Imperialism Vocabulary

Front

Berlin Conference

Back

(1884-1885) was a meeting held in Berlin, Germany and organized by Otto von Bismarck, the first chancellor of Germany, during which European countries decided how they were going to divide up Africa for colonization.

Front

Boxer Rebellion

Back

(1900) a conflict in which a group of religious Chinese nationalists opposed to foreign influence in the country attacked and killed missionaries and other foreign officials, and invaded the capital before being defeated by an international force of soldiers from imperial countries.

Front

British East India Company

Back

A trading company that was given the exclusive right to trade with India from the British government in the 1600s and who expanded their power to control most of India until being replaced by the British government in 1858.

Front

Colonization

Back

The process of dominating a country's political, economic, and/or cultural life.

Front

Opium Wars

Back

(1839-1842; 1856-1860) two wars fought in the mid-19th century between China and the British Empire over the British trade of opium and China's independence.

Front

Raw materials

Back

An item (usually a natural resource) used to create manufactured goods.

Front

Scramble for Africa

Back

(1881-1914) a period of time during which European countries competed for control over African land and resources.

Front

Sepoy Rebellion

Back

(1857-1858) was a revolt of soldiers employed by the British East India Company against the Company.

Front

Social Darwinism

Back

A theory based on a misreading of the work of Charles Darwin (1809-1882) that states that people are engaged in a competition or "struggle for survival" in which the weakest people and nations would be destroyed and dominated while the strong grew in power and influence.

Front

Sphere of influence

Back

A country or an area of a country that another country has the power to affect what happens there.