6.1 amsco ap world

• As Europeans industrialized, they gained an economic advantage in the global economy → Colonized other lands to gain crude materials to support their economy

​

• European imperialism → Westernized all their colonies & contributed to the global migration of millions of people

​

• Imperialism in India, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Pacific

​

​

• Qing Dynasty's & Ottoman Empire's Decline

• Many cultural, religious, and racial ideologies were used to justify imperialism

​

• European nations colonized other nations to get raw materials to supply to their industrial factories & also to gain modern markets for industrial goods

​

• European nations colonized other nations to get more political influence in the world

• European nations + US &
  

  AMSCO AP World History 6.1

  6.1: Rationales for Imperialism

  Essential Question: What ideologies contributed to the development of imperialism between 1750 and 1900?

  Intro:

  Imperialist countries gave reasons for building empires by taking rule over other places. (rationales) The rationales were an effect of imperialism but also inspired more expansion, especially with European Contest.

  1. Social Darwinism - belief system that applies the principles of Darwin’s theory to society. It suggests that natural selection determines who is strong and in power in society.
     • racist ideologies said white people were inherently finer . It was a justification for imperialism because Social Darwinists believed the eventual extinction of the “inferior race” was necessary for progress.
  2. Civilizing Mission - belief that it was their mission to bring the benefits of western civilization to the “primitive peoples.”
     • justified colonization because it legitimized the forced displacement of indigenous populations, destruction of societies, and imposition of western religion, language, and culture.
  3. Nationalism - belief in the importance of one’s have nation and the promotion of it

     Between 1750 and 1900, European powers, along with the United States and Japan, expanded their alter across the globe. This era of imperialism was justified not only by economic and strategic motives but also by a series of cultural, racial, religious, and scientific ideologies that helped rationalize domination and colonization. These justifications weren’t just explanations—they were powerful tools that encouraged further expansion and made imperialism appear noble or even necessary.

     ---

     Ideological Justifications for Empire

     Imperial powers believed they had a right—if not a duty—to conquer, dominate, and "civilize" others. These rationales often emerged from pseudoscientific racism, ethnocentrism, and national pride.

     Social Darwinism

     Social Darwinism adapted Charles Darwin’s theory of spontaneous selection to human societies—falsely. According to this view, just as nature selected the strongest species to survive, so too did history favor the strongest nations and races. Europeans used this logic to argue that their global dominance was natural and deserved.

     Key beliefs of Social Darwinism included:

     • “Survival of the fittest” among nations and races
     • Stronger
       
       

       10th Grade AP World History Unit 6: AMSCO PDF, Answers, and Notes

       Imperialism, the process by which one nation extends its alter and power over another through diplomacy or force, significantly impacted Africa and Asia during this period. The effects of imperialism from 1750-1900 were profound and long-lasting, reshaping the political, economic, and social landscapes of colonized regions.

       In Africa, European influence had been growing since the 1800s, driven by the increasing claim for raw materials. The British sought to establish a shorter sea route to their Asian trading posts, leading to the construction of the Suez Canal in 1869 and the subsequent seizure of control from the Ottomans in 1882.

       Example: The Scramble for Africa, initiated by Otto von Bismarck of Germany, led to the Berlin Conference in 1884, where European powers drew colonial boundaries that often disregarded existing African political and ethnic divisions.

       Highlight: Belgium's King Leopold II's brutal rule in the Congo resulted in the deaths of approximately 8 million people due to forced labor and severe policies.

       In Asia, the British East India Company expanded its land at
       

       ImperialismThe policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization, military force, or other means.NationalismA strong identification with and devotion to one's nation, often leading to a desire for an increased role on the world stage.Social DarwinismA theory applying 'survival of the fittest' from biological evolution to social, political, and economic issues, often to justify imperialism and racial hierarchies.ColonialismThe practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.Rudyard KiplingAn English writer whose poem "The White Man’s Burden" became associated with the imperialist belief that Western nations had a duty to civilize other parts of the world.European NationalismThe expansion of European influence and control into other parts of the world, often as a means to compensate for losses or assert dominance, as seen with Britain and France.Colonial PowersEuropean nations like Britain and France that established colonies overseas for economic, strategic, and nationalistic reasons.Cultural Ideol