European dominance and the 19th century Modern history

1 european dominance , 19th century

1.1 imperialism , empires
1.2 british victorian era
1.3 french governments , conflicts
1.4 slavery , abolition
1.5 african colonization
1.6 meiji japan

european dominance , 19th century


world s sovereigns , 1889.

historians define 19th century historical era stretching 1815 (the congress of vienna) 1914 (the outbreak of first world war); alternatively, eric hobsbawm defined long nineteenth century spanning years 1789 1914.

imperialism , empires

in 1800s , 1900s, once great , powerful empires such spain, ottoman turkey, mughal empire, , kingdom of portugal began break apart. spain, @ 1 time unrivaled in europe, had been declining long time when crippled napoleon bonaparte s invasion. sensing time right, spain s vast colonies in south america began series of rebellions ended of spanish territories gaining independence.

the once mighty ottoman empire wracked series of revolutions, resulting ottoman s holding small region surrounded capital, istanbul.

the mughal empire, descended mongol khanate, bested upcoming maratha confederacy. going marathas until british took interest in riches of india , british ended ruling not boundaries of modern india, pakistan, burma, nepal, bangladesh , southern regions of afghanistan.

the king of portugal s vast territory of brazil reformed independent empire of brazil.

with defeat of napoleonic france, britain became undoubtedly powerful country in world, , end of first world war controlled quarter of world s population , third of surface. however, power of british empire did not end on land, since had greatest navy on planet.

electricity, steel, , petroleum enabled germany become great international power raced create empires of own.

the meiji restoration chain of events led enormous changes in japan s political , social structure taking firm hold @ beginning of meiji era coincided opening of japan arrival of black ships of commodore matthew perry , made imperial japan great power.

russia , qing dynasty china failed keep pace other world powers led massive social unrest in both empires. qing dynasty s military power weakened during 19th century, , faced international pressure, massive rebellions , defeats in wars, dynasty declined after mid-19th century.

european powers controlled parts of oceania, french new caledonia 1853 , french polynesia 1889; germans established colonies in new guinea in 1884, , samoa in 1900.

the united states expanded pacific hawaii becoming u.s. territory 1898.

disagreements between us, germany , uk on samoa led tripartite convention of 1899.

british victorian era


national flag of united kingdom.

the victorian era of united kingdom period of queen victoria s reign june 1837 january 1901. long period of prosperity british people, profits gained overseas british empire, industrial improvements @ home, allowed large, educated middle class develop. scholars extend beginning of period—as defined variety of sensibilities , political games have come associated victorians—back 5 years passage of reform act 1832.

the british empire in 1897, marked in traditional colour imperial british dominions on maps

in britain s imperial century , victory on napoleon left britain without serious international rival, other russia in central asia. unchallenged @ sea, britain adopted role of global policeman, state of affairs later known pax britannica, , foreign policy of splendid isolation . alongside formal control exerted on own colonies, britain s dominant position in world trade meant controlled economies of many nominally independent countries, such china, argentina , siam, has been characterized informal empire . of note during time anglo-zulu war, fought in 1879 between british empire , zulu empire.

british imperial strength underpinned steamship , telegraph, new technologies invented in second half of 19th century, allowing control , defend empire. 1902, british empire linked network of telegraph cables, so-called red line. growing until 1922, around 13,000,000 square miles (34,000,000 km) of territory , 458 million people added british empire. british established colonies in australia in 1788, new zealand in 1840 , fiji in 1872, of oceania becoming part of british empire.

french governments , conflicts

the bourbon restoration followed ousting of napoleon of france in 1814. allies restored bourbon dynasty french throne. ensuing period called restoration, following french usage, , characterized sharp conservative reaction , re-establishment of roman catholic church power in french politics. july monarchy period of liberal constitutional monarchy in france under king louis-philippe starting july revolution (or 3 glorious days) of 1830 , ending revolution of 1848. second empire imperial bonapartist regime of napoleon iii 1852 1870, between second republic , third republic, in france.

napoleon iii , bismarck after battle of sedan

the franco-prussian war conflict between france , prussia, while prussia backed north german confederation, of member, , south german states of baden, württemberg , bavaria. complete prussian , german victory brought final unification of germany under king wilhelm of prussia. marked downfall of napoleon iii , end of second french empire, replaced third republic. part of settlement, of territory of alsace-lorraine taken prussia become part of germany, retain until end of world war i.

