Era 6 Text Reader
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader1ERA 6—THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDThis Word document contains ALL of the readings from the era. All readings include multiple copies at different Lexile levels. You are free to repurpose these materials as needed for your classroom. Please do remember to properly cite World History Project as the source. If you modify the text, it will change the lexile level. As always, only print what you need.We have included a short description, author bio, and source list with the highest lexile version only.ERA 6 OVERVIEW: THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY.................................................2SOVEREIGNTY..................................................................................................................12INGREDIENTS FOR REVOLUTION...................................................................................21THE ENLIGHTENMENT.....................................................................................................35THE ATLANTIC REVOLUTIONS.......................................................................................46ORIGINS AND IMPACTS OF NATIONALISM....................................................................60THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION......................................................................................71SCALE OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION...................................................................85THE GLOBAL TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION....................................................................................................................96JAPAN’S INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION............................................................................108EGYPT’S SHORT-LIVED INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION...................................................117INDUSTRIAL IMPERIALISM, THE “NEW” IMPERIALISM..............................................126RESPONSES TO INDUSTRIAL IMPERIALISM...............................................................136STRUGGLE AND TRANSFORMATION IN CHINA..........................................................151DUAL CONSCIOUSNESS................................................................................................166WHY WAS SLAVERY ABOLISHED?: THREE THEORIES.............................................181RISE OF THE PROLETARIAT.........................................................................................193CHILD LABOR AND REFORM MOVEMENTS.................................................................208A WORLD TOUR OF WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE.................................................................224RESPONSES TO INDUSTRIALIZATION.........................................................................244When viewing this document in Microsoft Word format, you can Ctrl+Click on the name of each article to go directly to the corresponding page in the reader.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader2Era 6 Overview: The Long Nineteenth CenturyIn this era, we will look at liberal political revolutions, the Industrial Revolution, modern imperialism, and the economic revolutions of capitalism and communism. Each of these changed the world in their own ways. But how widespread and how universal were these revolutions of the Long Nineteenth Century?Era 6 Overview: The Long Nineteenth Century (1090L)Trevor Getz and Bridgette Byrd O’ConnorThe length of time covered in Era 6—174 years—is both surprisingly short and unusually long. How can that be?It is surprisingly short because this era does in fact cover feweryears than any of the eras that came before. Look back, for example, to the first era of human history covered in this course (Era 2). It lasted for around 200,000 years, more than 500 times as long as Era 6! This decrease in length is partly because we know so much more about life in 1800 CE than life in 1800 BCE. But it's also because the pace of change had greatly accelerated by 1750 and so we have to bite off a shorter chunk of time to tell a big story.Yet, Era 6 also seems unusually long for a periodthat says it covers "the Long Nineteenth Century." After all, a century is only 100 years, not 174!You might ask, what's so special about this oddly specific period in time that it all gets lumped together as one era? Well, the answer is that historians generally agree that a specific set of changes happened during this period of time. These global changes involved the following:•the use of fossil fuels as energy •widespread new political systems with democratic features •the economic systems of capitalism and communism•the massive growth of factories and cities and the pollution and consumer culture that accompanied them•much more rapid communications through steamships, railroads, and the telegraph •modern imperialism and colonialism (and ideas about race and gender that justified these systems) •the scientific method and the changing worldviews that it supportedWe sometimes refer to these changes as "revolutions" because they were such great transformations that, together, they turned the world upside down and created the "modern" world of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.What werethese engines of change that created the modern world? In this era, we will talk about them in four groups. First, we will look at liberal political revolutions. Then we will turn to the Industrial Revolution. Third, we will look at modern imperialism as a different kind of revolutionary change. Finally, we will focus on the economic and labor revolutions that produced capitalism and socialism. Each of these changed the world in their own ways, and not everybody was affected equally or in the same ways by these revolutions.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader3The liberal and Industrial RevolutionsLet's briefly introduce each of these four revolutions. First, we introduce the liberal revolution, a radical transformation that produced a new kind of political community: the nation-state. The word liberal emerged in this era from the Latin term liberalis, meaning "free man." By 1750, the idea that people (or at least some people) should have individual liberties (a word that also came from liberalis) was becoming increasingly popular. It was one result of a new way of looking at the world that also led to different ideas about government. One of these new political ideas held that free men should have a voice in governing themselves. Together, these ideas of individual liberty and participatory government led to political revolutions in which the power to govern changed hands—often from kings or emperors toa larger political class of citizens. These revolutions first occurred in areas around the Atlantic seaboard. These new ideas then spread and influenced other areas of the world.The liberal revolutions were about changes in the ways people thought. But the second revolution covered in this era, the Industrial Revolution shifted the way humans produced and distributed goods. Its origins were in scientific experimentation that enabled people to access new forms of energy for doing work. Until the eighteenthcentury, humans created energy sources using the power of human and animal labor, water and wind power, and by burning wood to generate heat. But by 1750, new sources of energy were discovered using coal and steam power. By the early nineteenth century, steam power generated fuel from burning coal far more efficiently. This discovery dramatically increased the amount of energy that humans could produce. The use of these fossil fuels to power increasingly complex machines changed the way we live and work. In 1500 CE, a single shirt required around 500 hours of human labor to produce. But steam engines automated aspects of weaving, sewing, and the spinning of yarn. With these advances, the amount of human labor required to produce a shirt dramatically decreased. More shirts (and many other goods) were available to more people at lower prices.The Industrial Revolution led to dramatic changes in human networks. For the first time, large numbers of people could travel long distances on steam-powered railroads and ships. This led to widespread migration. At the same time, a communication revolution made it much easier for information to travel over long distances. The invention of the telegraph allowed messages to travel nearly instantaneously across long distances. Finally, this revolution not only affected human life on Earth but also the Earth itself. At the start of Era 6, humans were mining and using about 10 million metric tons of coal. But 100 years later, worldwide production of coal increased to 130 million tons. And by the start of the twentieth century, humans were producing close to one billion tons. By this time, most of the world was using coal for 90% of its energy output. This expanded capacity to harness and utilize the Earth's resources led to better lives for many. But it also led to the pollution of air and water and decreased global biodiversity. It has altered the planet's climate in ways that will last for millions of years.Colonies, capitalism, and communismThe third revolution we look at inthis era was the birth of new empires and new types of colonialism. Despite ideas about individual freedom and political participation, this was an era that saw the birth of vast empires that were often highly un-participatory and restricted people's freedoms. These new empires often had colonies located quite far away from the nation that was exercising control over them, particularly in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific, but also in the Americas. With very few exceptions, the empires used these colonies as places from which to draw labor and resources to feed their own industries and enrich themselves. This left many colonies comparatively poor. This legacy of imperialism continues to shape the global economy today.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader4The building of vast empires was also deeply tied to changes in the global economic system. This was a fourth revolution—an economic revolution. The Long Nineteenth Century saw the full development of industrial capitalism. Individuals or groups of people could own vast amounts of assets. They could invest their money in companies to make profits. This system tended to concentrate wealth in the hands of business owners and investors. It also changed how people worked. Increasingly, people worked for wages that were paid every week or month. Capitalism may have helped to increase overall productivity in the world, but it also made working conditions difficult for many people. People—even children—labored on farms and plantations or in factories to increase profits. In response, many people began to push for reforms. They called for an end to child labor, to bad working conditions, and to slavery. Reform movements also called for new rights for women. One type of reformism proposed an alternate economic system called socialism that would be more centrally planned and worker-controlled than capitalism.One revolution, or many?The four revolutions described above were world-changing, but not everyone experienced these changes. Even those who did, experienced them in different ways. By 1800, the global population was 900 million. That's 900 million unique human stories to tell. Just a hundred years later, the world's population had nearly doubled to 1.75 billion people. Some of these people were factory workers, others were wealthy bankers. They lived in industrialized societies at the heart of empires. Still others labored on mines and plantations in colonies. They provided the raw materials to feed those factories. Some—particularly men—had the vote. They could participate in liberal democratic politics. Others could not. These groups included women, colonial subjects of large empires, people that did not own land, or groups that faced discrimination. Even the length of a life could be very different depending on these variables. In rich nations, the deathrate among children began to decline. This was the first consistent decline in child mortality in human history. In 1800, 46% of children born in the United States died before the age of five. In 1914, the mortality rate of children had dropped to 17.6%1. Better understanding of infectious diseases and the discovery of vaccines dramatically improved human health in the wealthier parts of the world. Combined with more available food this meant that in wealthy nations, more people were living longer and healthier lives. But this change was not equally shared. In areas colonized by European nations, for instance, child mortality and life expectancy barely shifted. In the British colonies of West Africa child mortality actually worsened from 1800 to 1914. The question of who shared in these modern revolutions, and how, can help us to understand the shape of difference, as well as the unity of human experience, entering the last era of our course.Author BiosTrevor Getz is a professor of African and world history at San Francisco State University. He has been the author or editor of 11 books, including the award-winning graphic history Abina and the Important Men, and has coproduced several prize-winning documentaries. Trevor is also the author of A Primer for Teaching African History, which explores questions about how we should teach the history of Africa in high school and university classes.Bridgette Byrd O’Connor holds a DPhil in history from the University of Oxford and has taught Big History, world history, and AP US government and politics for the past 10 years at the high school level. In addition, Bridgette has been a freelance writer and editor for the Big History Project and the Crash Course world history and US history curricula.1Today, every nation on Earth has a child mortality rate lower than 17.6%.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader5Era 6 Overview: The Long Nineteenth Century (1010L)Trevor Getz and Bridgette Byrd O’ConnorEra 6 covers 174 years, which is both a surprisingly short and unusually long amount of time. How can that be?This era covers fewer years than any of the eras that came before. Era 2,the first era of human history covered in this course, covered 200,000 years! The era is shorter because there is a big story to tell in such a short amount of time. We know more about life in 1800 CE than life in 1800 BCE. There's also more to discuss because the world was changing at a much faster pace during this time.Yet, Era 6 also seems unusually long for a period that says it covers "the Long Nineteenth Century." After all, a century is only 100 years, not 174!What's so special about this oddly specific period in time that it all gets lumped together as one era? Well, the answer is that historians generally agree that a specific set of changes happened during this period of time. These global changes involved the following:•the use of fossil fuels as energy •widespread new political systems with democratic features •the economic systems of capitalism and communism •the massive growth of factories, cities, pollution, and consumer culture •much more rapid communications through steamships, railroads, and the telegraph •modern imperialism and colonialism, as well as the ideas about race and gender that justified these systems •the scientific method and the changing worldviews that it supportedThese changes were so huge that we sometimes refer to them as "revolutions." They turned the world upside down and created the "modern" world of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.In this era, we will talk about the revolutions in four groups. First, we will look at liberal political revolutions. Then we will turn to the Industrial Revolution. Third, we will look at modern imperialism as a different kind of revolutionary change. Finally, we will focus on the economic and labor revolutions that produced capitalism and socialism. Each of these revolutions changed the world in their own ways, and not everyone experienced them in the same way. The liberal and Industrial RevolutionsLet's briefly introduce the first revolution, the liberal revolution, a total transformation that produced a new kind of political community: the nation-state. By 1750, more and more people supported the idea that people should have individual liberties. This led to new ideas about government. Many believed free men should participate in governing themselves. These ideas led to political revolutions in which power moved from kings or emperors to the citizens.The liberal revolutions were about changes inthe ways people thought. But the second revolution covered in this era, the Industrial Revolution, was about changes in how humans made and distributed goods. The Industrial Revolution began around 1750 when scientists discovered how to use new forms of energy, like coal and steam power. These energy sources produced much more power than other sources, like animal
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader6power and burning wood. All this new energy was used to power machines that changed how we lived and worked. In 1500 CE for example, it took 500hours of human labor to make one shirt. The machines of the Industrial Revolution significantly lowered the amount of human labor required to make shirts and other products. The products also became cheaper and available to more people. The Industrial Revolution led to huge changes in human networks. For the first time, large numbers of people could travel long distances on steam-powered railroads and ships. This led to widespread migration. A communication revolution also resulted in new technologies that made it easier to quickly send information over long distances. The revolution affected both humans and the Earth itself. By the 1900s, most of the world was using coal for 90 percent of its energy output. The use of coal power improved the lives of many workers. However, it also resulted in pollution that will continue to have an impact on the planet for millions of years. Colonies, capitalism, and communismThe third revolution was the birth of new empires and new types of colonialism in places like Asia and Africa. There were new ideas about individual freedom and political participation at this time. However, these ideas often did not apply to people living in colonies. The empires almost always used their colonies' labor and resources to make themselves richer. The colonies were left poor. The consequences of imperialism continue to shape the global economy today.The building of empires was also deeply tied to the fourth revolution, an economic revolution. The Long Nineteenth Century saw the full development of an economic system called industrial capitalism. Individuals or groups owned large amounts of property. They invested their money in companies with the hope of making even more money. This system tended to put most of society's wealth in the hands of business owners. It also changed how people worked. More people began working for wages. Capitalism helped to increase overall productivity in the world. However, it made working conditions difficult for many workers, including child workers. Many people began pushing to end child labor, poor working conditions, and slavery. Socialism was one idea people had for change. Socialism is an economic system that puts more power in the hands of workers.One revolution, or many?The four revolutions changedthe world. Still, people did not experience these revolutions in the same way. Some people were factory workers, while others were bankers. Some people could vote, but other people, such as women and colonial subjects, could not. Even the length of a lifecould be very different depending on these variables. Rich nations had access to more food and health discoveries like vaccines. The death rate of children under 5 in those countries dropped from 46 percent to 17.6 percent2between 1800 and 1914. In the European colonies, however, life expectancy and child mortality stayed the same or worsened. Looking at who shared in these modern revolutions helps us to understand how human experiences are united, but also different. 2Side note: Today, every nation on Earth has a child mortality rate lower than 17.6 percent.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader7Era 6 Overview: The Long NineteenthCentury (900L)Trevor Getz and Bridgette Byrd O’ConnorEra 6 covers a period of 174 years, which is both a surprisingly short and unusually long amount of time. How can that be?This era is shorter than any of the earlier eras. Era 2, for example, covered200,000 years! Era 6 is shorter because there is a big story to tell in a short amount of time. The world was changing much more quickly at this time. We also know more about life in 1800 CE than life in 1800 BCE. Still, Era 6 also seems unusually long. The period covers "the Long Nineteenth Century," but a century is only 100 years, not 174!What's so special about this time period? Why does it all get lumped together as one era? The answer is that historians agree that several specific changes happened during this time. These global changes involved the following:•the use of fossil fuels as energy •the spread of new political systems with democratic features•the economic systems of capitalism and communism •the massive growth of factories, cities, pollution, and consumer culture •much more rapid communications through steamships, railroads, and the telegraph •modern imperialism and colonialism, as well as the ideas about race and gender that justified these systems•the scientific method and the changing worldviews that it supportedThese changes were so huge that we sometimes refer to them as "revolutions." They turned the world upside down and created the "modern" world of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.In this era, we will talk about the revolutions in four groups. First, we will look at liberal political revolutions. Then we will turn to the Industrial Revolution. Third, we will look at modern imperialism as a different kind of revolutionary change. Finally, we will focus on the economic and labor revolutions that produced capitalism and socialism. Each of these revolutions changed the world in their own ways, and not everyone experienced them in the same way. The liberal and Industrial RevolutionsThe first revolution is the liberal revolution. It was a revolution in how people thought. The liberal revolution produced a new kind of political community called a nation-state. By 1750, more and more people supported the idea that people should have individual liberties. This led to new ideas about government. Many believed free men should participate in governing themselves. These ideas resulted in political revolutions in which power moved from kings to citizens. The second revolution covered in this era is the Industrial Revolution. This revolution changed how humans made and distributed goods. The Industrial Revolution began around 1750. Scientists discovered how to use new forms of energy, like coal and steam power. These energy sources produced much more power than other sources like burning wood. All this new energy was used to power machines that changed how we lived and worked. Before the Industrial Revolution, it took 500 hours of human work to make one shirt. New
