3_Euro

Question: Compare and contrast the motives for European overseas expansion during the Age of Discovery (fifteenth and sixteenth centuries) and during the Age of New Imperialism (nineteenth and early twentieth centuries). Thesis: Although both of the eras of overseas expansion were fueled by economic interests, during the Age of New Imperialism there was also the added incentive of showing the world that your country was powerful by spreading throughout the world and establishing colonies. Age of Discovery: -some colonizing based off of an idea of finite resources. Limited resources meant that one country’s wealth came at the expense of another country’s wealth -most colonizing was in the Americas because they wanted the resources Age of New Imperialism: -saw a drastic increase in colonizing by seeing the advantages of free trade between nations, meant that they were now interested in expanding trade between countries and colonies by now knowing that you won’t be losing wealth by trading outside the empire -colonized new areas (China, India, Africa) not necessarily for resources, but because they saw that economic growth could be better gotten from trading goods -Britain being very aggressive in pushing for free trade. Relatively small country producing more goods than they could consume, needed places to sell these, primary market for these goods was America -colonizing new areas was a sign of having power. -Belgium colonizing the Congo to show that they want to be powerful, but couldn’t expand in Europe. -Germany reluctantly taking land in Africa in order to show that they had power. DID NOT want to colonize be cause they wanted to preserve their newly formed country AT ALL COSTS. Question: How and in what ways were economic and political factors responsible for intensifying European imperialist activity in Africa from the mid-nineteenth century to the beginning of the First World War' Thesis: The increasing interest in territorial expansionism into Africa in the mid-nineteenth century was a sign that now that European country’s national borders were for all intensive purposes set in place, these countries were now looking to other parts of the world to increase their power over their rival countries who were looking to do the same. France: After losing the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-1871 they looked to increasing their foreign empire as a way to gain back the power and influence that they lost after suffering this terrible defeat. Germany: Took land in Africa so as to seem like their newly created country was powerful enough to contend with the other major European countries. They did not, however, want to expand. The last thing Germany at this time wanted to do was overstretch themselves and see their newly formed country fall apart. They took just enough land to show everybody that they had the power to do so, but would never do any more than that. The fall of the Ottoman Empire: As the Ottoman Empire slowly decayed it raised the “Eastern Question”. As the empire weakened, it opened up opportunities for the European powers to take over its African provinces, which were easy pickings for these countries. Belgium: Even the tiny state of Belgium had expansionist yearnings, and they managed to get the Congo for themselves. They wanted to show other countries that they had some power, but could never even hope to dream of expanding in Europe, so they looked to Africa. Britain: Although they never included Egypt as officially part of their empire, they controlled it quietly from behind the scenes of the Khedive government. They used their “advisory” role in the government to pursue their economic goals. They used the Suez Canal to decrease the travel time between Britain and India, so they could transport their goods quicker. They also stopped the Egyptian farmers and landowners from creating mills or manufacturing goods so they didn’t compete with them in selling goods. Question: Describe and analyze the ways in which Marxism, Freudianism, and the women’s movement challenged traditional European beliefs before the First World War. Thesis: Whether it was through challenging the eventual evolution of political and economic systems, the causes and reasoning behind human behavior, or (something about women), Marxism, Freudianism, and the women’s movement all challenged the basic beliefs held by European society Marxism: challenged the belief that capitalism was here to stay and they it would lead countries to further prosperity. Although admitting that capitalism was absolutely essential to the evolution of a society, Marxists believed that capitalism would eventually start an economic competition that would put more and more people out of jobs, leading to the “proletariat revolution”. This revolution would lead to the stop of all oppression between any group of people ever. This point is the culmination of human history where everybody can be free and wouldn’t have to worry about any form of class conflict ever again. Freudianism: challenged the widely held belief that all humans are inherently rational people. He taught that all people have innate desires and motives for everything they do and that they are constantly suppressing these urges. Id- aggressive, pleasure-seeking animal self Super ego- rational, moral self Ego- mediator between both It is through the constant battle between these 3 inner selves that people form their outer behavior. This directly challenged the belief that people were born naturally moral and ethical beings by exposing the inner working of human behavior Women's movement: challenged the belief that women would be universally conservative in their political beliefs and actions. This was not the case at all. Many femenist movements actually applied the liberal ideas of the rights of man to form the core of their movement. Femenist movements also sought the improvement of women's social conditions, education, right to vote, and other legal protections that were all key elements of earlier man-oriented liberal movements.