the french third republic republican government of france between end of second french empire following defeat of louis-napoléon in franco-prussian war in 1870 , vichy regime after invasion of france german third reich in 1940. third republic endured seventy years, making long-lasting regime in france since collapse of ancien régime in french revolution of 1789.

slavery , abolition

slavery reduced around world in 19th century. following successful slave revolt in haiti, britain forced barbary pirates halt practice of kidnapping , enslaving europeans, banned slavery throughout domain, , charged navy ending global slave trade. slavery abolished in russia, america, , brazil.

african colonization

following abolition of slave trade in 1807 , propelled economic exploitation, scramble africa initiated formally @ berlin west africa conference in 1884–1885. berlin conference attempted avoid war among european powers allowing european rival countries carve continent of africa national colonies. africans not consulted.

the major european powers laid claim areas of africa exhibit sphere of influence on area. these claims did not have have substantial land holdings or treaties legitimate. european power demonstrated control on territory accepted mandate rule region national colony. european nation held claim developed , benefited colony’s commercial interests without having fear rival european competition. colonial claim came underlying assumption european power exerted control use mandate offer protection , provide welfare colonial peoples, however, principle remained more theory practice. there many documented instances of material , moral conditions deteriorating native africans in late nineteenth , twentieth centuries under european colonial rule, point colonial experience them has been described hell on earth.

at time of berlin conference, africa contained one-fifth of world’s population living in one-quarter of world’s land area. however, europe s perspective, dividing unknown continent. european countries established few coastal colonies in africa mid-nineteenth century, included cape colony (great britain), angola (portugal), , algeria (france), until late nineteenth century europe largely traded free african states without feeling need territorial possession. until 1880s of africa remained uncharted, western maps period showing blank spaces continent’s interior.

from 1880s 1914, european powers expanded control across african continent, competing each other africa’s land , resources. great britain controlled various colonial holdings in east africa spanned length of african continent egypt in north south africa. french gained major ground in west africa, , portuguese held colonies in southern africa. germany, italy, , spain established small number of colonies @ various points throughout continent, included german east africa (tanganyika) , german southwest africa germany, eritrea , libya italy, , canary islands , rio de oro in northwestern africa spain. finally, king leopold (ruled 1865 1909), there large “piece of great african cake” known congo, which, unfortunately native congolese, became personal fiefdom pleased in central africa. 1914, entire continent under european control. liberia, settled freed american slaves in 1820s, , abyssinia (ethiopia) in eastern africa last remaining independent african states.

meiji japan

around end of 19th century , 20th century, meiji era marked reign of meiji emperor. during time, japan started modernization , rose world power status. era name means enlightened rule . in japan, meiji restoration started in 1860s, marking rapid modernization japanese along european lines. research has focused on issues of discontinuity versus continuity previous tokugawa period. in 1960s younger japanese scholars led irokawa daikichi, reacted against bureaucratic superstate, , began searching historic role of common people . avoided elite, , focused not on political events on social forces , attitudes. rejected both marxism , modernization theory alien , confining. stressed importance of popular energies in development of modern japan. enlarged history using methods of social history. not until beginning of meiji era japanese government began taking modernization seriously. japan expanded military production base opening arsenals in various locations. hyobusho (war office) replaced war department , naval department. samurai class suffered great disappointment following years.

laws instituted required every able-bodied male japanese citizen, regardless of class, serve mandatory term of 3 years first reserves , 2 additional years second reserves. action, deathblow samurai warriors , daimyōs, met resistance both peasant , warrior alike. peasant class interpreted term military service, ketsu-eki ( blood tax ) literally, , attempted avoid service means necessary. japanese government began modelling ground forces after french military. french government contributed training of japanese officers. many employed @ military academy in kyoto, , many more still feverishly translating french field manuals use in japanese ranks.

after death of meiji emperor, taishō emperor took throne, beginning taishō period. key foreign observer of remarkable , rapid changes in japanese society in period ernest mason satow.

representative western scholars include george akita, william beasley, james b. crowley, john w. dower, peter duus, carol gluck, norman herbert, john w. hall, mikiso hane, akira iriye, marius jansen, edwin o. reischauer, george b. sansom, bernard silberman, richard storry, karel van wolfram, , ezra vogel.