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader8machines meant humans had to work fewer hours to make the same products. More people could buy the products because they were cheaper. The Industrial Revolution led to huge changes in human networks. New technologies like railroads allowed people to travel long distances. This led to widespread migration. A communication revolution resulted in new technologies that made it easier to quickly send information long distances. The revolution affected the Earth, too. By the 1900s, nearly 90 percent of the world's energy came from coal. Coal power improved the lives of many. However, it also caused pollution that will have an impact on the planet for millions of years. Colonies, capitalism, and communismThe third revolution was the birth of new empires and new types of colonialism in places such as Asia and Africa. There were new ideas about individual freedom and political participation at this time. However, these ideas often did not apply to people living in colonies. The empires almostalways used their colonies' resources to make themselves richer. The colonies were left poor. The effects of imperialism continue to affect world trade today.Empires were also deeply tied to the fourth revolution, an economic revolution. Industrial capitalism developed in The Long Nineteenth Century. It was an economic system. Individuals or groups owned large amounts of property. They would put their money into companies in hopes of making even more money. As a result, business owners usually had most ofthe money in society. Under industrial capitalism, people also began working for wages. Capitalism helped to increase production in the world. However, it made working conditions difficult for many workers, including child workers. Many people began pushing to end unfair work conditions. Socialism was one idea people had for change. Socialism is an economic system that puts more power in the hands of workers.One revolution, or many?The four revolutions changed the world. Still, people did not experience these revolutions in the same way. Some people were factory workers, while others were bankers. Some people could vote, but other people, such as women and colonial subjects, could not. These factors could even affect how long you lived. Rich nations had access to more food and medicine. The death rate of children under 5 in those countries dropped from 46 percent to 17.6 percent3between 1800 and 1914. But this change was not equally shared. In areas colonized by European nations, for instance, child mortality and life expectancy barely shifted. In the British colonies of West Africa child mortality actually worsened from 1800 to 1914.It's important to look at who shared in these modern revolutions and how. It helps us to understand how human experiencesare united, but also different. 3Side note: Today, every country on Earth has a child death rate lower than 17.6 percent.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader9Era 6 Overview: The Long Nineteenth Century (760L)Trevor Getz and Bridgette Byrd O’ConnorEra 6 covers a period of 174 years, which is both a surprisingly short and unusually long amount of time. How can that be?This erais shorter than any of the earlier eras. Era 2, for example, covered 200,000 years! Era 6 is shorter because there is a big story to tell in a short amount of time. The world was changing much more quickly at this time. We also know more about life in 1800 CE than life in 1800 BCE. Still, Era 6 also seems unusually long. The period covers "the Long Nineteenth Century," but a century is only 100 years, not 174!What's so special about this time period? Why does it all get lumped together as one era? The answer is that historians agree that several specific changes happened during this time. These global changes involved the following:•The use of fossil fuels as energy •The spread of new political systems with democratic features •The economic systems of capitalism and communism •The massive growth of factories, cities, pollution, and consumer culture •Much more rapid communications through steamships, railroads, and the telegraph •Modern imperialism and colonialism, as well as the ideas about race and gender that justified these systems•The scientific method and the changing worldviews that it supportedThese changes were so huge that we sometimes refer to them as "revolutions." They turned the world upside down. They created the "modern" world of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.In this era, we will talk about the revolutions in four groups. First, we will look at liberal political revolutions. Then we will turn to the Industrial Revolution. Third, we will look at modern imperialism as a different kind of revolutionary change. Finally, we will focus on the economic and labor revolutions that produced capitalism and socialism. Each of these revolutions changed the world in their own ways. But not everyone experienced them in the same way. The liberal and Industrial RevolutionsThe first revolution is the liberal revolution. It was a revolution in how people thought. The liberal revolution produced a new kind of political community called a nation-state. By 1750, more and more people believed people should have individual liberties. This led to new ideas about government. Many believed free men should participate in governing themselves. These ideas resulted in political revolutions in which power moved from kings to citizens.The second revolution covered in this era is the Industrial Revolution. This revolution changed how humans made and distributed goods. The Industrial Revolution began around 1750. Scientists discovered how to use new forms of energy like coal and steam power. These energy sources produced much more power than other sources, like burning wood. All this new energy was used to power machines that changed how we lived and worked. Before the Industrial Revolution, it took 500 hours of human work to make one shirt. New
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader10machines meant humans had to work fewer hours to make the same products. More people could buy the products because they were cheaper. The Industrial Revolution led to huge changes in human networks. New technologies such as railroads allowed people to travel long distances. This led to widespread migration. A communication revolution resulted in new technologies that made it easier to quickly send information long distances. The revolution affected the Earth, too. By the 1900s, nearly 90 percent of the world's energy came from coal. Coal power improved the lives of many. However, it also caused pollution that will affect the planet for millions of years. Colonies, capitalism, and communismThe third revolution was the birth of new empires and new types of colonialism in places such as Asia and Africa. There were new ideas about individual freedom and political participation at this time. However, these ideas often did not apply to peopleliving in colonies. The empires almost always used their colonies' resources to make themselves richer. The colonies were left poor. The effects of imperialism continue to affect world trade today.Empires were also deeply tied to the fourth revolution. This was an economic revolution. Industrial capitalism developed in The Long Nineteenth Century. Individuals or groups owned large amounts of property. They would put their money into companies in hopes of making even more money. As a result, business owners usually had most of the money in society. Under industrial capitalism, people also began working for wages. Capitalism helped to increase production in the world. However, it made working conditions difficult for many people, including child workers. Many people began fighting these unfair conditions. Socialism was one idea people had for change. Socialism is an economic system that puts more power in the hands of workers.One revolution, or many?The four revolutions changed the world. Still, people did not experience these revolutions in the same way. Some people were factory workers. Others were bankers. Some people could vote, but other people, such as women and colonial subjects, could not. These factors could even affect how long you lived. Rich nations had more food and medicine. The death rate of children under the age of 5 in those countries dropped from 46 percent to 17.6percent4between 1800 and 1914. But this change was not equally shared. In areas colonized by European nations, for example, child mortality barely changed. In the British colonies of West Africa child mortality actually worsened from 1800 to 1914. It's important to look at who shared in these modern revolutions and how. It helps us to understand how human experiences are united,but also different.4Side note: Today, every country on Earth has a child death rate lower than 17.6%.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader11Era 6 Overview: The Long Nineteenth Century (590L)Trevor Getz and Bridgette Byrd O’ConnorEra 6 covers a period of 174 years. It is both a surprisingly short and unusually long era. How can that be?This era is shorter than the earlier eras. For example, Era 2 covered 200,000 years! A lot happened in a short amount of time during Era 6. The world was changing quickly. We also have more information about this era than Era 2. Still, Era 6 also seems to be long. The period covers "the Long Nineteenth Century." However, we know that a century is only 100 years, not 174!So why is Era 2 174 years long? Well, historians agree that several specific changes happened during this time. These changes involved the following:•The use of fossil fuels as energy•New political systems where citizens could participate •The economic systems of capitalism and communism •Growing factories and cities •Much more rapid communications through steamships, railroads, and the telegraph •Modern imperialism and colonialism•The scientific method and the changing worldviews that it supportedThese changes were so huge we sometimes call them "revolutions." The revolutions created the "modern world" of the 1800s and 1900s.In this era, we will talk about four groups of revolutions. First, we will look at liberal political revolutions. Then we will turn to the Industrial Revolution. Third, we will look at modern imperialism. Finally, we will focus on the economic and labor revolutions. Each of these revolutions changed the world. However, not everyone experienced them in the same way. The liberal and Industrial RevolutionsThe first revolution is the liberal revolution. It was a revolution in how people thought. The liberal revolution created new governments called nation-states. Many believed people should have individual rights. They thought they should be able to participate in government. These ideas resulted in political revolutions. Power moved from kings to citizens. The second revolution is the Industrial Revolution. This revolution changed how humans made and distributed goods. Scientists discovered how to use better forms of energy, such as coal and steam. All this new energy was used to power machines. The Industrial Revolution changed how we lived and worked. Machines made it easier and faster to make goods. More people could buy goods because they were cheaper. The Industrial Revolution also changed human networks. People could travel with new technologies like railroads. More people began migratingto new places. There was also a communication revolution. New technologies made it easier to send information quickly to faraway places.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader12The revolutions affected the Earth, too. Many countries got most of their power from coal. Coal helped some people's lives. However, it also caused pollution that will affect the planet for millions of years. Colonies, capitalism, and communismThe third revolution was the birth of new empires and new types of colonialism. The individual liberties of the liberal revolution did not apply to colonies. Empires mostly used their colonies to make themselves richer. The colonies were left poor. The effects of imperialism affect world trade today.Empires were also deeply tied to the fourth revolution. It was an economic revolution. Industrial capitalism is an economic system. It developed in the Long Nineteenth Century. Many rich people put their money into businesses. They hoped to make more money. As a result, business owners had more money than other citizens. Many people also began working for pay. Capitalism made working conditions hard. Even children had to work. Many people began fighting to end these poor conditions. Socialism was one idea people had for change. Socialism is an economic system that puts more power in the hands of workers.One revolution, or many?The four revolutions changed the world. Still, people did not experience these revolutions in the same way. For example, some people worked in factories. Others were bankers. Some people could vote. Other peoplecould not. Even the length of your life could be different. Rich nations had more food and medicine. Almost half of children died by the age of 5 before the revolutions. Just 17.6 percent died after the revolutions.5But this change was not equally shared. In areas colonized by European nations, for example, child mortality barely changed. In the British colonies of West Africa child mortality actually worsened from 1800 to 1914. It is important to look at who shared in these modern revolutions and how. It helps us to understand how human experiences are united, but also different.SovereigntyA dictionary definition isn’t much help when trying to grasp the important concept of sovereignty. But understanding how radically it changed people’s personal and political lives is a good start.Sovereignty (1120L)Eman M. ElshaikhIntroductionIn the wake of the Enlightenment, many societies around the world pursued sovereignty—the right and the power of a person or a nation to govern themselves. Sovereignty is a broad term that influences many modern concepts such as identity, individuality, and rationality (the use of reason). These ideas developed 5Side note: Today, every country on Earth has a child death rate lower than 17.6 percent.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader13together during the long nineteenth century and were connected to the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment. Without the concept of sovereignty, however, they would make no sense.Sovereignty and liberal idealsThe long nineteenth century saw many changes including growing distrust in the authority of monarchs and religious institutions, and more interest in individualism, freedom, and rationality. These liberal political ideals (goals for perfection) generally placed a lot of importance on the people as a source of political power. One expression of this was the concept of popular sovereignty, the belief that a state's power comes from the consent of the people. According to these ideas, a government is only legitimate if it represents the needs and ideas of the people who are governed.In an absolute monarchy, sovereignty is in the hands of the king or queen. In other words, the state is whatever the monarch says it is. Popular sovereignty, on the other hand, views the state as a political organization that makes possible the ruling of a specific territory. The people within this type of state are usually not passive as subjects, but rather are citizens, with actual political rights. Rather than passively obeying the ruler, citizens could take an active role in the political process. This meant that popular sovereignty also encouraged the recognition of the individual and individual rights.Believe it or not, it was unusual to suggest that an individual who wasn't a ruler was rational and deserved autonomy, or self-governance. That meant that society and government were only legitimate when they helped individuals achieve their goals and protected their rights. Today we may take this for granted, but at the time this was a pretty new, even revolutionary concept.Sovereignty for whom?We must not confuse sovereignty with equality or civil rights. Although citizens had rights, that didn't necessarily mean that all citizens had the same rights in practice, or that everyone in a society could be considered a citizen. So, who got left out? A person's ability to participate in government—and to govern themselves—was often dependent on their class, race, and gender. Typically, in Europe and European colonies, only white land-owning males were truly independent. The conquered people of the colonies didn't become citizens. Similarly, enslaved people, working-class people, and women weren't given the same kinds of rights. In other words, personal sovereignty and autonomy were luxuries offered to a very small segment of society.In fact, in many ways, the achievement of sovereignty for some resulted in the loss freedom for others. For example, in several sovereign democracies like the United States, slavery was still legal, thriving, and important to the economy. Need a powerful example of how sovereignty does not mean equality? Just look at the American Three-Fifths Compromise of 1787. In this agreement, each enslaved person was counted as three-fifths of a full citizen for the purposes of determining representation (the right to vote) and taxation. In this case, the inclusion of enslaved people was seen as compatible with popular sovereignty for other people, but... three-fifths? Slavery is already fundamentally dehumanizing, but to have your humanity mathematically downgraded is one of history's most literal and glaring examples of inequality.Women, workers, and childrenThe same is true for most children. Middle-and upper-class families in Europe and the Americas got to enjoy new values of familial love and innocence. Educating your children instead of putting them to work was a
