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Industrial Revolution (Rough Time Period)
During this time period, the Europeans were creating factories, vaccines, and better guns and ships. This gave them the motives for and means of conquering the rest of the world. The imporved technology allowed for easy defeat of enemies on the battle fields. The vaccines made lessened the effects of foreign diseases. Places like Africa had so many raw materials that the Europeans needed to feed into their factory, as well as the potential for a market to sell manufactured goods to. -
Monroe Doctrine
Issued by President James Monroe, this document stated that if any European powers came to colonize the Americas, it would be seen as an act of war, to which the Americas would retaliate accordingly. -
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Opium Wars
The Chinese were self sufficient, and didn't need anything from the Europeans besides silver. The balance of trade was in the favor of the Chinese. However, this all changed when Britain started selling opium to the Chinese. Over 12 million became addicted to the drug, upsetting the Chinese balance of trade. The Chinese fought back, but Britain defeated them with steamboats and were given Hong Kong. A second war, that occured from 1856-1860, concluded with similar results. -
Commodore Perry Arrives in Japan
Commodore Matthew Perry, an American, shows up in Japan with 4 warships that contain over 80 guns, which he uses to blast through and force Japan to trade with the USA. -
Sepoy Rebellion
In 1857, the British forces in India switched to Enfield Rifles, whose cartridges were sealed with beef and pork fat. Upon the Indian Sepoys finding out about this, they started a rebellion, as the consumption of beef fat is against their religious beliefs. This, in their eyes, proved the British ignorance of Indian beliefs and culture. -
Meiji Restoration
During this period, the Shogunate was overthrown, and the Meiji Emperor was restored, resulting in the rapid modernization of Japan. -
Suez Canal Open for Navigation
The Suez Canal was built by the French through Egypt as a quicker route to India. The canal cut the travel time almost in half, and was known as the "Highway to India." -
King Leopold II Gets the Congo
Around this time, King Leopold II of Belgium had scouts in what is now known as the Congo, making treaties with the local leaders. After promising to end slavery, the Berlin Conference allowed Leopold to take the Congo, What followed was mass exploition of the native people. If they didn't produce the ivory and rubber quotas, their hands would get chopped off. It took years for these horrors to be discovered and reported to the rest of the world. The Congo's population went from 30 mil to 8 mil. -
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Berlin Conference
At this conference, all the major European powers (including, but not limited to, England, France, Russia, Germany, and the Ottoman Empire) met up to divide Africa. Nobody from Africa was invited to determine the fate of their continent. -
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Boxer Rebellion
As more and more foreigners started to flood into China, some of the Chinese decided that enough was enough. They called themselves the "Society of Harmonious Fists" and wished to eradicate the "Foreign Devils." After the Chinese rebels took the European section of Beijing and held it for months, they were eventually defeated by foreign powers.
