Nationalism and Imperialism (Matthew Kreeger)

Haitian Independence (1791-1804)

1791

The Africans fought in Haiti to overthrow the French regime. It established Haiti as an independent country, founded & governed by former slaves. The Haitian Revolution had international impact. It stopped Napoleon from creating a French Empire in the Western Hemisphere, causing France to sell their North American holdings to the United States. Slavery was expanded into the United States because of that sale. The Haitian Revolution also frightened France and Britain into abolishing slavery."

Mexico’s War of Independence ( Sep 16, 1810 – Sep 27, 1821)

Sep 16, 1810

The Mexican War of Independence was fought between Mexico and Spain. Mexico won victory over Spain. Thismeant that the Spanish colonial government was expelled from Mexico. The Treaty of Cordoba was signed and Mexico gained its independence from Spain.

Opium Wars [First Opium War (1839–1842) Second Opium War (1856-1860)]

1839

The First Opium War was fought between China and Britain. The Second Opium War was in China and was fought between Britain and France. In both wars, the foreign countries won and gained commercial privileges in China. They also won legal and territorial concessions in China.

Manifest Destiny (1845)

1845

Manifest Destiny is the belief that God the United States to expand its borders to the Pacific Ocean and beyond. “From sea to shining sea.” Before the American Civil War the idea of Manifest Destiny was used to validate continental acquisitions in the Oregon Country, Texas, New Mexico, and California. Later it was used to justify the purchase of Alaska and annexation of Hawaii. Manifest Destiny was also used to justify the forced removal of Native Americans and other groups from their homes.

Taiping Rebellion (1850 - 1864)

1850

The Taiping Rebellion took place in China and was a radical political and religious upheaval that was probably the most important event in China in the 19th century. The Third Battle of Nanjing was the last and most significant major battle. Although the Taiping Rebellion eventually failed, it lasted for 14 years (1850–64), ravaged 17 provinces, cost about 20 million lives, and forever changed the Qing dynasty.

Zulu Wars (January 1879 - July 1879)

1879

The Zulu Wars were fought in South Africa between the United Kingdom and Zulu. It was a 6 month war that resulted in the British victory over the Zulus. The major events were the Battle of Islandwana and Rorke’s Drift. The Zulu wars further divided the Zulu people and undermined their economic and social solidarity. The British took over ruling.

Berlin Conference (November 15, 1884 - February 26, 1885)

Nov 15, 1884

Representatives from France, Germany, Portugal and the United Kingdom met in Berlin, Germany to establish the legal claim by Europeans that all of Africa could be occupied by whomever could take it. It also established a process for Europeans to cooperate rather than fight with each other. This played a major part in the division and conquest of Africa.

Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895)

1894

China & Japan both wanted supremacy in Korea. Korea had been China’s most important state, but its strategic location near the Japanese islands attracted Japan’s interest. Korea's natural resources of coal and iron were also desirable. Japan had started to adopt Western technology, so they forced Korea to declare itself independent from China and to open itself to foreign (especially Japanese) trade. As a result, Japan became a major world power and the Chinese empire was weakened.

Philippine-American War (1899 - 1902)

1899

War between the United States and Filipino revolutionaries in Batangas, Luzon, Mindanao, Philippines, and Samar. "It was an insurrection that may be seen as a continuation of the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule. It began after the United States assumed sovereignty of the Philippines following the defeat of Spain in the Spanish-American War." Occasional fighting continued even after the war was officially over. The war finally gave the Philippines its independence.

Boer war (Oct 11, 1899 – May 31, 1902)

Oct 11, 1899

It was fought in South Africa between Orange Free State, South African Republic, and the United Kingdom. It was extremely expensive (£200 million+) and was fought between completely unequal armies. The British military had nearly 500,000 men, whereas the Boers only had about 88,000. The Boer Wars were significant in defining modern South Africa. The peace treaty in 1902 brought the British and Boers together in an uneasy alliance, allowing the formation of a unified South Africa.

Panama Canal (1903)

1903

The canal was a geopolitical strategy to make the United States the most powerful nation on earth. Americans needed this to move ships from east to west quickly, which would give US power because they would control the oceans. The Spooner Act of 1902 authorized the US President to conduct negotiations with Colombia for the canal

Russo-Japanese War (February 8, 1904 - September 5, 1905)

Feb 8, 1904

It was fought in China, Manchuria, and Korea. Japan won and forced Russia to abandon its expansions in East Asia, making them the first Asian power in modern times to defeat a European power. The Treaty of Portsmouth formally ended the Russo-Japanese War when U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt helped lead negotiations. The final agreement affirmed the Japanese presence in south Manchuria and Korea and ceded the southern half of the island of Sakhalin to Japan.