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader14privilege. In places like Japan, children were seen as especially vulnerable, and there were many government programs designed to protect children during this fragile phase in life.However, if you weren't part of the small privileged class, or in Japan, it was another story. Under slavery and colonialism, children were forcibly separated from their parents. Enslaved children were sold, and indigenous children were sometimes sent away from their families. Also, within the colonies, many children of mixed heritage were born outside of marriage. Because of race laws and the realities of colonial hierarchies, mixed children would almost never get to be a part of a cohesive family unit.In colonial settings, many children were seen as the subjects of colonial masters, and working conditions could be pretty harsh. Whether through indentured labor or wage labor, children in Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and India continued to labor in plantations, factories, and mines. They also often worked as household servants. In other parts of the world, like in China, classical values like obedience and hard work continued to shape children's lives.Women were also often left out when it came to personal sovereignty. Some Enlightenment thinkers still saw women as inferior to men, while others pushed for women's equality. However, women also differed across race, class, and region. Workingclass women, women of color, and colonial subjects didn't have access to these new social and educational opportunities. In most places, women of the lower classes took on new roles out of economic need. Many single mothers had to work to support their families.Citizenship and the modern subjectLet's not forget that all these cultural and social shifts were about much more than just a single issue. Rather, peoples' entire relationship to the state was being altered. Some found that the state now gave them freedom to control their lives and bodies, while others found they had less control. For example, women were increasingly valued as those responsible for raising the next generation of citizens. To educate their children and ensure their full political participation, mothers needed to be educated too. Motherhood became a political act! This created new opportunities for women, but it also meant that a woman's decision whether to have children at all was not necessarily hers to make.Children, too, came tobe controlled more—partly through schools. Schools tried to promote children's health and protect them from abuse, but also control their daily activity. In Canada, Australia, and the United States, governments often forced indigenous children into boarding schools. The purpose was to change behaviors that colonists saw as problematic. That usually meant getting them to adopt European traditions and customs and leave their own behind. Similarly, in British India, school was used to instill European values in students with the goal of making them more useful as colonial subjects.So, while Enlightenment ideas about citizenship, sovereignty, and autonomy changed the face of the globe, it's important to remember that these changes were very uneven. Through themodern period and into the twenty-first century, different groups of people have been included and excluded from these values. However, these ideas surrounding personal sovereignty have continued to influence many political institutions to this day.SourcesShachar, Ayelet, Rainer Bauböck, Irene Bloemraad, and Maarten Vink. The Oxford Handbook of Citizenship. New York: Oxford University Press, 2017.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader15http://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198805854.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780198805854.Cooley, Nicole. “The History of Dollhouses.” The Atlantic.July 22, 2016. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/07/dollhouses-werent-invented-for-play/492581/.Fass, Paula S. The Routledge History of Childhood in the Western World. New York: Routledge, 2013.Milne, Brian. The History and Theory of Children’s Citizenship in Contemporary Societies. New York: Springer, 2013. Roland Robertson, et al. The Oxford Handbook of Global Studies. New York: Oxford University Press, 2018.Stearns, Peter N. Childhood in World History. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge, 2011.----. Growing Up: The History of Childhood in a Global Context. Waco, TX.: Baylor University Press, 2005.Author BioEman M. Elshaikhholds an MA in social sciences from and is pursuing a PhD at the University of Chicago, where she also teaches writing. She is a writer and researcher, and has taught K-12 and undergraduates in the US and in the Middle East. Eman was previously a World History Fellow at Khan Academy, where she worked closely with the College Board to develop curriculum for AP world history.Sovereignty (1090L)Eman M. ElshaikhIntroductionThe Age of Enlightenment, or the Age of Reason, was an intellectual movement in eighteenth-century Europe that transformed politics, philosophy, and science. In the wake of the Enlightenment, many societies around the world pursued sovereignty, which is the right and the power of a person or a nation to govern themselves.Sovereignty is abroad term that influences many modern concepts such as identity, individuality, and rationality (the use of reason). These ideas developed together during the long nineteenth century, which refers to the time between the Enlightenment (c. 1750) and WorldWar I (1914). Without the concept of sovereignty, however, these ideas would make no sense.Sovereignty and liberal idealsThe long nineteenth century saw many changes, including growing distrust in the authority of monarchs and religious institutions, and more interest in individualism, freedom, and rationality. Enlightenment thinkers saw people as a source of political power. According to the belief of popular sovereignty, a state's power comes from the consent of the people and a government must represent the needs and ideas of the people who are governed.In an absolute monarchy, sovereignty is in the hands of the king or queen. The people are subjects who must obey the ruler. Under popular sovereignty, the people are citizens with actual political rights who can
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader16take an active role in the political process. This meant that popular sovereignty encouraged the recognition of the individual and individual rights.Believe it or not, it was once unusual to suggest that an individual who wasn't a ruler deserved autonomy, or self-governance. Today we may take this for granted, but at the time this was a new concept.Sovereignty for whom?We must not confuse sovereignty with equality or civil rights. Although citizens had rights, that didn't necessarily mean that all citizens had the same rights. So, who got left out? A person's ability to participate in government was often dependent on their class, race, and gender. Typically, in Europe and European colonies, only white land-owning males received full rights. People who were conquered or enslaved didn't become full citizens. Working-class people and women weren't given the same kinds of rights as wealthy men. In other words, personal sovereignty and autonomy were luxuries offered to a small part of society.In many ways, the achievement of sovereignty for some resulted in the loss of freedom for others. For example, in the United States, slavery was still legal, thriving, and important to the economy.Need a powerful example of how sovereignty does not mean equality? When the American founders were writing the Constitution in 1787, they disagreed about whether enslaved people should be counted as part of the population. The number of people in each state would determine how many representatives the state received in Congress. They agreed to the Three-Fifths Compromise, which said that each enslaved person would be counted as three-fifths of a full citizen. Slavery is already fundamentally dehumanizing, but to have your humanity mathematically downgraded is one of history's most literal and glaring examples of inequality.Women, workers, and childrenChildren also faced unequal treatment. Middle-and upper-class families in Europe and the Americas were able to educate their children instead of putting them to work.However, if you weren't part of the small privileged class, it was another story. Under slavery and colonialism, children were forcibly separated from their parents. Many children of mixed heritage were born outside of marriage and would almost never get tobe a part of a together family unit.In colonial settings, many children were seen as the subjects of colonial masters. Children in Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and India were forced to work under harsh conditions in plantations, factories, and mines.Women were also often left out when it came to personal sovereignty. Some Enlightenment thinkers still saw women as inferior to men, while others pushed for women's equality. The status of women also differed across race, class, and region. Working-class women, women of color, and colonial subjects didn't have access to these new social and educational opportunities. In most places, women of the lower classes took on new roles out of economic need. Many single mothers had to work to support their families.Citizenship and the modern subjectThese cultural and social shifts were about much more than just a single issue. Some found that the state now gave them freedom to control their lives and bodies, while others found they had less control. For example, women were increasingly valued for raising the next generation of citizens. To educate their
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader17children, mothers needed to be educated, too. Motherhood became a political act! This created new opportunities for women. It also meant that a woman's decision whether to have children at all was not necessarily hers to make.Children were controlled more, partly through schools. The schools tried to promote children's health and protect them from abuse, but also control their daily activity. In Canada, Australia, and the United States, governments often forced the children of native people into boarding schools. The purpose was for them to adopt European traditions and customs and leave their own behind. Similarly, in British India, school was usedto instill European values in students to make them more useful as colonial subjects.Enlightenment ideas about citizenship, sovereignty, and autonomy changed the face of the globe. It's important to remember that these changes were very uneven. Differentgroups of people have been included and excluded from these values. However, these ideas surrounding personal sovereignty have continued to influence many political institutions to this day.Sovereignty (930L)Eman M. ElshaikhIntroductionThe Age of Enlightenment, or the Age of Reason, was a movement in the 1700s that transformed politics, philosophy, and science. Enlightenment thinkers challenged traditional authority. Many societies around the world pursued sovereignty after the Enlightenment. Sovereignty is the right of a person or a nation to govern themselves.Sovereignty is a broad term. It influences many modern concepts such as identity, individuality, and rationality (the use of reason). These ideas developed together during the long nineteenth century, which refers to the time between the Enlightenment (c. 1750) and World War I (1914). Without the concept of sovereignty, these ideas would make no sense.Sovereignty and liberal idealsThere was a growing distrust in the authority of monarchs and churches during the long nineteenth century. There was more interest in individualism, freedom, and rationality. Supporters of popular sovereignty believed that the people are the source of a state's power. The government must represent the needs and ideas of the people.Before the Enlightenment, many European countries were ruled by absolute monarchies, which means that a king or queen has total control. The people are subjects who have to obey the ruler. Under popular sovereignty, the people are citizens who have political rights and power. This meant that popular sovereignty encouraged individual rights.Believe it or not, it was once unusual to suggest that common individuals deserved to govern themselves. Today we may take this for granted, but at thetime this was a new concept.Sovereignty for whom?Popular sovereignty does not mean that people are all treated equally. Although citizens had rights, that didn't necessarily mean that all citizens had the same rights. People could have different rights based on
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader18their class, race, and gender. People who were conquered or enslaved didn't become full citizens. Working-class people and women weren't given the same kinds of rights as wealthy men. In other words, the right of self-governing was only given to asmall part of society.In many ways, the achievement of sovereignty for some resulted in the loss of freedom for others. For example, the United States gained its independence from Great Britain, but kept slavery legal. Enslaved people were not given the rights of citizens. In fact, under the Constitution, each enslaved person was counted as three-fifths of a full citizen. It is one of history's most literal and glaring examples of inequality.Women, workers, and childrenChildren of the lower classes werealso not treated equally. Middle-and upper-class families in Europe and the Americas were able to educate their children instead of putting them to work. Under slavery and colonialism, however, children were forcibly separated from their parents. Children in Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and India were forced to work under harsh conditions in plantations, factories, and mines.Women were also often left out when it came to personal sovereignty. Some Enlightenment thinkers still saw women as lesser than men, while others pushed for women's equality. Conditions for women could be different based on race, class, and region. Privileged women had new social and educational opportunities, but women of lower classes did not. Many single mothers had to work to support their families.Citizenship and the modern subjectThese cultural and social shifts were about much more than just a single issue. The way people lived under a state with popular sovereignty was changing. Some people found that the state now gave them freedom, while others found they had less control. For example, women had a bigger role in educating children, so they had to be educated, too. Motherhood became a political act! This created new opportunities for women. It also meant that a woman's decision whether to have children at all was not necessarily hers to make.Children were also controlled more, partly through schools. The schools helped and protected children, but they also controlled their daily activity. In Canada, Australia, and the United States, governments often forced the children of native people into boarding schools. The students were forced to change their behaviors and let go of their native customs.Enlightenment ideas about citizenship, sovereignty, and autonomy changed the face of the globe. It's important to remember that these changes were very uneven. Different groups of people have been included and excluded from these values. However, these ideas surrounding personal sovereignty have continued to influence many political institutions to this day.Sovereignty (800L)Eman M. ElshaikhIntroductionIn the 1700s, there was a movement that questioned traditional authority. It was called the Age of Enlightenment, or the Age of Reason. Many people pushed for sovereignty for themselves. Sovereignty is the right of a person or a nation to govern themselves.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader19Sovereignty is a broad term. It has an effect on concepts such as identity, individuality, and the use of reason. These ideas developed together between 1750 and 1914. Without the concept of sovereignty, these ideas would make no sense.Sovereignty and liberal idealsDuring the Enlightenment, many European countries were ruled by absolute monarchies. A king or queen has total control. After the Enlightenment, people challenged the power of monarchs and churches. There was more interest in individualism and freedom. Supporters of popular sovereignty believed that the people should have the political power. The government must represent the needs and ideas of the people.Under absolute monarchies, the people are subjects who have to obey the ruler. Under popular sovereignty, the people are citizens who have political rights and power. This meant that popular sovereignty encouraged individual rights.Believe it or not, it was once unusual to suggest that common individuals deserved to govern themselves. Today we may take this for granted, but at the time this was a new concept.Sovereignty for whom?Popular sovereignty does not mean that people are all treated equally. All citizens did not have the same rights. If differed based on class, race, and gender. People who were conquered or enslaved didn't become full citizens. Working-class people and women weren't given the same kinds of rights as wealthy men. In other words, the right of self-governing was only given to a small part of society.In many ways, one group achieving sovereignty resulted in another losing freedom. For example, the United States gained popular sovereignty when it broke free from Great Britain. It kept slavery legal, however. Enslaved people were not given the rights of citizens. In fact, each enslaved person was counted as three-fifths of a full citizen. It is one of history's most obvious examples of inequality.Women, workers, and childrenChildren were also not all treated equally. Wealthier children in Europe and the Americas were able to go to schools instead of working. Under slavery, however, children were taken from their parents. Children under colonial rule were forced to work under harsh conditions in plantations, factories, and mines.Women were also often left out when it came to personal sovereignty. Some Enlightenment thinkers still saw women as lesser than men, while others pushed for women's equality. Conditions for women could be different based on race, class, and region. Privileged women had new social and educational opportunities. Women of lower classes did not. Many single mothers had to work to support their families.Citizenship and the modern subjectPeoples' lives changed in many ways under popular sovereignty. Some people found that the state now gave them freedom, while others found they had less control. For example, women had a bigger role in educating children, so they had to be educated, too. Motherhood became apolitical act! This created new opportunities for women. It also meant that they had less control in deciding to have children.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader20Children were also controlled more, partly through schools. The schools could control their daily activity. In Canada, Australia, and the United States, governments often forced the children of native people into boarding schools. The students were forced to change their behaviors and give up their native customs.Enlightenment ideas about sovereignty and citizenship changed the face of the globe. It's important to remember that these changes were very uneven. Different groups of people have been included and excluded from these values. The ideas about personal sovereignty continue to influence many political institutions.Sovereignty (640L)Eman M. ElshaikhIntroductionIn the 1700s, thinkers began to question traditional rules. This time was called the Age of Enlightenment. Many people pushed for sovereignty for themselves. Sovereignty is the right of a person or a nation to govern themselves.Sovereignty can mean a few things. It has an effect on many modern concepts. These include identity, individuality, and the use of reason. These ideas developed together. Without the concept of sovereignty, these ideas would make no sense.Sovereignty and liberal idealsDuring the Enlightenment, many European countries were ruled by absolute monarchies. A king or queen has total control. But people started to challenge the rule of monarchs. The power of churches was also questioned. There was more interest in individualism and freedom. Supporters of popular sovereignty believed that the people should have power. The government must have the support of the people. It must serve the needs and ideas of the people.Under absolute monarchies, the people are subjects who are forced to obey the ruler. Under popular sovereignty, the people are citizens. They have political rights and power. Popular sovereignty encouraged individual rights.It was once unusual to think that people should govern themselves. This may be hard to believe. Today we may take it for granted, but back then it was a new idea.Sovereignty for whom?Popular sovereignty does not mean that people are all treated equally. All citizens did not have the same rights. If differed based on class, race, and gender. People who were enslaved didn't become full citizens. Working-class people had less freedom than the wealthy. Women had fewer rights than men. Popular sovereignty was only given to a small part of society.Sometimes one group getting sovereignty resulted in another losing freedom. For example, the United States got popular sovereignty when it broke free from Great Britain. It kept slavery legal, however. Enslaved people were not given the rights of citizens. Each enslaved person wascounted as three-fifths of a full citizen. It is one of history's most obvious examples of inequality.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader21Women, workers, and childrenChildren were also not all treated equally. Wealthier children were able to go to schools instead of working. Under slavery, however, children were taken from their parents. Children under colonial rule were forced to work. They faced hard conditions in plantations, factories, and mines.Women were also often left out when it came to personal sovereignty. Some Enlightenment thinkers still saw women as lesser than men. Others pushed for women's equality. Conditions for women could be different based on race, class, and region. Privileged women had new social and educational opportunities. Women of lower classes did not. Many single mothers had to work to support their families.Citizenship and the modern subjectPeoples' lives changed in many ways under popular sovereignty. Some people found that the state now gave them freedom. Others found they had less control. For example, women had a bigger role in educating children. They had to be educated, too. Motherhood became a political act! This created new opportunities for women. It also meant that they had less control in deciding to have children.Children were also controlled more, partly through schools. The schools could control their daily activity. Governments often forced the children of native people into boarding schools. The students were forced to change their behaviors. They had to give up their native customs.Enlightenment ideas about sovereignty changed the face of the globe. It's important to remember that these changes were very uneven. Different groups of people have been included and excluded from these values. The ideas about personal sovereignty continue to influence many political institutions.Ingredients for RevolutionBetween 1775 and 1825 several revolutions occurred around the Atlantic Ocean, all influenced by Enlightenment ideas. In addition, there were economic problems that nearly bankrupted several governments, which also helped spark revolutions.Ingredients for Revolution (1140L)Malcolm F. PurintonRadical ideasSeveral political revolutions during the early part of the long nineteenth century changed the Atlantic world and had radical effects on the rest of the world—effects that continue to be felt today. The American War of Independence, the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolution, and revolutions of Latin America were all between 1775 and 1825. Why did these monumental shifts in power occur in such a short period of time? What influenced people on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and in both North and South America, to all rise up against their rulers within a few short decades?
