2 Sub-standard
By: Martin Jackson
Sub-Standard Summary
Standard 10.4.2: Discuss the locations of the colonial rule of such nations as England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Portugal, and the United States.
As you can see, Africa saw the highest amount of colonization. Almost every country in Africa saw imperialism by a European at some point in time. This was most likely due to the abundance of resources and the lack of any type of solid military defense to speak of. For example, The Congo saw ruthless violence because that land was rich with rubber, and Belgium wanted it. They were dominated so quickly because of the lack of any type of defense from the surprise colonization from Belgium.
Summary questions
Question: What were the impacts of British (or French, German, etc.) imperialism on the colonized? The colonizer?
The impact that imperialism has had on the colonized has usually been devastating to the colonized population. For example, the effects of imperialism on India were very negative, with the local people being brutally murdered daily. India was then forced to grow "cash crops" , which are crops like Indigo and Tobacco which are non-edible. This caused a massive famine in India, killing millions. Britain gained lots of resources and money from this colonization, and greatly benefited from it.
The impact that imperialism has had on the colonized has usually been devastating to the colonized population. For example, the effects of imperialism on India were very negative, with the local people being brutally murdered daily. India was then forced to grow "cash crops" , which are crops like Indigo and Tobacco which are non-edible. This caused a massive famine in India, killing millions. Britain gained lots of resources and money from this colonization, and greatly benefited from it.
MY RESPONSIBILITY
Responsibility: Responsible to define the geographic locations of the imperialialist nations and the imperialized.
As I've mentioned, the common imperialized continent was Africa and the common Imperialistic continent was Europe. Of course, this was not the same with all instances of imperialism. For example, the British imperialization of India was major, considering the effects that it had on India. The reason for all of this European industrialization seems to be the abundance of money and resources that Europe had at the time. With the surplus of money, they were able to swiftly conquer these poorer and worse equipped nations.
As I've mentioned, the common imperialized continent was Africa and the common Imperialistic continent was Europe. Of course, this was not the same with all instances of imperialism. For example, the British imperialization of India was major, considering the effects that it had on India. The reason for all of this European industrialization seems to be the abundance of money and resources that Europe had at the time. With the surplus of money, they were able to swiftly conquer these poorer and worse equipped nations.
Artifact analysis
What it is: A testimony made by a Congolese refuge in 1903, about the mistreatment of the Congolese by Belgium.
Why choose this?: I chose this artifact because it is a direct description of the devastation that the Congo and all of Africa suffered at the hands of Europe. It also describes the motives for imperialism in the Congo , which was its supply of rubber.
Here is the testimony:
“It used to take ten days to get the twenty baskets of rubber – we were always in the
forest to find the rubber vines, to go without food, and our women had to give up
cultivating the fields and gardens. Then we starved. Leopards killed some of us while
we were working away in the forest and others got lost or died from exposure and
starvation. We begged the white man to leave us alone, saying we could get no more
rubber, but the white men and their soldiers said: ‘Go. You are only beasts yourselves,
you are only nyama (meat).’ We tried, always going further into the forest, and when
we failed and our rubber was short, the soldiers came to our towns and killed us.
Many were shot, some had their ears cut off; others were tied up with ropes round
their necks and taken away.”
Why choose this?: I chose this artifact because it is a direct description of the devastation that the Congo and all of Africa suffered at the hands of Europe. It also describes the motives for imperialism in the Congo , which was its supply of rubber.
Here is the testimony:
“It used to take ten days to get the twenty baskets of rubber – we were always in the
forest to find the rubber vines, to go without food, and our women had to give up
cultivating the fields and gardens. Then we starved. Leopards killed some of us while
we were working away in the forest and others got lost or died from exposure and
starvation. We begged the white man to leave us alone, saying we could get no more
rubber, but the white men and their soldiers said: ‘Go. You are only beasts yourselves,
you are only nyama (meat).’ We tried, always going further into the forest, and when
we failed and our rubber was short, the soldiers came to our towns and killed us.
Many were shot, some had their ears cut off; others were tied up with ropes round
their necks and taken away.”
opinion paragraph
Almost every country in Africa was imperialized by a European country at some point. Africa was hit the hardest by imperialism because of the amount of life lost and the amount of territory that was taken over. One of the best ways to illustrate the devastation that Africa suffered is a first-hand account. This is an account of Belgian imperialism and the amount of suffering the local Congolese had to go through to supply Belgium with rubber. There were a lot of shocking statements in the testimony, like "We begged the white man to leave us alone saying we could get no more rubber, but the white men and their soldiers said: 'Go. You are only beasts yourselves, you are only nyama (meat).'" This quote describes the inhuman treatment that the Congolese received daily. This type of treatment happened in colonized country throughout Africa. To conclude, Africa was affected most by European imperialism because of the unjust treatment of the natives, the huge amount of countries that were imperialized and the amount of life lost.