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British East India Company Founded
Originally a charter of 25 people by Queen Elizabeth, the British East India Company dominated Imdia and had a very strong foothold in Southeast Asia before countries officially colonised the area. -
Egypt Wins Wars
Egypt wins battles to gain control of Syria and Arab territory. After this, ruler Muhammed Ali initiates military reforms to ensure Egypt keeps territory. -
Treaty of Nanjing
The Treaty of Nanjing ended conflict between Britain and China and made Hong Kong a British territory. -
Crimean War Ends
On this day, the Treaty of Paris was signed, This signified the end of the Crimean War. It gave Turkey recognised independence and demilitarized the Black Sea -
The Sepoy Rebellion Begins
Sepoys, Indian soldiers under the command of British officers, rebelled against their superiors due to a culmination of factors. The initial spark was when about one hundred Sepoys refused their orders during a training exercise. -
The British Raj Begins
After the Sepoy Uprising, Britain decided to step in and directly control India, instead of allowing the private British East India Company to control the country. -
The Suez Canal Opens
The Suez Canal, a major canal for the British Empire, first opened for navigation. It created a major trade route for the British. -
"Dr. Livingstone, I presume?"
In the 1860's, Scottish missionary David Livingstone started an expedition to spread Christianity in Africa. No one heard from him for several years until Henry Stanley was hired by a newspaper to find him. Stanley found Livingstone and uttuered the famous quote. "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" -
Europe Controls 10% of Africa
Although a large amount of effort was put in by European powers, they only controlled 10% of Africa. -
Berlin Conference
All of the Eurpowan nations met in Berlin to set ground rules for the colonization of Africa. -
The Zulu Nation Falls
The Zulus, who were some of the toughest fighters in the continent of Africa, fell to the British. Although the Zulus were a tough, organised resistance against the oncoming intruders, they could not match British guns. Their land then became British territory. -
King Leopold Exploits the Congo
King Leopold, the ruler of Belgium, established a harsh regime in the Congo because of his restless quest for ivory. -
The Battle of Adwa
Ethiopia, lead by Menelik II, successfully defended their country against the Italians. Menelik II did well to keep his country independent when most of the continent was collapsing to foreign powers. -
US Annexes Hawaii
The United States annexed Hawaii. American business owners were influencing the country before as well, trying to oust the local establishment to embetter their business, but the US eventually stepped in to prevent economic exploitation. -
The US Acquires Territory
The United States acquired The Phillipines, Guam, and Puerto Rico due to their victory in the Spanish-American War. -
The Boer War Begins
The Boer War, a conflict between the Dutch and British for South Africa, began. Once diamonds and gold were discovered, many powers attempted to stake a claim. Britain eventually won the war and territory. -
The Maji Maji Uprising
One of the more unique rebellion against European powers was the Maji Maji Uprising. Natives in German East Africa believed a special water (called maji-maji) would turn German bullets into water. To make a long story short, it didn't. Over 75,000 people died from the supposedly harmless German bullets. -
Most of Africa Under European Control
Eventually, local resistance gave way to European guns. -
World War I Begins
Imperialism was actually a very large cause of the first world war. Conflicts on the other side of the globe created rivalries between European powers and only added to pre-war tension. -
Britain Claims Nigeria
Britain claimed the land of modern-day Nigeria. The land was gained through a variety of methods and Britain had to keep resistance at bay.