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader22Enlightened changesTo some, these revolutionary changes were no surprise. Voltaire, the French writer and philosopher, wrote this to a friend in 1722: “My dear philosopher, doesn’t this appear to you to be the century of revolutions?” He wrote this in the midst of the Enlightenment when ideas about the world, and humanity’s place in it, were changing. The causes of these revolutions were connected through new intellectual and political ideas, as well as economic issues. Why all these sudden important connections? In the end it had to be the many global exchanges of ideas and knowledge that went on between the late eighteenth century and the early nineteenth century.Enlightenment ideals6of freedom and equality strongly influenced the revolutionary age as they challenged the old order of life. At the beginning ofthe eighteenth century the old regimes of Europe continued to rule but a lot would change over the next 150 years. The idea of liberty, including the suggestion that individual humans had rights, sounded outrageously strange to most people. Before the revolutionary period, many monarchs thought they needed to control what people wrote and believed. But that got a lot harder as the century wore on and people began calling for individual liberties. The freedom to worship as they wanted, the end of censorship, and having a say in their own laws were all on the agenda. All of these ideas were supported by the growing belief that societies are not fixed by tradition or religion, but that they can be improved by human action guided by reason. As “reason”-able as that may sound in many parts of today’s world, these beliefs were truly radical at the time.Follow the moneyBut it wasn’t all about the big new ideas. Changing systems of production and distribution were also among the causes of these political revolutions. For example, several wars were fought in the years before these revolutions that would have long-term effects. In the Seven Years’ War from 1756 to 1763, France and Austria fought against England and Prussia on several fronts. Battles raged across central Europe, North America (where it was known as the French and Indian War), and even India. England and Prussia won. France lost all its territory east of the Mississippi River in North America, all of its holdings in India, and was very humiliated from losing. One thing the winners and losers now had in common—major debt! How were they going to pay back all the money for war? Taxes.The North American English colonies had been pretty autonomous from England. They had been making their own local laws and taxes in each of the thirteen colonies. England allowed this because they didn't really see them as all that important—the real money came from sugar plantations in the Caribbean, using the labor of enslaved people. Most settlers in the North American colonies were generally happy with being part of the British Empire—they had access to British markets, protection in wartime, and still considered themselves "English." However, after the expensive Seven Years’ War, the British government decided to pay off their debt by taxing the colonies directly and putting tariffs on the colonial goods. The British also announced that they would base a large army in North America—without colonial consent. The colonists, who were rather proud of their autonomy and economicachievement, pushed back. The Stamp Act of 1765—the first of several attempts to tax the North American colonies—invited protests, rioting, and 6The words "ideal" and "idea" look a lot alike, but the difference is important. An ideal is a very particular kind of idea that looks for a perfect, never-have-to-worry-about-it-again solution to what is usually a complex problem (for example, poverty, oppression, inequality).
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader23boycotts against the British. It was eventually repealed, but the damage was done. Opinion in the colonies had shifted, and the British were now the enemy.The end of an old regimeThe American Revolution was won partly with French support. Even though France had little money after the Seven Years War it still wanted revenge against the British. From the beginning France supplied guns and gunpowder for the colonial fight against England. By 1777 thousands of French volunteers—including the Marquis de Lafayette—had arrived in Virginia to support the fighting colonists. Without such strong military and monetary support from France the American Revolution may not have ended the same way. But even though France got its revenge against the English, it nearly bankrupted their own country. Which brings us to... the French Revolution!Just as the British had tried to pay off its debts by taxing the American colonists, the French monarchy tried to avoid bankruptcy by taxing its people—with drastic results. A lot was changing during the eighteenth century. The growing population led to the growth of cities and towns. That caused inflation, making the goods and food that people needed much more expensive. The poor had to work harder and longer to survive as rents and costs continued to rise. The middle class—also part of the "third estate"—was made up of merchants and educated professionals who were seeped in Enlightenment ideas of individual rights and the freedom to create their own laws. The "third estate" didn't have the economic privileges that nobles and the Church had, and they wanted a new economic and political system. Theygot their chance in 1789 when the King of France called the Estates General—a large meeting so that he could change laws and impose new taxes. When things didn't go as planned, the representatives of the middle class and some supporters among the nobilityorganized themselves into the National Assembly, and thus began the French Revolution.Another American revolutionAcross the Atlantic Ocean in the Caribbean Sea, the people of the French colony of Saint Domingue—now known as Haiti—were watching the French Revolution closely. The American Revolution had been about retaining autonomy and having local control politically and economically. The French Revolution had started out of social differences. The Haitian Revolution was about all of that and more. There, what you fought for depended on who you were in the colony. If you were a rich white landowner, you probably fought for greater autonomy from the French government. If you were a poor white man you battled for citizenship equality. If you were a merchant, your crusade was against economic restrictions. And if you were among the almost 500,000 enslaved laborers in this colony, you fought for the two things you didn't have: freedom and a paycheck.The Haitian Revolution began with revolts in 1791 that left a thousand plantations burned and hundreds of people killed. Over the next decade the enslaved population, led by Toussaint Louverture, gained their freedom and declared independence on January 1, 1804. It was the second independent republic in the Americas after the United States. But it was the first Western colony where a majority population of enslaved people fought for independence and won, and the first independent nation-state ruled by people of African descent.Revolutions in Latin AmericaEconomicsplayed an important role in the Latin American revolutions between 1810 and 1825. As in other Atlantic regions, social tensions between classes grew out of a familiar set of problems. These included high taxation, the financing of foreign wars, and questioning the legitimacy of European monarchs so far away.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader24Leaders in Latin American colonies were also heavily influenced by the same Enlightenment ideals that helped motivate the three revolutions we already discussed. The nationalist leaders in this region included Simon Bolivar and José de San Martin. With promises of liberty and individual freedoms similar to those of the French Revolution, they led revolts that pushed the Spanish out of Latin America.Revolutionary rootsEach of these revolutions had their own leaders and specific local challenges. But they were not isolated in their ideas or causes. Bolivar often visited the newly independent Haiti as he fought the Spanish in South America. Thomas Jefferson, of the recently independentUnited States of America, was in Paris as the French Revolution began, offering support and advice to the revolutionaries there. Each of these revolutions was influenced by the ideas of progress, liberty, and equality coming out of the Enlightenment. Revolutionaries fought for new forms of government and independence. And of course people desired better economic and labor conditions than they were getting in this increasingly production-driven world. In the end the economic, political, and intellectual causes of revolution all played important parts in this revolutionary era.Author BioMalcolm F. Purintonis a part-time lecturer of world history and the history of modern Europe at Northeastern University and Emmanuel College in Boston. He specializes in the history of food and the environment, with a focus on beer and other alcoholic beverages.Ingredientsfor Revolution (1110L)Malcolm F. PurintonRadical ideasDuring the early part of the long nineteenth century, several revolutions took place. They changed the Atlantic world and had radical effects on the rest of the world that continue to be felt today.The American War of Independence, the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolution, and revolutions of Latin America were all between 1775 and 1825. Why did these monumental shifts in power occur in such a short period of time? What influenced people on bothsides of the Atlantic Ocean, and in both North and South America, to all rise up against their rulers?Enlightened changesTo some, these revolutionary changes weren't surprising. Voltaire, the French writer and philosopher, wrote this to a friend in 1722: "My dear philosopher, doesn't this appear to you to be the century of revolutions?" He wrote this amid the Enlightenment when ideas about the world, and humanity's place in it, were changing. The causes of these revolutions were connected through new intellectual and political ideas, as well as economic issues. Why all these sudden important connections? In the end, it had to be the many global exchanges of ideas and knowledge that happened between the late eighteenth century and the early nineteenth century.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader25Enlightenment ideals7of freedom and equality strongly influenced the revolutionary age as they challenged the old order of life. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the old rulers of Europe continued to hold power, but many would change overthe next 150 years. The idea of liberty, including the suggestion that individual humans had rights, sounded outrageously strange to most people. Before the revolutionary period, many monarchs thought they needed to control what people wrote and believed.But that got much harder as the century wore on and people began calling for individual liberties. The freedom to worship as they wanted, the end of censorship, and having a say in their own laws were all on the agenda. All of these ideas were supported by the growing belief that societies are not fixed by tradition or religion. Instead, many thought they could be improved by human action guided by reason. As "reason"-able as that might sound in many parts of today's world, these beliefs were truly radicalat the time.Follow the moneyBut it wasn't all about the big new ideas. Changing systems of production and distribution also helped spark these political revolutions. For example, several wars were fought in the years before these revolutions that would have long-term effects. In the Seven Years’ War from 1756 to 1763, France and Austria fought against England and Prussia in several areas. Battles raged across central Europe, India, and North America, where it was known as the French and Indian War. England and Prussia won. France lost all its territory east of the Mississippi River in North America and all of its holdings in India, and it was very humiliated bylosing. One thing the winners and losers now had in common—major debt! How were they going to pay back all the money for war? Taxes.The North American English colonies had been pretty independently governed from England. They had been making their own local laws and taxes in each of the 13 colonies. England allowed this because it didn't really seethe North Armerican colonies as all that important—the real money came from sugar plantations in the Caribbean, using the labor of enslaved people. Most settlers in the North American colonies were generally happy with being part of the British Empire—they had access to British markets, protection in wartime, and still considered themselves "English." However, after the expensive Seven Years’ War, the British government decided to pay off its debt by taxing the colonies directly and putting tariffs on the colonial goods. The British also announced that they would base a large army in North America—without colonial consent. The colonists, who were rather proud of their autonomy and economic achievement, pushed back. The Stamp Act of 1765—the first of severalattempts to tax the North American colonies—invited protests, rioting, and boycotts against the British. It was eventually repealed, but the damage was done. Opinion in the colonies had shifted, and the British were now the enemy.The end of an old regimeThe American Revolution was won partly with French support. Even though France had little money after the Seven Years War, it still wanted revenge against the British. From the beginning, France supplied guns and gunpowder for the colonial fight against England. By 1777, thousands of French volunteers—including the French hero Marquis de Lafayette—had arrived in Virginia to support the fighting colonists. Without such strong military and monetary support from France, the American Revolution might not have ended the same 7The words "ideal" and "idea" look much alike, but the difference is important. Anideal is a very particular kind of idea that looks for a perfect, never-have-to-worry-about-it-again solution to what is usually a complex problem, such as poverty, oppression, and inequality.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader26way. But even though France got its revenge against the English, it nearly bankrupted its own country. Which brings us to... the French Revolution!Just as the British had tried to pay off their debts by taxing the American colonists, the French monarchy tried to avoid bankruptcy by taxing its people—with drastic results. Much was changing during the eighteenth century. The growing population led to the boom of cities and towns. That caused inflation, making the goods and food that people needed much more expensive. The poor had to work harder and longer to survive as rents and costs continued to rise. The middle class—also part of the group of common people known as the "third estate"—was made up of merchants and educated professionals. They were steeped in Enlightenment ideas of individual rights and the freedom to create their own laws. The "third estate" didn't have the economic privileges that nobles and the Church had, and these people wanted a new economic and political system. They got their chance in 1789 when the King of France called the Estates General—a large meeting so that he could change laws and levy new taxes. When things didn't go as planned, the representatives of the middle class and some supporters among the nobility organized themselves into the National Assembly. Thus began the French Revolution.Another American revolutionAcross the Atlantic Ocean in the Caribbean Sea, the people of the French colony of Saint Domingue—now known as Haiti—were watching the French Revolution closely. The American Revolution had been about retaining autonomy and having local control politically and economically. The French Revolution had started out of social differences. The Haitian Revolution was about all of that and more. There, what you fought for depended on who you were in the colony. If you were a rich white landowner, you probably fought for greater autonomy from the French government. If you were a poor white man, you battled for citizenship equality. If you were a merchant, your fightwas against economic restrictions. And if you were among the almost 500,000 enslaved laborers in this colony, you fought for the two things you didn't have: freedom and a paycheck.The Haitian Revolution began with revolts in 1791 that left a thousand plantations burned and hundreds of people killed. Over the next decade the enslaved population, led by Toussaint Louverture, gained its freedom and declared independence on January 1, 1804. It was the second independent republic in the Americas after the United States. But it was the first Western colony where a majority population of enslaved people fought for independence and won, and the first independent nation-state ruled by people of African descent.Revolutions in Latin AmericaEconomics played an important role in the Latin American revolutions between 1810 and 1825. Social tensions between classes grew out of a familiar set of problems. These included high taxation, the financing of foreign wars, and questioning the power of European monarchs so far away. Leaders in Latin American colonies were also heavily influenced by the same Enlightenment ideals that helped motivate the three revolutions we already discussed. The nationalist leaders in this region included Simon Bolivar and José de San Martin. Withpromises of liberty and individual freedoms similar to those of the French Revolution, they led revolts that pushed the Spanish out of Latin America.Revolutionary rootsEach of these revolutions had its own leaders and specific local challenges. But theywere not isolated in their ideas or causes. Bolivar often visited the newly independent Haiti as he fought the Spanish in South
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader27America. Thomas Jefferson, of the recently independent United States of America, was in Paris as the French Revolution began, offering support and advice to the revolutionaries there. Each of these revolutions was influenced by the ideas of progress, liberty, and equality coming out of the Enlightenment. Revolutionaries fought for new forms of government and independence. And of course, people desired better economic and labor conditions than they were getting in this increasingly production-driven world. In the end, the economic, political, and intellectual causes of revolution all played important parts in this revolutionary era.Ingredients for Revolution (1000L)Malcolm F. PurintonRadical ideasSeveral revolutions shook the world during the early part of the long nineteenth century. They changed the Atlantic world and their effects continue to be felt today. The American War of Independence, the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolution, and revolutions of Latin America all happened between 1775 and 1825. Why did these huge shifts in power occur in such a short period of time? What influenced people on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and in both North and South America, to all rise up against their rulers?Enlightened changesTo some, these revolutionary changes weren't surprising. Voltaire, the French writer and philosopher, wrote this to a friend in 1722: "My dear philosopher, doesn't this appear to you to be the century of revolutions?" He wrote this amid the Enlightenment when ideas about the world, and humanity's place in it, were changing. The causes of these revolutions were connected through new intellectual and political ideas, as well as economic issues. Why all these sudden important connections? In the end, it had to be the many global exchanges of ideas and knowledge that happened between the late eighteenth century and the early nineteenth century.Enlightenment ideals8of freedom and equality strongly influenced the revolutionary age. They also challenged the old order of life. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the old rulers of Europe continued to hold power, but many would change over thenext 150 years. The idea of liberty, including the suggestion that individual humans had rights, sounded outrageously strange to most people. Before the revolutionary period, many monarchs thought they needed to control what people wrote and believed. Butthat got much harder as the century wore on. People began calling for individual liberties. Some were the freedom to worship as they wanted, the end of censorship, and having a say in their own laws. All of these ideas were supported by the growing beliefthat societies are not fixed by tradition or religion. Instead, many thought they could be improved by human action guided by reason. As "reason"-able as that might sound in many parts of today's world, these beliefs were truly unheard of at the time.Follow the moneyBut it wasn't all about the big new ideas. Changing systems of production and distribution also helped spark these political revolutions. For example, several wars were fought in the years before these revolutions that would have long-term effects. In the Seven Years’ War from 1756 to 1763, France and Austria fought against 8The words "ideal" and "idea" look much alike, but the difference is important. An ideal is a very particular kind of idea that looks for a perfect, never-have-to-worry-about-it-again solution to what is usually a complex problem, such as poverty, oppression, and inequality.