IMPERIALISM BEFORE WORLD WAR I
READ ABOUT IT!
Welcome to the Imperialism before World War I Virtual Center. The first thing your group needs to do is read about imperialism. After you read, you need to work together to complete the Imperialism Center Page in your Lesson Chronicles.
What is Imperialism?
Imperialism is when a nation takes over another nation to rule them and take their natural resources. Usually, the nation that does the "taking over" is called the "mother country". The nations that are "taken over" become a territory or colony of the mother country. All of the lands that the mother country rules including the mother country are called an empire.
Nations that had extremely advanced militaries were able to take over other nations quite easily. Sometimes imperialist nations could take over simply by bullying. They did this by parading their military and all of their advanced weapons, in front of the weaker nation. The weaker nation, realizing there was no hope, would give into the imperialist nation. Sometimes imperialist nations would bribe the leaders of smaller or weaker nations. The empire would promise the leader of the weaker or smaller nation a special status or position within the empire if he would give in to them. Other times empires gained colonies and territories by invading.
Once the empire took control, the colony or territory was under the rule of the empire. Colonies and territories had one major purpose - to provide resources to help the mother country. Some colonies provided natural resources such as minerals, lumber, and farm land. Other nations were taken for their precious metals and stones. The people living in the colonies were expected to provide cheap labor for the mother country. They were also expected to put aside their own national pride and show loyalty to the mother country. In addition to resources, colonies and territories provided additional trade routes for buying and selling goods. They also offered military advantages such as strategic locations for naval bases or troops.
By 1914, almost all land in the world had been claimed by an empire or was ruled by a strong nation. In the 1800s and early 1900s, the major European powers all competed for colonies in Africa and Asia. Great Britain, France, Germany and Belgium all developed intense rivalries. These rivalries led to crises and these crises scared nations into forming alliances to protect themselves in the event of war.
Why Imperialism?
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Important Vocabulary
alliances: agreements between nations to work together for a common goal or to defend each other in the event of war colony: an area under the control of a mother country, whose purpose is to provide resources to help the mother country crises: difficult or dangerous situations in which a decision must be made quickly and the result of the decision has heavy consequences economy: the way in which a nation uses its resources and how it makes and spends its money empire: a group of countries or regions that are controlled by one ruler or one government imperialism: when a nation takes over another nation to rule them and take their natural resources nationalism: feeling loyal and proud of your nation and believing your nation is better and more important than other nations prestigious: being respected or admired by others for being successful or important strategic locations: areas that are good for carrying out a strategy or plan territory: country that rules itself but has important matters decided by a more powerful nation trade routes: the path that merchants follow, either by land or sea, to buy and sell goods |
Before World War I, European nations raced to create their empires. Nationalism, contributed to this race. Every nation wanted to have the biggest, most wonderful empire for several reasons. When an empire gained a new colony, the colony's natural resources became the property of the mother country. These natural resources went to make raw materials that benefited the mother country's economy. Nations who were able to win colonies had to have strong militaries. Nations with strong militaries were feared and less likely to be invaded. Finally, having an empire was considered prestigious by powerful nations and those with the largest empires were greatly respected by all other empires.
More Rivalry! Jeez Europe!
Everything in red was part of the British Empire before World War I
Great Britain had the greatest empire before World War I. They owned nearly twenty percent or one fifth of the world's land. They had colonies on every continent and they boasted that, The sun never set on the British Empire." Great Britain controlled the countries of India, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong, parts of north Africa, islands in the Pacific and Caribbean and concessions in China.
France had an impressive empire as well. Their empire was the second largest in the world. France controlled modern day Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, areas of Africa and India, small possessions in South America, and islands in the Pacific and Caribbean.
Germany and Italy entered the land race late in the game. So, they were ready to snatch whatever lands were available. Germany entered the land race late because its previous ruler did not care to gain new colonies. But when a new ruler came to power, a group of people called the Berlin Group formed and pressed for German imperialism. They focused their attention on lands in Africa.
Germany and Italy entered the land race late in the game. So, they were ready to snatch whatever lands were available. Germany entered the land race late because its previous ruler did not care to gain new colonies. But when a new ruler came to power, a group of people called the Berlin Group formed and pressed for German imperialism. They focused their attention on lands in Africa.
Land Scramble Leds to Crises and Alliances
Sometimes as imperialist nations worked to expand their empires, two empires would compete for the same area of land. Their fight over the land cause several major crises to develop. Though these crises did not directly result in war, they did increase the tension between European nations. With the fear of of war at hand, nations began to look to form alliances with other nations to help protect themselves in the event of invasion.
ANALYZE IT!
The second thing your group needs to do is to analyze what you have learned. Below, is a game. This game is not online (Sorry kids, the platform I used to use to create this game now costs money!). I will hand each table a game box. Listen to the following instructions as I read them aloud.
Carving Up Africa
Today you will play a game called Carving Up Africa to give you a better idea of imperialism before World War I. In this game you will take over nations in Africa just like nations did before World War I.
Game Contents
Each game box needs to have the following contents. Check your box and make sure all the pieces are there.
1 Game Board
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1 die
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1 Pencil
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Pack of Colored Pencils
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Game Instructions
- To begin, each player choses a colored pencil.
- One player writes all the players down by their color on the game board.
- Each player then rolls the die. The game will begin with the player who rolls the highest number and game play will move clockwise around the group.
- The player roll the die. Then the player will chose one space on the map of Africa that matches the number they rolled to color in. Color in the space neatly and completely!
- Then, the next player does the same.
- The game ends when all the countries of Africa are colonized or colored in. The winner is the player who has the the largest empire because they have the most area colored in.
- Write the winner's name in the box on the game board and bring your game board to me.
PROVE IT!
You just learned about imperialism before World War I. You analyzed it by playing a game where you worked to expand your empire by taking over countries in Africa. Now you need to show off what you know. Complete the Center Check by clicking on the Center Check Icon below and answering the questions.
CENTER COMPLETE!
You have completed the Imperialism Before World War I Center. Click on the button below to go back to the Lesson 1 - The Causes of World War I Home Page.