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Colonialism. Colonialism. Colonial Conquests: the new World. 1492 Columbus’ discovery 1493 Pope Alexander VI divides New World between Spain and Portugal—largely ignored Conquest, forced labor, and disease—10-100 million dead 1550 Debate at Valladolid—do Indians have souls?.
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Colonialism Colonialism
Colonial Conquests: the new World • 1492 Columbus’ discovery • 1493 Pope Alexander VI divides New World between Spain and Portugal—largely ignored • Conquest, forced labor, and disease—10-100 million dead • 1550 Debate at Valladolid—do Indians have souls?
Latin American Colonial Independence • Spurred by American example, independence movements sweep much of Latin America from 1810-1820
Colonialism in Asia: India • Beginning 1490s, colonized by many European powers • By 1750s, Britain predominant European power, ruling by means of the East India Company
Negligent famine • In 1750s and then 1870s incompetence by British led to famines killing millions
Attempting to Overthrow the British Raj • 1857 “Sepoy Rebellion” “first war of Independence” was crushed
Gandhi and the Congress Party • 1920 Gandhi calls for boycott of British goods, refuse to pay taxes, peaceful protest • Calls it off when crowd kills police—through fasting • 1930 Gandhi leads “salt march” • Growing rift between Congress and Muslim League—advocate a split
War and Independence • Britain (without consultation) enters India in WWII, as they had WWI • Some leaders of Congress Party side with Germany and Japan • 1947 amid continuing protests, Britain agrees to independence—secular India, Muslim Pakistan
Aftermath • In first 2 years of independence, over 1 million die in communal violence • Over 10 million flee
Divergent paths to independence • Gandhi vs Fanon
Colonialism and China • From 1600s to 1800s Chinese Emperors limited Western trade and contact to two ports • Increasingly weak dynasty tried to prohibit importation of opium • 1830s-1850s China lost two “Opium Wars” • Forced to give up Hong Kong, allow missionaries, and all trade
19th century humiliation of China • European powers and Japan carved up China into “spheres of influence” and treaty ports
Reaction: “Boxer Rebellions” of 1900 • Members of a Chinese nationalist society attacked foreigners, missionaries, and Chinese Christians • Eight nation alliance sends 50,000 troops to put down rebellion
Nationalist Revolution of 1912 • Sun Yat-Sen overthrows discredited Ching dynasty, declares a republic, and attempts to reduce foreign influence
Chinese “Imperialism”: Tibet • From 17th Century until 1959, Tibet governed by “incarnations” of the Dalai Lama • PRC invaded in 1949, taking control in 1959—”liberating” a backwards society—”Sinification” • 14th Dalai Lama has ceded political power to newly democratic government also in exile in India
da • http://ia300103.us.archive.org/0/items/tibet_gnn/tibet_bb.mov
Race for Africa • Beginning in 1870s, competitive territorial claims across Africa • 1884-5 Berlin conference
Example 1: Rwanda • 1890s Rwanda colonized by Germans • After WWI, goes to Belgians, under League of Nations mandate • Belgians favor Tutsi minority • 1962 becomes independent—Hutu dominated • 1990s increased fighting between Hutu and Tutsi • 1994 Hutu president killed, genocide begins • http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/hotel_rwanda/trailers.php
Example #2: Democratic Republic of Congo • 1870s—claimed as the personal property of King Leopold II of Belgium • 1908 Embarrassed by Leopold’s brutality, Belgian parliament purchases Congo
Recent history of the Congo • 1960 Patrice Lumumba elected prime minister, killed with assistance from CIA • US and Belgium install Mobutu • 1990s Congo becomes scene of Africa’s “world wars” • 2006 Internationally sponsored elections • Issue of “conflict diamonds and conflict gold” http://hrw.org/video/2005/gold/
Example #3—Liberia • 1820s American association sends free blacks back to Africa, formed Republic • 1980s military coup overthrew republic--dictator assisted CIA • 1997s Charles Taylor elected—being tried now for crimes against humanity • 2005 first woman in Africa elected head of govt
The Presidency of Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf • http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/liberia/essays/uspolicy/index.html
Example #4 Rhodesia/Zimbabwe • Cecil Rhodes: "I contend that we (the British) are the finest race in the world; and that the more of the world we inhabit, the better it is for the human race".
Rhodesia • 1890s natives expropriated and white rule established under Rhodes’ BSAC • 1965 Britain refused to grant independence w/o majority rule—white Rhodesian’s declared themselves independent • 1980 after 10 years of fighting, Mugabe elected president in internationally supervised elections
Mugabe’s Zimbabwe • One party rule • White farmers’ lands redistributed • Economic free-fall
Post colonial world • 1945--roughly 50 countries • now roughly 200