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader28England and Prussia in several areas. Battles raged across central Europe, India, and North America, where the conflict was known as the French and Indian War. England and Prussia won. France lost all its territory east of the Mississippi River in North America and all of its holdings in India, and it was very humiliated by losing. One thing the winners and losers now had in common—major debt! How were they going to pay backall the money for war? Taxes.The North American English colonies had been pretty independently governed from England. They had been making their own local laws and taxes in each of the 13 colonies. England allowed this because it didn't really see the North American colonies as that important. The real money came from sugar plantations in the Caribbean, where they took advantage of labor by enslaved people. Most settlers in the North American colonies were generally happy with being part of the British Empire. They had access to British markets, protection in wartime, and still considered themselves "English." However, after the expensive Seven Years’ War, the British government decided to pay off its debt. It taxed the colonies directly and put tariffs, or fees, on the colonial goods. The British also announced that they would base a large army in North America—without colonial consent. The colonists, who were rather proud of their autonomy and economic achievement, pushed back. The Stamp Act of 1765 was the first of several attempts to tax the North American colonies. It invited protests, rioting, and boycotts against the British. The act was eventually repealed, but the damage was done. Opinion in the colonies had shifted. The British were now the enemy.The end of an old regimeThe American Revolution was won partly with French support. Even though France had little money after the Seven Years War it still wanted revenge against the British. From the beginning, France supplied guns for the colonial fight against England. By 1777, thousands of French volunteers—including the French hero Marquis de Lafayette—had arrived in Virginia to support the fighting colonists. Without such strong support from France, the American Revolution might not have ended the same way. But even though France got its revenge against the English, it nearly bankrupted its own country. Which brings us to... the French Revolution!The French monarchy also had tried to avoid bankruptcy by taxing its people—with drastic results. Much was changing during the eighteenth century. The growing population led to the growth of cities and towns. This caused inflation. The goods and food that people needed became much more expensive. The poor had to work harder and longer to survive. The middle class—also part of the group of common people known as the "third estate"—was made up of merchants and educated professionals. They were steeped in Enlightenment ideals of individual rights and the freedom to create their own laws. The "third estate" didn't have the economic privileges that nobles and the Church had. These people wanted a new economic and political system. They got their chance in 1789 when the King of France called the Estates General. In this large meeting, he would change laws and levy new taxes. When things didn't go as planned, the representatives of the middle class and some supporters among the nobility organized themselves into the National Assembly. Thus began the French Revolution.Another American revolutionAcross the Atlantic Ocean in the Caribbean Sea, the people of the French colony of Saint Domingue—now known as Haiti—were watching the French Revolution closely. The American Revolution had been about keeping autonomy and having local control politically and economically. The French Revolution had started out of social differences. The Haitian Revolution was about all of that and more. There, what you fought for depended on who you were in the colony. If you were a rich white landowner, you probably fought for
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader29greater independence from the French government. If you were a poor white man, you battled for citizenship equality. If you were a merchant, your fight was against economic restrictions. And if you were among the almost 500,000 enslaved laborers in this colony, you fought for the two things you didn't have: freedom and a paycheck.The Haitian Revolution began with revolts in 1791. They left a thousand plantations burned and hundreds of people killed. Over the next decade the enslaved population, led by Toussaint Louverture, gained its freedom and declared independence on January 1, 1804. It was the second independent republic in the Americas after the United States. But it was the first Western colony where a majority population of enslaved people fought for independence and won,and the first independent nation-state ruled by people of African descent.Revolutions in Latin AmericaEconomics played an important role in the Latin American revolutions between 1810 and 1825. Social tensions between classes grew out of a familiar set of problems. These included high taxation, the financing of foreign wars, and questioning the power of distant European monarchs. Leaders in Latin American colonies were also heavily influenced by the same Enlightenment ideals that helped motivate the three revolutions we already discussed. The nationalist leaders in this region included Simon Bolivar and José de San Martin. With promises of liberty and individual freedoms similar to those of the French Revolution, they led revolts that pushed the Spanish out of Latin America.Revolutionary rootsEach of these revolutions had its own leaders and specific local challenges. But they were not isolated in their ideas or causes. Bolivar often visited the newly independent Haiti as he fought the Spanish in South America. Thomas Jefferson, of the recently independent United States of America, was in Paris as the French Revolution began. He offered support and advice to the revolutionaries there. Each of these revolutions was influenced by the ideas of progress, liberty, and equality coming out of the Enlightenment. Revolutionaries fought for new forms of government and independence. And of course, people desired better economic and labor conditions than they were getting in this increasingly production-driven world. In the end, the economic, political, and intellectual causes of revolution all played important parts in this revolutionary era.Ingredients for Revolution (860L)Malcolm F. PurintonRadical ideasThe American War of Independence, the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolution, and revolutions of Latin America all happened between 1775 and 1825. Such revolutions changed the Atlantic world. Their effects continue to be felt today. Why did these huge shifts in power occur in such a short period of time? What influenced people on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean to all rise up against their rulers?Enlightened changesTo some, these revolutionary changes weren't surprising. Voltaire, the French writer and philosopher, wrote this to a friend in 1722: "My dear philosopher, doesn't this appear to you to be the century of revolutions?" He wrote this amid the Enlightenment period. During this time, ideas about the world and humanity's place in it were changing. The causes of these revolutions were connected through new intellectual and political
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader30ideas, as well as economic issues such as business and trade. Why all these sudden important connections? Ideas and knowledge were being exchanged globally between the late eighteenth century and the early nineteenth century.Enlightenment ideals9of freedom and equal rights strongly influenced the revolutionary age. They also challenged the old order of life. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the old rulers of Europe continued to hold power. Still, many would change over the next 150 years. The idea of liberty sounded unbelievable to most people. So did the suggestion that individual humans had rights.Before the revolutionary period, many monarchs thought they needed to control what people wrote and believed. But that got much harder as the century continued. People began calling for individual liberties. Some wanted the freedom to worship as they wanted. Others wanted to write and say what they wished. Many wanted a say in their own laws. All of these ideas were supported by a growing belief: that societies are not fixed by tradition or religion. Instead, many thought they could be improved by human action guided by reason. As "reason"-able as that might sound in many parts of today's world, these beliefs were truly unheard of at the time.Follow the moneyBut it wasn't all about the big new ideas. Systems of production and distributing goods were changing. These too helped spark political revolutions. For example, several wars were fought in the years before these revolutions. They would have long-term effects. In the Seven Years’ War from 1756 to 1763, France and Austria fought against England and Prussia in several areas. Battles raged across central Europe, India, and North America, where the conflict was known as the French and Indian War. England and Prussia won. France lost all its land east of the Mississippi River in North America. All of its holdings in India were gone too, and France was very humiliated by losing. One thing the winners and losers now had in common: major debt! How were they going to pay back all the money for war? Taxes.The North American English colonies had been pretty independently governed from England. They had been making their own local laws and taxes in each of the 13 colonies. England allowed this. The British didn't really see North America as all that important. The real money came from sugar plantations in the Caribbean, taking advantage of labor by enslaved people. Most settlers in the North American colonies were generally happy with being part of the British Empire. They had access to British markets, protection in wartime, and still considered themselves "English." However, after the expensive Seven Years’ War, the British government decided to pay off its debt. It taxed the colonies directly and put tariffs, or fees, on the colonial goods. The British also announced that they would basea large army in North America—without colonial consent. The colonists were rather proud of their independence and business achievement. So they pushed back. The Stamp Act of 1765 was the first of several tries to tax the North American colonies. It invited protests and rioting against the British. It was eventually canceled, but the damage was done. Opinion in the colonies had shifted. The British were now the enemy.The end of an old regimeThe American Revolution was won partly with French support. Even though France had little money after the Seven Years War it still wanted revenge against the British. From the beginning, France supplied guns and 9The words "ideal" and "idea" look much alike, but the difference is important. An ideal is a very particular kind of idea. It looks for a perfect, never-have-to-worry-about-it-again solution to what is usually a complex problem. Examples are poverty, oppression, and inequality.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader31gunpowder for the colonial fight against England. By 1777, thousands of French volunteers had arrived in Virginia to support the fighting colonists. Without such strong support from France, the American Revolution might not have ended the same way. But even though France got its revenge against the English, it nearly bankrupted its own country. Which brings us to... the French Revolution!Just like the British, the French rulers tried to avoid bankruptcy by taxing their own people—with wild results. During the eighteenth century, growing populations led to the growth of cities and towns. That caused inflation. The goods and food that people needed became much more expensive. The poor had to work harder and longer to survive. The middle class—also part of the "third estate," of common folk—was made up of merchants and educated professionals. They believed firmly in Enlightenment ideas of individual rights and the freedom to create their own laws. The "third estate" didn't have the powers that nobles and the Church had. These people wanted a new economic and political system. They got their chance in 1789 when the King of France called the Estates General. In this large meeting, he would change laws and try to create new taxes. Things didn't go as planned. Soon, the representatives of the middle class and some supporters among the nobility organized themselves into the National Assembly. And so began the French Revolution.Another American revolutionAcross the Atlantic Ocean in the Caribbean Sea were the people of the French colony of Saint Domingue—now known as Haiti. They watched the French Revolution closely. The American Revolution had been about keeping autonomy and having local control politically and economically. The French Revolution had started out of social differences. The Haitian Revolution was about all of that and more. There, what you fought for depended on who you were. If you were a rich white landowner, you probably fought for greater independence from the French government. If you were a poor white man, you battled for equal citizenship. If you were a merchant, your fight was against business restrictions. And if you were among the almost 500,000 enslaved laborers in this colony, you fought for the two things you didn't have: freedom and a paycheck.The Haitian Revolution began with revolts in 1791. A thousand plantations were burned. Hundreds of people were killed. Over the next decade the enslaved population, led by Toussaint Louverture, gained its freedom and declared independence on January 1, 1804. It was the second independent republic in the Americas after the United States. But it was the first Western colony where a majority population of enslaved people fought for independence and won. Haiti was also the first independent nation-state ruled by people of African background.Revolutions in Latin AmericaEconomics played an important role in the Latin American revolutions between 1810 and 1825. Social tensions between classes grew out of a familiar set of problems. These included high taxation, the financing of foreign wars, and questioning the power of European monarchs so far away. Leaders in LatinAmerican colonies were also heavily influenced by the same Enlightenment ideals that helped motivate the three revolutions we discussed. The nationalist leaders in this region included Simon Bolivar and José de San Martin. Promises of liberty and individual freedoms were made, similar to those of the French Revolution. The leaders led revolts that pushed the Spanish out of Latin America.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader32Revolutionary rootsEach of these revolutions had its own leaders and specific local challenges. But they were not alonein their ideas or causes. Bolivar often visited the newly independent Haiti as he fought the Spanish in South America. Thomas Jefferson, of the recently independent United States of America, was in Paris as the French Revolution began. He offered support and advice to the revolutionaries there. Each of these revolutions was influenced by the ideas of progress, liberty, and equal rights coming out of the Enlightenment. Revolutionaries fought for new forms of government and independence. And of course, people desired better economic and labor conditions than they were getting in this increasingly production-driven world. In the end, the economic, political, and intellectual causes of revolution all played important parts in this revolutionary era.Ingredientsfor Revolution (760L)Malcolm F. PurintonRadical ideasSeveral huge revolutions took place between 1775 and 1825:The American War of Independence, the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolution, and revolutions of Latin America. They changed the Atlanticworld forever. Their effects continue to be felt today. Why did these huge shifts in power happen in such a short period of time? What influenced people worldwide to rise up against their rulers?Enlightened changesTo some, these revolutionary changes weren't surprising. Voltaire was a French writer and philosopher. He wrote to a friend in 1722: "Doesn't this appear to you to be the century of revolutions?" Voltaire wrote this during the Enlightenment period. Ideas about the world, and humanity's place init, were changing. The causes of these revolutions were connected through new ideas about government and life. Ideas about business and trade were connected, too. Why all these sudden important connections? Ideas and knowledge were being exchanged globally between the late 1700s and the early 1800s.Enlightenment ideals10of freedom and equal rights strongly influenced the revolutionary age. They also challenged the old order of life. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the old rulers of Europe still held power. Still, many would change over the next 150 years. The idea of liberty sounded unbelievable to most people. So did the suggestion that individual humans had rights.Before the revolutionary period, many rulers thought they needed to control what people wrote and believed. But that got much harder as the century continued. People began calling for individual liberties. Some wanted the freedom to worship as they wanted. Others wanted to write and say what they wished. Many wanted a say in their own laws. All of these ideas were supported by a growing belief: Societies are not fixed by tradition or religion. Instead, many thought they could be improved by human action guided by reason. That might sound "reason"-able in many parts of today's world.However, these beliefs were truly new at the time.10The words "ideal" and "idea" look much alike. The difference, though, is important. An ideal is a very particular kind of idea. It looks for a perfect solution to what is usually a complicated problem. Examples are poverty, oppression, and inequality.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader33Follow the moneyBut it wasn't all about the big new ideas. Systems of production and distributing goods were changing. These too helped spark political revolutions. For example, several wars were fought in the years before these revolutions. They would have long-term effects. In the Seven Years’ War from 1756 to 1763, France and Austria fought against England and Prussia in several areas. Battles raged across central Europe and India. In North America, another battle site, the conflict was known as the French and Indian War. England and Prussia won. France lost all its land east of the Mississippi River in North America. All of its land in India was gone, too. France was very embarrassed about losing. The winners and losers now had one thing in common: major debt. How were they going to pay back all the money for war? Taxes.The North American English colonies had been pretty independently governed. They had been making their own local laws and taxes in each of the 13 colonies. England allowed this. The British didn't really see North America as all that important. The real money came from sugar plantations in the Caribbean. England took advantage of labor from enslaved people. Most settlers in the North American colonies were generally happy with being part of the British Empire. They had access to British markets and protection in wartime. They still considered themselves "English." However, after the expensive Seven Years’ War, the British government decided to pay off its debt. The British taxed the colonies directly. Tariffs, or fees, were placed on colonial goods. The British also announced that they would base a large army in North America. They did not ask for colonial approval to do this. The colonists were rather proud of their autonomy and economic success. So they pushed back. The Stamp Act of 1765 was the first of several tries to tax the North American colonies. It invited protests and rioting against the British. It was later canceled, but thedamage was done. Opinion in the colonies had shifted. The British were now the enemy.The end of an old regimeThe American Revolution was won partly with French support. France had little money after the Seven Years War. Still, it wanted revenge against the British. From the beginning, France supplied guns for the colonial fight against England. By 1777, thousands of French volunteers had arrived in Virginia to support the fighting colonists. Without such strong support from France, the American Revolution might not have ended the same way. France got its revenge against the English. However, it nearly bankrupted its own country. Which brings us to... the French Revolution!Just like the British, the French rulers tried to avoid bankruptcy by taxing their people—with wild results. During the 1700s, growing populations led to the growth of cities and towns. That caused inflation. The goods and food that people needed became much more expensive. The poor had to work harder and longer to survive. The middle class was partly made up of merchants and educated professionals. They, and the common people, were also called "the third estate." The group believed firmly in Enlightenment ideas of individual rights and the freedom to create their own laws. The "third estate" didn't have the powers that nobles and the Church had. These people wanted a new economic and political system. They got their chance in 1789. The King of France called the Estates General. In this large meeting, he would change laws and try to create new taxes. Things didn't go as planned. Soon, the representatives of the middle class and some supporters among the nobility organized themselves into the National Assembly. The French Revolution had begun.Another American revolutionAcross the Atlantic Ocean in the Caribbean Sea were the people of the French colony of Saint Domingue. It is now known as Haiti. They watched the French Revolution closely. The American Revolution had been about
