Rachel 2/4....

Today we went over a DBQ concerning the positive and negative effects of imperialism.


The first document was by O.P. Austin from The Forum, 1900 called "Does Colonization Pay". This document discussed how the progressive "mother" nations desire land in the tropics, including Africa, Latin America and Asia. Under their control, they'll be able to obtain needed foodstuffs and manufactured goods back to their country. In return, they provide the other country with roads, canals, railways, telegraphs, schools and newspaper. All while this occurs, the mother country is influencing their culture.


The second document is a cartoon with the caption "Learning civilized way is hard work" In the picture, two men, one African and one Asian man are pulling a carriage where a white colonist is sitting and relaxing. This showed how the natives of these conquered lands had to endure hard labor and harsh treatment from the colonists. However, it only benefitted the progressive nation, and not their own.


Document three, taken from Imperialism and World Politics from Parker T. Moore in 1926, he explains that during this time, the most power rested within the hands of the makers of cotton, iron and other goods, banks, military and naval leaders, and missionaries. For the cotton and iron makers, they had control of the colonial markets, in hopes of obtaining political control in the long run. The bankers made loans to the colonies, as well as plantation owners and importers/exporters and helped pay for the building f steamship lines and railroads. The military generals enforced expanding the white man's rule over an "inferior race" of other-skin colored natives. Along with this, missionaries spoke to natives about "their world" implying the more advanced and industrialized ways of Europe.


An African proverb is seen in document four which reads "When the whites came to our country, we had the land and they had the Bible, now we have the Bible and they have the land. Clearly from the African prospective, this statement explains that they didn't like how these colonists came to their land with missionaries to influence their religion and culture. They were satisfied with their religion and while this was all occurring, the white men took their land and resources from them.


Document five is a poem, also from the African prospective. A young black boy, who was a slave, discusses how his life has changed ever since the Europeans came to their land. Overall, the treatment of the natives was extremely harsh. His father was killed, his mom seduced (or raped) and his brother spent so much time outside in the sun doing work that his body was beginning to burnt. And all while this occurred, the boy could not protest in fear of harm or his life, and had to cope with being an innocent bystander. During this time, the Europeans weren't concerned with the Africans...only with obtaining their resources and making money.


Sekou Toure, a West African nationalist said an important quote/speech in 1962(Document 6), concerning Imperialism (obviously). He understands the Europeans motives for colonization, but he doesn't completely agree with the outcome it has produced. He know the African land is valuable for its abundance of it's raw materials and resources, and it's sources of power, but he is displeased that the colonists came to their land and don't allow them to govern it themselves. He also knows the Europeans see them as inferior because of how badly they treat them and because they feel they are not capable of running their nation themselves because they aren't advanced enough. Toure feels that the Europeans trying to "better" the African nation is pretty much a lame excuse. Also, he is unhappy that all of this industrialization and trade occurs yet barely any of it benefits Africa, and all of it goes to Europe.


Document 7 is a German cartoon titled "This is How the English Colonize". The picture displays colonists running a machine where a native is being tortured, yet the "outcome" of the machine is helping the colonists. While this is all occurring, there is a religious figure standing beside them reading the bible. This document id displaying how the Europeans constantly used religion as a justification for their actions. Although they claimed to want to spread Christianity,which they did in fact do, their main priority was to do whatever it took to help their economy.


I group these documents based on positive and negative effects of European imperialism and saw one and three as postive, and two, four, five, six, and seven as negative. I just can't wait to write this essay...
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