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader34keeping independence and having local control politically and economically. The French Revolution had started out of social differences. The Haitian Revolution was about all of that and more. There, what you fought for depended on who you were in the colony. If you were a rich white landowner, you probably fought for greater independence from the French government. If you were a poor white man, you battled for equal citizenship. If you were a merchant, your fight was against trade and business restrictions. And if you were among the almost 500,000 enslaved laborers in this colony, you fought for freedom and a paycheck.The Haitian Revolution began with revolts in 1791. A thousand plantations were burned. Hundreds of people were killed. Over the next decade the enslaved population, led by Toussaint Louverture, gained its freedom. The country declared independence on January 1, 1804. It was the second independent republic in the Americas after the United States. But it was the first Western colony where a majority population of enslaved people fought for independence and won.Haiti was also the first independent nation-state ruled by people of African background.Revolutions in Latin AmericaEconomics was important in the Latin American revolutions between 1810 and 1825. Social tensions between classes grew out of a familiar set of problems. These included high taxes, paying for foreign wars, and questioning the power of European monarchs so far away. Leaders in Latin American colonies were also heavily influenced by the same Enlightenment ideals as the other three revolutions.The nationalist leaders in this region included Simon Bolivar and José de San Martin. Promises of liberty and individual freedoms were made, similar to those of the French Revolution. The leaders led revolts that pushed the Spanish out of Latin America.Revolutionary rootsEach of these revolutions had its own leaders and specific local challenges. But they were not alone in their ideas or causes. Bolivar often visited the newly independent Haiti as he fought the Spanish in South America. Thomas Jefferson,of the recently independent United States of America, was in Paris as the French Revolution began. He offered support and advice to the revolutionaries there. Each of these revolutions was influenced by the ideas of progress, liberty, and equal rights. Revolutionaries fought for new forms of government and independence. Of course, people wanted better business and labor conditions. These became even more important in an increasingly production-driven world. In the end, the economic, political, and intellectual causes of revolution all played important parts in this revolutionary era.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader35The EnlightenmentThe Enlightenment was a period in history named not for its battles, but for its ideas. Still, the intellectual and cultural changes it introduced certainly contributed to many political revolutions around the world.The Enlightenment (1160L)Amy Elizabeth RobinsonBetween the late seventeenth and late eighteenth centuries, there was a period of rapid intellectual change that came to be known as the Enlightenment. Thinkers, writers, artists, political leaders, and also new groups of "ordinary" people drove this major cultural and intellectual movement. They believed they were finally shining the "light" of reason on the natural and human worlds. In 1784, German philosopher Immanuel Kant wrote that an "enlightened" understanding should start with the command: "Dare to know!"The Enlightenment shook the foundations of European intellectual life, but that wasn't all. It also had social, economic, and political consequences across the globe. To understand the role of the Enlightenment in world history, we need to look both at its ideas and their social setting. These were not sudden, light-bulb-above-your head ideas. They emerged from ongoing discussions among a variety of people. Enlightenment thinkers, writers, and artists—often called philosophes—were particularly active in Europe and European settler colonies. However, they were connected to growing networks that criss-crossed the globe. Novels, newspapers, and travel literature spread new ideas, and a sense of connection with others. Goods, information, and people moved more swiftly across the oceans. This growing connectedness, combined with a daring openness to change, made Enlightenment ideas the fuel that wouldpower many revolutions.What was so enlightening about the Enlightenment?The Enlightenment started as a scientific and intellectual movement. But it was soon a political movement, with economic and cultural significance as well. Historians always have trouble describing it, but of course they still try. Eric Hobsbawm describes Enlightenment thinking as "not that of a system but of an attitude and a passion." Margaret Jacob says it was "a new cultural style of open-mindedness, investigation, and satire." Dorinda Outram talks more about eighteenth-century social context, and the rise of a "public sphere." Not all Enlightenment thinkers agreed about everything, but they weredevoted to lively study, critique, and conversation. They met at public lectures, salons, coffeehouses, and new lending libraries, where they could cast "light" on questions that had lurked in darkness for centuries.As a scientific and intellectual movement, the Enlightenment had roots in the Scientific Revolution. In 1687, Isaac Newton'sPrincipiahad introduced "rational mechanics" into the study of mathematics and astronomy. Following Newton, Enlightenment thinkers believed that a "natural law" could be discovered underneath all aspects of life. But they did not think that people could discover this law if they only learned from religious texts and leaders. Rather, it would be found by examining the world around them.As a political movement, some historians trace the Enlightenment to the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688. That's when King James of England, Ireland, and Scotland was deposed and replaced by his daughter Mary and her husband William of Orange. William was the stadtholder(ruler) of the Dutch Republic, a flourishing economic and intellectual center. People in the Dutch Republic and in the new British constitutional
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader36monarchy of 1688 were already trying out new forms of government. Although they still had monarchs, both had representative parliaments, a tradition of "rights," and more religious freedom than most other European states. Soon after the Glorious Revolution, the philosopher John Locke published Two Treatises of Government(1690), arguing that government should be formed through a contract between people and their ruler, rather than through ideas of religious hierarchy ordivine will.The Enlightenment had economic, ethical, and religious aspects, too. In the 1690s, Locke was a shareholder in the Royal African Company, which was profiting from the enslavement of Africans. He argued that slavery was okay if it resulted from"just war" (meaning the war was justified). After all, he believed firmly in the right to private property, and enslaved people were considered property. But Locke rejectedthe idea that there were any intrinsic differences between humans from different places, with different religious beliefs or skin tones. Over the course of the eighteenth century, most Enlightenment thinkers took Locke's lead and emphasized a sense of shared humanity.Yet African enslavement kept growing. Profits from this trade contributed to the growth of European port cities and new industrial centers. Enlightenment thinkers increasingly struggled with the fact that the apparent "progress" of the world around them depended on the horrible violence of slavery. Locke's hypocritical position—of expressing one thing, but profiting economically from the opposite—became harder to maintain. Religious groups like the Quakers, and philosopheslike Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Adam Smith, called for the abolition of slavery. "From whatever aspect we regard the question," wrote Rousseau, "the right of slavery is null and void...The words slave and right contradict each other, and are mutually exclusive" (The Social Contract, Book I, Chapter IV).The Enlightenment and historical "progress"Who could participate in the networks that made up the Enlightenment, and who could benefit from them? More and more people may have been involved in the conversation, but there were still voices that had trouble being heard. Many philosophesbelieved that women, children, working people, and people from colonies or conquered territories were less developed than white European men, and not ready for full inclusion. Enlightened educational and social institutions were supposed to "prepare" these people to become better, more "reasonable" citizens of modern states. Most abolitionists believed slavery should end only gradually.The idea of women having a political voice was almost nonexistent. One of the eighteenth century's most revolutionary thinkers, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, still believed that the goal of women's education should be to please men. The English intellectual Mary Wollstonecraft wrote A Vindication ofthe Rights of Womanin 1792. It was a groundbreaking call for universal education, but it was based on the idea that educated women would make better mothers and teachers of children. This, she believed, was their primary role as citizens. And even at theend of the century, French revolutionaries declared the "rights of man and of the citizen," rather than universal human rights. These perspectives reflected popular ideas about development and difference. Scottish Enlightenment philosophers William Robertson and Adam Smith believed that societies moved through specific stages of development. This was part of the "natural law" they believed they were discovering. First, people were hunters, then they were pastoralists, then they began to own land privately and farm. Finally, they invented money, goods could move around, and people could engage in commerce and trade. The pace of invention and the accumulation of wealth in Europe just seemed to confirm these beliefs. "Everything in the universe," wrote the Comte de Mirabeau, a leader of the French Revolution, "is commerce." In The Wealth of Nations(1776), Smith presented his vision for a functioning global economy. It depended, among other things, on free trade. Like most Enlightenment thinkers, Smith
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader37believedthat if confining institutions and "prejudices" were abolished, and humans were given the freedom to make economic decisions, a common good would naturally arise. This idea was called laissez-faire, or "let it happen".Smith agreed that humans weren't there yet, though. He believed modern states should provide public services and education when market mechanisms could not. But his "enlightened" ideas about free markets really took off. They became the intellectual foundation for the expansion of modern capitalism as a system of production and distribution. Ideas about private property, human development, and commercial "progress" were also used to justify colonial occupations and conquest.So was the Enlightenment really that revolutionary?Historians disagree about whether the Enlightenment just made small changes, or if it was truly revolutionary. Yes, it provided new tools for examining the world, and expanded a sense of shared humanity. But there was little immediate change to social and economic inequality, despite all the talk. European Enlightenment philosopheswere typically white, male, and well-off, and benefited from the rapid changes happening around them. They had a reason to want to reformexisting institutions without turning everything upside down. Other people, usually further outside this circle, had less to lose. Calls for radical and even revolutionary change grew louder as more people saw the widening gap between what the Enlightenment said it stood for, and what was actually happening.Who were these rebels pushing the Enlightenment to become more radical? "What was most vigorous" in Enlightenment debates, historians Peter Linebaugh and Marcus Rediker say, "did not come from any single national experience." They argue that a transnational, multiracial working class—meeting on ships and in port cities across the Atlantic—played an important role in demanding radical change. They call this a "universalism from below." Olaudah Equiano, who had been both an enslaved laborer and a sailor, became a leading voice in the abolitionist movement.Another abolitionist, French playwright Olympe de Gouges, wrote a Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen in 1791. "The mothers, daughters, and sisters who represent the nation demand to form a national assembly," she declared, making it clear that women had been excluded from France's Enlightenment vision. In Latin America, Enlightenment thinkers like José Antonio de Alzate y Ramirezcriticized William Robertson's ideas about indigenous history and the "natural" development of societies. Alzate y Ramirez rejected the rigid "natural laws" supposedly "discovered" by faraway philosophers. Instead, he said that local scholars had a bettergrasp of Amerindian society. He helped to lay intellectual foundations for Latin American independence movements in the nineteenth century.But despite these widening demands for liberty, wealthy and influential bourgeois elites continued to hold the power. In some ways, modern states actually acquired more power over people's everyday lives, through mapping, taxation, education, and the regulation of labor. "Citizenship" was a powerful rallying cry for political participation, but it also left people out.Even revolutionary pamphleteers11like the American Thomas Paine, author of Rights of Man(1791) could be overly cautious. Paine feared the power of "popular 11A pamphleteer was someone who made their ideas and opinions public by distributing small booklets called pamphlets. Basically a seventeenth century blogger.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader38disquietudes [anxiety]...the desperate and the discontented" who, "by assuming to themselves the powers of government, may sweep away the liberties of the continent like a deluge [flood]."So the Enlightenment left a complicated legacy, both liberating and imposing limits on change. Perhaps it is best to think of it as a process, rather than a single thing. Even today, whether you examine microscopic cells in a science classroom, write a novel in a café, or carry a protest sign in the street, you may be engaging in a process of "enlightened" thought and critique.SourcesCañizares-Esguerra, Jorge, How toWrite the History of the New World: Histories, Epistemologies, and Identities in the Eighteenth-Century Atlantic World. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001.Hobsbawm, Eric, The Age of Revolution, 1789-1948. New York: Vintage, 1996.Jacob, Margaret C., ed., The Enlightenment: A Brief History with Documents. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2017. Linebaugh, Peter and Marcus Rediker, The Many-Headed Hydra: Sailors, Slaves, Commoners, and the Hidden History of the Revolutionary Atlantic. Boston: Beacon Press, 2000.Outram, Dorinda, The Enlightenment. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2019 (4th edition). Pagden, Anthony, The Enlightenment: And Why It Still Matters. New York: Random House, 2013. Wallerstein, Immanuel, Historical Capitalism with Capitalist Civilization. NY: Verso, 1996.Author BioAmy Elizabeth Robinson is a freelance writer, editor, and historian with a PhD in the history of Britain and the British Empire. She has taught at Sonoma State University and Stanford University.The Enlightenment (1060L)Amy Elizabeth RobinsonBetween the late seventeenth and late eighteenth centuries, there was a period of rapid intellectual change that became known as the Enlightenment. Thinkers, writers, artists, political leaders, and many ordinary peopledrove this cultural and intellectual movement. They believed they were shining the "light" of reason on the natural and human worlds. In 1784, German philosopher Immanuel Kant wrote that an "enlightened" understanding should start with the command: "Dare to know!"The Enlightenment transformed European intellectual life and had social, economic, and political consequences across the globe. To understand the role of the Enlightenment in world history, we need to look both at its ideas and social setting. Enlightenment ideas did not just appear all at once, but rather emerged from ongoing discussions among many people. Enlightenment thinkers, writers, and artists--known as philosophes--were particularly active in Europe and European settler colonies. They were also connected to networks that moved around the globe. Goods, information, and people moved across oceans, spreading Enlightenment ideas. This enabled Enlightenment ideas to inspire revolutions.What was so enlightening about the Enlightenment?The Enlightenment started as a scientific and intellectual movement. However, it soon became a political movement, with economic and cultural significance. Not all Enlightenment thinkers agreed about everything,
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader39but they weredevoted to lively study and conversation. They met at public lectures, salons, coffeehouses, and new lending libraries, where they could cast "light" on questions that had lurked in darkness for centuries.The Enlightenment had roots in the Scientific Revolution. In 1687, Isaac Newton's Principia, a work spanning three books, introduced "rational mechanics" into the study of mathematics and astronomy. Following Newton, Enlightenment thinkers believed that a "natural law" could be discovered for all aspects of the world. However, they did not think that people could discover this law through religious texts and leaders. Rather, it would be found by examining the world around them.Some historians trace the Enlightenment's political dimensions to the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688. King James of England, Ireland, and Scotland was deposed and replaced by his daughter Mary and her husband William of Orange. William ruled the Dutch Republic, a flourishing economic and intellectual center. A constitutional monarchy with a Parliament was established in Great Britain following the Glorious Revolution.People in the Dutch Republic and in the new British constitutional monarchy had new forms of government. Although they still had monarchs, they also had representative parliaments and established "rights." In 1690, the English philosopher John Locke argued that government should be formed through a contract between people and their ruler.The Enlightenment had economic, ethical, and religious aspects. In the 1690s, Locke was a shareholder in the Royal African Company, which profited from the enslavement of Africans. He argued that slavery was acceptable if it resulted from a justified war. He believed firmly in the right to private property, and enslaved people were considered property. Yet Locke rejectedthe idea that there were any fundamental differences between humans of different regions and races. During the eighteenth century, most Enlightenment thinkers took Locke's lead and emphasized shared humanity between all people.Yet African enslavement kept growing. Profits from the slave trade contributed to the growth of European cities. Enlightenment thinkers increasingly struggled with the fact that the apparent "progress" of the world around them depended on the horrible violence of slavery. Locke's hypocritical position of criticizing slavery even as he benefited from it became harder to maintain. Religious groups like the Quakers, and philosopheslike Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Adam Smith, called for the abolition of slavery. The Enlightenment and historical "progress"Who could participate in the Enlightenment, and who could benefit from it? Although more people became involved in theseconversations, not everyone had an equal voice. Many philosophesbelieved that women, children, working people, and non-European people were less developed than white European men. Educational and social institutions needed to "prepare" these people to become more "reasonable" citizens of modern states.The idea of women having political rights was almost nonexistent. One of the Enlightenment's most revolutionary thinkers, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, believed that the goal of women's education should be to please men. The English intellectual Mary Wollstonecraft wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Womanin 1792. Although it was a groundbreaking call for universal education, it was based on the idea that educated women would make better mothers. Even during the French Revolution, revolutionaries declared the "rights of man" rather than universal rights.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader40Ideas about development and racial difference were quite popular at the time. Scottish Enlightenment philosophers William Robertson and Adam Smith believed that societies moved through specific stages of development. This was part of the "natural law" they believed they were discovering. They believed that the final stage of human development was a society based in commerce and trade, much like Western Europe.In The Wealth of Nations(1776), Smith presented his vision for a global economy. Smith's economy depended on free trade. He believed that if "prejudices" were abolished and humans were given the freedom to make economic decisions, a society that benefited everyone would naturally arise. Smith agreed that humans had not yet reached this ideal. He believed modern states should provide public services and education when the market could not. Yet Smith's ideas about free markets became the intellectual foundation for the expansion of modern capitalism. Many of these ideas were also used to justify colonial occupations and conquest.So was the Enlightenment really that revolutionary?Historians disagree about whether the Enlightenment was truly revolutionary. It provided new tools for examining the world, and expanded a sense of shared humanity, but social and economic inequality remained. European Enlightenment philosopheswere typically white, male, and well-off. They had a reason to want to improve existing institutions without completely revolutionizing them. Other people had less to lose. Calls for radical and even revolutionary change grew louder as more people saw the widening gap between the Enlightenment's stated ideals and the actual state of the world.Who were these rebels pushing the Enlightenment to become more radical? Historians say they were multi-racial, multi-national, and working class. Meeting on ships and in port cities across the Atlantic, these rebels demanded more radical change. One example was Olaudah Equiano, who had been both an enslaved laborer and a sailor and became a leading voice in the abolitionist movement.Another abolitionist, French playwright Olympe de Gouges, wrote a work about women's rights in 1791. She criticized women's exclusion from the government formed during the French Revolution.In Latin America, Enlightenment thinkers like José Antonio de Alzate y Ramirez criticized popular European ideas about native people. Alzate y Ramirez rejected the "natural laws" discussed by faraway philosophers. He said that local scholars had a better grasp of Amerindian society. His work later inspired Latin American independence movements in the nineteenth century.However, influential elites continued to hold power. In some ways, modern states actually acquired more power over people's everyday lives through mapping, taxation, and other practices. "Citizenship" was a powerful rallying cry for political participation, but it also left people out. The Enlightenment left a complicated legacy. Although it was liberating, it also imposed limits on change. Perhaps it is best to think of the Enlightenment as a process, rather than a single thing. Even today, when you examine microscopic cells, write a novel, or carry a protest sign in the street,you are engaging in a process of "enlightened" thought.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader41The Enlightenment (970L)Amy Elizabeth RobinsonFrom the late seventeenth century to the late eighteenth century, there was a period of intellectual change that became known as the Enlightenment. Thinkers, writers, artists, political leaders, and others drove this movement. They believed they were shining the "light" of reason on the world.The Enlightenment had intellectual, social, economic, and political consequences across the globe. Enlightenmentideas emerged from ongoing discussions among many people. These thinkers, writers, and artists--known as philosophes--were particularly active in Europe and European settler colonies. They were connected to networks that moved around the globe. This enabled Enlightenment ideas to inspire revolutions.What was so enlightening about the Enlightenment?The Enlightenment started as a scientific and intellectual movement and soon became a political movement. Enlightenment thinkers did not always agree, butthey weredevoted to lively study and conversation. They aimed to cast "light" on questions that had lurked in darkness for centuries.The Enlightenment had roots in the Scientific Revolution. In 1687, Isaac Newton introduced "rational mechanics" into thestudy of mathematics and astronomy. Following Newton, Enlightenment thinkers believed that a "natural law" could be discovered for all aspects of the world. However, they did not think that people could discover these laws through religion. Rather, truth would be found by examining the world around them.Some historians trace the Enlightenment's political dimensions to the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688 in the British Isles. King James was deposed and replaced by his daughter Mary and her husband William ofOrange. A constitutional monarchy was then established.This was a new form of government. Although Britain still had a monarch, it also had representative parliaments and established "rights." In 1690, the English philosopher John Locke argued that government should be formed through a contract between people and their ruler.The Enlightenment impacted people's views on economics and morality. Locke owned stock in the Royal African Company, which profited from the enslavement of Africans. He argued that slavery was acceptable under some conditions. Yet Locke rejectedthe idea that there were underlying differences people of different races. Most Enlightenment thinkers took Locke's lead and emphasized shared humanity between all people.Yet African enslavement kept growing and its profits helped the growth of European cities. Enlightenment thinkers increasingly struggled with the fact that the apparent "progress" of their world depended on slavery. Locke's contradictory position became harder to maintain. Religious groups like the Quakers and some philosophescalled for the abolition of slavery. The Enlightenment and historical "progress"Who could participate in the Enlightenment and who could benefit from it? Despite growing participation in the Enlightenment, not everyone had an equal voice. Many philosophesbelieved that women, children, working people, and non-European people were lessdeveloped than white European men.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader42Almost no Enlightenment thinkers believed women should have political rights. Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote that the goal of women's education should be to please men. The English intellectual Mary Wollstonecraft wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Womenin 1792. Yet even though Wollstonecraft called for women's education, it was based on the idea that educated women made better mothers.Ideas about human development were also popular at the time. Scottish Enlightenment philosophers William Robertson and Adam Smith believed that societies moved through specific stages of development. The final stage of human development was a society based in commerce and trade. This society looked much like Western Europe.Smith's economydepended on free trade. He believed that if prejudices were eliminated and humans were free to make economic decisions, a society that was good for everyone would arise. Smith's ideas about free markets became the foundation for modern capitalism. Many ofthese ideas were also used to explain colonial occupations and conquest.So was the Enlightenment really that revolutionary?Historians disagree about whether the Enlightenment was truly revolutionary. It provided new tools for examining the world and ideals about a shared humanity, but inequality remained. European Enlightenment philosopheswere typically white, male, and well-off. They had a reason to want to improve existing institutions without removing them. Other people had less to lose. Calls for more revolutionary change grew louder as more people saw the gap between the Enlightenment's stated ideals and the actual state of the world.Who were these rebels pushing the Enlightenment to go further? Historians say they were multi-racial, multi-national, and working class. One example was Olaudah Equiano, an enslaved laborer and a sailor who became a leading voice in the abolitionist movement.French playwright Olympe de Gouges was also an abolitionist. In 1791 she criticized women's exclusion from the government formed during the French Revolution.In Latin America, Enlightenment thinkers like José Antonio de Alzate criticized European Enlightenment ideas. He was especially concerned with European ideas about Native Americans. He said that local scholarsunderstood native societies better than Europeans.However, social elites continued to hold power. In some ways, modern states actually acquired more power over people's everyday lives. "Citizenship" was a powerful rallying cry for political participation, but it also left people out. The Enlightenment left a complicated legacy. Although it was liberating, it imposed limits on change. Perhaps it is best to think of the Enlightenment as a process, rather than a single thing. When you use a microscope, write a novel, or carry a protest sign in the street today, you are engaging in a process of "enlightened" thought.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader43The Enlightenment (870L)Amy Elizabeth RobinsonFrom the late 1700s to the late 1800s, there was a period of intellectual change that became known as the Enlightenment. Thinkers, writers, artists, political leaders, and others drove this movement. They believed they were shining the "light" of reason on the world.The Enlightenment impacted the entire world. Enlightenment ideas emerged from ongoing discussions among many people. These thinkers, writers, and artists were particularly active in Europe and European colonies. They were connected to networks that moved around the globe. This allowed Enlightenment ideas to inspire major change.What wasso enlightening about the Enlightenment?The Enlightenment started as a scientific movement and soon became a political movement. Enlightenment thinkers were devoted to studying and talking about topics that had been ignored for centuries. They did not always agree with each other.The Enlightenment had roots in the Scientific Revolution. In 1687, Isaac Newton presented new laws in astronomy and mathematics. Following Newton, Enlightenment thinkers believed that a "natural law" could be discovered for all aspects of the world. However, they did not think that people could discover these laws through religion. Truth could only be found by examining the world.Enlightenment politics can be traced to the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688 in the British Isles. A constitutional monarchy was established in Britain.This was a new form of government. Although Britain still had a king and queen, it also had a Parliament to represent the people. The English philosopher John Locke argued that government should be formed through a contract between people and their ruler.The Enlightenment impacted people's views on economics and morals. Locke owned stock in the Royal African Company, which profited from trading slaves. He argued that slavery was acceptable under some conditions. Yet Locke rejectedthe idea that there were underlying differences people of different races. Most Enlightenment thinkers took Locke's lead. They emphasized that all people had value as humans.Even so, slavery kept growing and its profits helped many Europeans become wealthy. Enlightenment thinkers struggled with the fact that "progress" depended on slavery. Locke's position became harder to maintain. Some religious groups and Enlightenment thinkers called for the abolition of slavery. The Enlightenment and historical "progress"Not everyone had an equal voice in the Enlightenment. Many thinkers believed that women, children, working people, and non-European people were less developed than white European men. Almost no Enlightenment thinkers believed women should have political rights. Jean-Jacques Rousseau thought the goal of women's education should be to please men. The English intellectual Mary Wollstonecraft challenged Rousseau's ideas. Yet even though Wollstonecraft supported women's education,she did not go so far as to say that men and women should have the same roles. She argued that educated women made better mothers.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader44Ideas about human development were also popular at the time. Scottish Enlightenment philosophers William Robertson and Adam Smith believed that societies moved through stages of development. The final stage of human development was a society based in business and trade. This society looked much like Western Europe. Smith's ideas became the foundation for modern capitalism. So was the Enlightenment really that revolutionary?Historians disagree about whether the Enlightenment was truly revolutionary. It provided new tools for examining the world and radical ideas, but inequality remained. European Enlightenment thinkers were typically white, male, and well-off. They did not usually want to completely change social institutions. Other people had less to lose. Calls for more revolutionary change grew louder as more people saw the gap between Enlightenment ideas and the world's problems.Who were the rebels pushing the Enlightenment to go further? Historians say they were multi-racial, multi-national, and working class. One example was Olaudah Equiano, an enslaved man and a sailor who became a leading voice in the abolitionist movement.French playwright Olympe de Gouges was also an abolitionist. She wrote about women's rights in 1791. She criticized women's exclusion from the government formed during the French Revolution.Latin America also had Enlightenment thinkers. People likeJosé Antonio de Alzate criticized European Enlightenment ideas. He was especially concerned with European ideas about Native Americans. He said that local scholars understood native societies better than Europeans.However, social elites continued to holdpower. In some ways, modern states actually gained more power over people's everyday lives. "Citizenship" was a powerful rallying cry for political participation, but it left people out. The Enlightenment left a complicated legacy. Although it was liberating, changes had limits. Perhaps it is best to think of the Enlightenment as a process, not a single thing. When you use a microscope, write a novel, or carry a protest sign in the street today, you are engaging in a process of "enlightenment." The Enlightenment (740L)Amy Elizabeth RobinsonFrom the late 1700s to the late 1800s, there was a period of intellectual change. It became known as the Enlightenment. Thinkers, writers, artists, political leaders, and others drove this movement. They believed theywere shining the "light" of reason on the world.The Enlightenment impacted the entire world. Enlightenment ideas emerged from ongoing discussions among many people. These thinkers were particularly active in Europe and European colonies. They were connected to networks that moved around the globe. This allowed Enlightenment ideas to inspire major change.What was so enlightening about the Enlightenment?The Enlightenment started as a scientific movement. It soon became a political movement. Enlightenmentthinkers were devoted to studying and talking about topics that had previously been ignored.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader45The Enlightenment had roots in the Scientific Revolution. In 1687, Isaac Newton presented new laws in astronomy and mathematics. Enlightenment thinkers followed Newton. They believed that a "natural law" could be discovered for all aspects of the world by examining it.Enlightenment politics can be traced to the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688. A constitutional monarchy was established in Britain. This was a new formof government. Although Britain still had a king and queen, it also had a Parliament to represent the people. The English philosopher John Locke presented new ideas about government. He argued that a government should be formed through a contract between people and their ruler.The Enlightenment impacted people's views on economics and morals. Locke owned stock in the Royal African Company. The Company profited from trading slaves. Locke argued that slavery was acceptable under some conditions. Yet Locke rejectedthe idea that there were underlying differences between people of different races. Most Enlightenment thinkers took Locke's lead. They emphasized that all people had value as humans.Even so, slavery kept growing. Many Europeans become wealthy fromits profits. Enlightenment thinkers struggled with the fact that "progress" depended on slavery. Locke's position became harder to maintain. Some religious groups and Enlightenment thinkers called for the end of slavery. The Enlightenment and historical "progress"Not everyone had an equal voice in the Enlightenment. Almost no Enlightenment thinkers believed women should have political rights. Jean-Jacques Rousseau thought the goal of women's education should be to please men. The English intellectual Mary Wollstonecraft challenged Rousseau's ideas. Yet she did not go so far as to say that men and women should have the same jobs. She pointed out that educated women made better mothers.Ideas about human development were also popular at the time. Scottish Enlightenment philosophers like Adam Smith believed that societies progressed. First a society had to move through one stage of development and then another. The final stage of human development was a society based in business and trade. This looked much like Western Europe. Smith's ideas became critical for modern capitalism.So was the Enlightenment really that revolutionary?Historians disagree about whether the Enlightenment was truly revolutionary. It provided new tools for examining the world and ideas, but inequality remained. European Enlightenment thinkers were typically well-off white men. They did not want to completely change social institutions. Other people had less to lose. Over time, more people saw the gap between Enlightenment ideas and the world's problems. This led to people asking for bigger changes to society.Who were the rebels pushing the Enlightenment to go further? Historians say they were multi-racial, multi-national, and working class. One example was Olaudah Equiano. Equaino was enslaved man and a sailor who became a leading voice in the abolitionist movement.French playwright Olympe de Gouges was also an abolitionist. She wrote about women's rights in 1791. She criticized women's exclusion from the new French government.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader46Latin America also had Enlightenment thinkers. José Antonio de Alzate criticized European Enlightenment ideas. He was especially concerned with European ideas about Native Americans. He said Europeans did not understand native societies.Yet social elites continued to hold power. In some ways, modern states actually gained more power over people's everyday lives. "Citizenship" was a powerful rallying cry for political participation. At the same time, it left people out. The effects of the Enlightenment are complicated. Although it was liberating, changes had limits. Perhaps it is best to think of the Enlightenment as a process, not a single thing. You engage in the enlightenment process today. When you use a microscope, write a novel, or carry a protest sign, you are part of the Enlightenment's legacy. The Atlantic RevolutionsRevolutions can be contagious. In five short decades from 1775 to 1825, several revolutions in the Americas and Europe brought down the colonial system and European monarchies that had been profiting from it.The Atlantic Revolutions (1150L)Malcolm F. PurintonAn era of revolutionsBetween 1775 and 1825, revolutions across the Americas and Europe changed the maps and governments of the Atlantic world. Within 50 years, the European empires in the Americas would shrink and new nations would spread across the whole of the Americas. Revolutionaries were inspired by the ideals of the Enlightenment including individual freedom. But they also rejected the authority of distant aristocratic rulers. Revolutionary leaders established new countries that only sometimes lived up to promises of democratic rule. The American War of Independence, the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolution, and the many revolutions of Latin America were connected through networks of ideas, trade, and global events that rocked the world over a few dramatic decades.For much of the eighteenth century, European empires fought each other all over the globe. The British Empire won the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), but the victory was expensive, and it put the empire into debt. France was defeated, humiliated, and in even more debt than the British. The debt from this huge war helped spark the American and French Revolutions. Both governments attempted to pay off their loans bytaxing subjects who had little say in the matter. For Britain, taxing their American colonies seemed like a great idea, but after such a long time of self-rule and near autonomy, the colonists in North America had ideas of their own.The American RevolutionBeginning with the Stamp Act of 1765, Great Britain tried and failed to raise revenue from their subjects in the American colonies. The colonists protested these heavy-handed taxes and rioted in the streets. In 1773, the British imposed a new tax, knownas the Tea Act. In response, several men from Boston dressed up as Indigenous Americans and threw tea from British ships into Boston harbor. In response, the British
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader47announced the Coercive (Intolerable) Acts in 1774, which closed Boston's harbor, curtailed local elections, and expanded the power of the royal governor. In September of 1774, the colonists called the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia and decided not to allow any concessions to the Crown. In April of the following year, fighting beganbetween British and American troops in Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts.During the Second Continental Congress in 1776, the representatives adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4. This document declared the sovereignty of the American states and listed the natural rights of mankind. In 1777, French volunteers began arriving in support of the revolution, and in 1778 the French government officially allied itself with the new American country against the British. Other countries also supported the Americans, including the Spanish and Dutch, who declared war on Great Britain in 1779 and 1780. The cost of the war and pressure from their European rivals was too much for the English. So they finally recognized the independence of the 13 North American colonies in the 1783 Treaty of Paris. A new nation was born, but it was not entirely egalitarian. For one thing, despite winning their own independence, the leaders of the United States of America continued to enslave millions of people living in this new country.The French RevolutionAs French soldiers returned home from the Seven Years' War, they came home to a nearly bankrupt monarchical regime. The nobility and clergy blocked King Louis XVI's attempts to raise taxes. To change the laws, the kingcalled a representative body known as the Estates General in 1788. It hadn't met since 1614.The French populace was divided into three estates. The First Estate was the clergy, the Second Estate was the nobility, and the Third Estate was everyone else. The first two estates had many privileges while the Third Estate paid all the taxes and normally didn't have any voice in the government or in making laws. When the king called the Estates General, the Third Estate suddenly had a voice.In May of 1789, the opening session of the Estates General was deadlocked. Though the Third Estate represented many more people and had twice the number of delegates, each estate had an equal vote. In June, the Third Estate met alone and declared itself the National Assembly.Feeling threatened by this development, King Louis XVI sent an army towards Paris. On July 14th, the Parisians responded by storming the royal prison, called the Bastille. There, they freed a handful of prisoners, seized weapons to defend the city, and beheaded two officials. The king backed down, but the country was now in revolt, not just in the cities but across the countryside. By the end of the summer of 1789, all the privileges of the nobility and the church were abolished, and the Declaration of theRights of Man and of the Citizen declared that all citizens were equal before the law and had individual rights. Within the next two years France would completely abolish the nobility and pass its own constitution, establishing a representative democracy.The French empire strikes backThe leaders of the French Revolution were inspired by the American Revolution with its established representative democracy. Using the language of the Enlightenment, they initially tried to promote harmony between France's social classes and establish a constitutional monarchy with King Louis still on a throne. But the revolution soon turned more violent and radical as peasants attacked castles and burned records of their debts. The new government seized and sold church lands. In 1793, King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antionette were both executed by guillotine and a French Republic was declared. Understandably, the other European monarchs were pretty shocked.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader48The first French Republic radically changed the political and social structure of the country. It demolished traditional power structures and transformed how the country was organized and ruled. The National Assembly ended the privileges of the nobles and ended feudalism in France. They even briefly abolished slavery, whichwould have a strong effect in the French Caribbean colony of Saint Domingue. But the republic was short-lived. A powerful and popular general named Napoleon Bonaparte soon rose to power and declared himself emperor in 1799. His armies nearly conquered allof Europe. Everywhere the French went, they ended feudalism, promoted equal rights and religious tolerance, and modernized government administrations. But, as liberating as that sounds, Napoleon also enforced French values and authority with an iron fist.A revolt leads to a new nationBack across the Atlantic Ocean, the people of the French colony of Saint Domingue (now Haiti) on the island of Hispaniola were watching the French Revolution very closely. The French colony was the richest plantation colony in the world, with around 8,000 plantations that produced 40 percent of the world's sugar and about half of its coffee. The colony made these profits through enslaved labor. There were around 500,000 enslaved people living in Saint Domingue along with around 30,000 free people of color and 40,000 whites. The white population were themselves sharply divided between wealthy plantation owners, known as grands blancs, and poor whites—known as petits blancs. The social structure of the colony was very unstable, as whites, free people of color, and the enslaved population who made up over 90 percent of the colony each had their own grievances. The rich colony was structured around rampant exploitation and enormous inequalities. In 1791, it revolted in the most radical of all the revolutions of this era.The Haitian Revolution (1791-1808) was, more than any other, a social revolution for human rights and equality regardless of skin color. It began with a revolt of enslaved people in 1791 after the National Assembly abolished slavery. The Haitian Revolution established the second independent republic in the Americas and the first independent nation-state ruled by people of African descent.Toussaint Louverture emerged as the leader of the revolution. He managed to overcome internal resistance in the colony and outmaneuver foreign powers like the Spanish and British. He was a brilliant general who defeated Napoleon's attempt to regain French control over the colony. The nation of Haiti formally declared its independenceon January 1, 1804. It rejected European racist hierarchies and defined all Haitians as "black." The plantation system was dismantled, and Haiti became a nation of subsistence farmers who worked their own land.The Latin American revolutionsCan you imagine a United States of Latin America? In the early nineteenth century, some Latin American revolutionaries wanted exactly that. But a unified Latin America remained a dream only. In North America, colonists fought off the British. In France, the lower classes overthrew the Old Regime. In Haiti, the enslaved fought off the French and overthrew the wealthy plantation owners. And in Latin America—well that wasn't so clear at the start. The Creole population led the revolutions initially. The Creole are people of Spanish or Portuguese descent born in the Americas. They revolted in response to events happening in Europe. In 1808, Napoleon invaded and conquered Spain and Portugal—the two colonial powers that controlled Latin America. Suddenly, the Latin American colonies found themselves without a direct European power telling them what to do.In 1810, peasants in Mexico revolted because they wanted their own land and because food prices were too high. Two priests—Miguel Hidalgo and José Morelos—led the insurrection, but it was eventually put down
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader49by wealthy Creole landowners with the support of the Catholic Church. Both the Creoles and the church were alarmed by the social radicalism of the revolt and worried that it would end like the French and Haitian revolutions. A less radical declaration of independence followed in 1821 through an alliance of rich Creole elites and more conservative clergy.Fear of rebellions as violent as the Haitian and French revolutions loomed over the Latin American revolutions from 1810 to 1825. Divisions along racial, class, and ideological lines frequently led to violence. In the northern regions of Latin America, the revolutionary general Simón Bolívar successfully fought Spanish forces and created a short-lived "Gran Columbia" between 1819 and 1830 that was modeled after the United States.Bolívar had the support of the relatively new nation of Haiti, and he visited that country twice. Haiti even sent soldiers and weapons to help Bolívar fight the Spanish. José de San Martín—another liberal revolutionary—led a revolt against the Spanish in southern Latin America. These revolutions did not lead to long-lasting constitutional republics and were soon replaced by rulers who cared more about power than the liberal ideas that allowed them to rule in the first place and who ruled on the basis of populist politics, family networks, and military strength.An era of revolutionsThough each of these revolutions had its own origins, important figures, and results, they were all tied together by three things. First, Enlightenment ideas and ideals inspired all of them. Second, each revolution rejected rule without representation. Finally, they were connected by economic and political networks. It's not as if all revolutions challenged every issue. The Haitian Revolution was the most radical. The others resulted in political change—rather than social or economic change. Nevertheless, it was a remarkable era in history that led to the creation of new nations and the beginning of the end for the Old Regime in Europe and European colonialism in the Americas.Author BioMalcolm F. Purinton is a part-time lecturer of world history and the history of modern Europe at Northeastern University and Emmanuel College in Boston. He specializes in the history of food and the environment, with a focus on beer and other alcoholic beverages.The Atlantic Revolutions (1040L)Malcolm F. PurintonAn era of revolutionsBetween 1775 and 1825, revolutions broke out across the Americas and Europe. Within 50 years, European empires in the Americas shrank. Nations throughout the Atlantic became independent. Revolutionaries were inspired by the ideals of the Enlightenment, such as individual freedom. They rejected the authority of the aristocracy, or the traditional ruling class.Revolutions during this era included the American War of Independence, the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolution, and the many revolutions of Latin America. These revolutions were connected by a network of ideas, trade, and global events. While each revolution was unique, they were all influenced by global political conditions and by each other.For much of the eighteenth century, European empires fought each other all over the world. The British Empire won the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), but the wareffort left the empire in debt. France was
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader50defeated and left in even more debt. The debt from this huge war led the American colonists and French citizens to revolt. To pay off their loans, Britain and France raised taxes on their colonial subjects, who had little say in the matter.At that point, the American colonists had gotten comfortable being more or less in charge of themselves. When the British Empire started raising their taxes, many began to openly challenge British authority.The American RevolutionBeginning with the Stamp Act of 1765, Great Britain issued a number of new taxes in the American colonies. These taxes led the American colonists to protest and riot. After a tax was put on tea in 1773, several men from Boston dressed up as IndigenousAmericans and threw tea from British ships into the Boston harbor. In response, the British announced the Coercive Acts in 1774, also known as the Intolerable Acts. These new laws closed Boston's harbor, restricted local elections, and expanded the power of the royal governor. In April 1775, fighting broke out between British and American troops in Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts.During the Second Continental Congress in 1776, the representatives of the colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4. This document declared the sovereignty of the American states and listed the natural rights of mankind. In 1777, French volunteers began arriving in North America in support of the revolution. In 1778, the French government officially allieditself with the revolutionaries against the British. The Americans soon got the support of other countries, including the Spanish and Dutch, who declared war on Great Britain in 1779 and 1780. Eventually, the international pressure and costs of war becametoo much for the English. They finally recognized the independence of the 13 North American colonies in the 1783 Treaty of Paris. A new nation was formed and the United States was structured as a representative democracy.American revolutionaries rejectedthe authority of the king, in part, based on the idea that all people were equal. Even after the revolution, though, deep inequalities remained. For example, the new government continued to allow and profit from slavery.The French RevolutionWhen French soldiers came home from the Seven Years' War, they returned to a country whose royal government was almost completely out of money. King Louis XVI was determined to raise taxes, so in 1788 he called a representative body known as the Estates General. It was the first time such a meeting had been called since 1614.The French people were divided into three "estates." The First Estate was the clergy, or members of the Catholic church. The Second Estate was the nobility, the traditional ruling class that controlled the country's wealth. The Third Estate was everyone else. The first two estates enjoyed many special privileges, while the Third Estate paid all the taxes and had no say in government or lawmaking. When the king called the Estates General, the Third Estate suddenly had a voice.In May of 1789, the opening session of the Estates General was deadlocked. Though the Third Estate represented more people and had twice the number of delegates, each estate had an equal vote. In June, the Third Estate met alone and declared itself the National Assembly. In response, King Louis XVI sent an army towards Paris. On July 14th, Parisians responded by storming the royal prison, called the Bastille. There, they freed a handful of prisoners, seized weapons to defend thecity, and cut off the heads of two
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader51officials. The king backed down, but the country was now in revolt. Revolution spread from the cities to the countryside. By the end of the summer of 1789, all the privileges of the nobility and the church had been takenaway. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, passed by the National Assembly, declared that all citizens had individual rights and were equal before the law. Within the next two years, a new constitution was written, establishing France as a representative democracy.The French Empire strikes backAs the French Revolution spread, it became more radical in its vision for a just society and it also turned violent, as peasants attacked castles and burned debt records. The new government seized and sold church lands. In 1793, King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antionette were executed, and the French Republic was declared. Understandably, the other European monarchs were pretty shocked.The first French Republic was a dramatically more equal society. The National Assembly stripped the nobility of their titles, abolished slavery and ended feudalism, the economic system in which peasants had to work on land they could never own.The republic was short-lived, however. A powerful and popular general named Napoleon Bonaparte soon rose to power and declared himself emperor in 1799.While Napoleon ended the first republic, his empire spread many of the ideas that had sparked the French Revolution. Everywhere his armies went, they ended feudalism and promoted equal rights and religious tolerance. As a result, many government administrations became modernized. But as liberating as that sounds, Napoleon enforced French values and authority with an iron fist.A revolt leads to a new nationAcross the Atlantic Ocean, in modern-day Haiti, France continued to rule over a colony called Saint Domingue. People there watched the French Revolution very closely.Saint Domingue was the richest plantation colony in the world. It had around 8,000 plantations that produced 40 percent of the world's sugar and about half of its coffee. Enslaved laborers made up 90 percent of the population and performed the back-breaking work on these plantations. There were around 500,000 enslaved people in Saint Domingue, along with around 30,000 free people of color and 40,000 whites. The social structure of the colony was complex and unstable, with great division and tension. In 1791, a revolt broke out that became the most radical revolution of the era.The Haitian Revolution (1791-1808) was a social revolution for human rights and racial equality. It began with a revolt of enslaved people in 1791 after the French National Assembly abolished slavery. When it ultimately succeeded, Haiti became the second independent republic in the Americas. It was the first independent nation-state ruled by people of African descent.Toussaint Louverture emerged as the leader of the revolution. He overcame internal resistance in the colony and outmaneuvered foreign powers like the Spanish and British. He was a brilliant general who stopped Napoleon's attempt to regain French control over the colony.The nation of Haiti formally declared its independence on January 1, 1804. It rejected European racial categories, which placed whites above other groups, and defined all Haitians as "black." The plantation system was taken apart, and Haiti became a nation of farmers who grew their own food on their own land.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader52The Latin American revolutionsThe first revolutions in Latin America were sparked by events in Europe. In 1808, Napoleon invaded and conquered Spain and Portugal, the two colonial powers that controlled Latin America. Suddenly, the Latin American colonies found themselves without a direct European power telling them what to do. This triggered revolts throughout the colonies, led first by the Creole population. The Creoles were native-born descendants of Spanish and Portuguese settlers.In 1810, peasants in Mexico revolted because they wanted their own land and food prices were too high. Two priests, Miguel Hidalgo and José Morelos, led the uprising. It was eventually put down, however, by wealthy Creole landowners. They were alarmed by the peasant revolt, worrying that it would end like the French and Haitian revolutions and take away their power asa ruling class. So they formed an alliance with anti-revolutionary priests. In 1821, they negotiated Mexico's independence from Spain while maintaining their privileged position in society.In other parts of Latin America, several revolutionary movements were gaining strength. In the northern regions, general Simón Bolívar successfully claimed large amounts of land from Spanish forces. In 1819, he created a new nation called "Gran Columbia" modeled after the United States, though it only lasted until 1830.It included the territories of present-day Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. Bolívar had the support of the young nation of Haiti. Haiti even sent soldiers and weapons to help him fight the Spanish.Meanwhile, another revolutionary general named José de San Martín led a revolt against the Spanish in southern Latin America, freeing the future nations of Argentina, Chile, and Peru. Although Bolívar and San Martín liberated huge parts of the region, neither revolution created a long-lasting constitutional republic. Instead, South America was taken over by rulers who valued power over democratic ideals. They ruled on the basis of democratic politics, family networks, and military strength.An era of revolutionsThough each of these revolutions had its own origins, important figures, and results, they were all tied together by three things. First, they were inspired by the moral and political ideas of the Enlightenment. Second, each revolution rejected systems in which people were ruled over without having political representation. Finally, they were all connected by a network of global events, economic ties, and political structures.The era of revolutions dramatically transformed the world. Colonial powers shrank and new nations were formed. They went onto create radically new kinds of governments and societies.The Atlantic Revolutions (930L)Malcolm F. PurintonAn era of revolutionsBetween 1775 and 1825, revolutions broke out across the Americas and Europe. Colonies in the Americas wanted their independence from European empires. Within 50 years, new nations throughout the Atlantic had achieved independence. Revolutionaries were inspired by the ideals of the Enlightenment, such as individual freedom. They rejected the authority of the aristocracy, or the traditional ruling class.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader53Revolutions during this era included the American War of Independence and the French Revolution. There was also the Haitian Revolution and several revolutions in Latin America. These revolutions were connected by a network of ideas, trade, and global events. While each revolution was different, they were all influenced by global political conditions and by each other.For most of the 18th century, European empires were at war. The British Empire fought the French in the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), and the result left both countries in debt. To earn money, the governments issued new taxes on their colonies. Thousands of miles away, the colonists had little say in the matter.Until then, the American colonists had been more or less in charge of themselves. They did not like the British Empire raising their taxes or making their rules. Many started openly challenging British authority.The American RevolutionBeginning with the Stamp Act of 1765, Great Britain issued a number of new taxes in the American colonies. In response, the colonists staged protests and riots. After a tax was put on tea in 1773, several Boston men dressed up as Indigenous Americans and boarded British tea ships. They threw the tea into Boston harbor to protest the tax. In response, the British announced the Coercive Acts in 1774. These were also known as the Intolerable Acts. These laws closed Boston's harbor, restricted local elections, and expanded the power of the royal governor. In April 1775, fighting broke out between British and American troops in Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts.During the Second Continental Congress in 1776, the representatives of the colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence. It announced that the United States was its own nation and listed the natural rights of mankind. In 1778, the French government allied itself with the revolutionaries against the British, and other countries soon joined in. The British were forced to recognize the independence of the 13 colonies in the 1783 Treaty of Paris. The United States was formed and structured as a representative democracy.American revolutionaries rejected the authority of the king, in part, based on the idea that all people were equal. Even after revolution, though, deep inequalities remained. For example, the new government continued to allow and profit from slavery.The French RevolutionAfter the Seven Years' War, the French government was almost completely out of money. King Louis XVI wanted to raise taxes, so in 1788 he called a legislative body known as the Estates General. It was the first time such a meeting had been called since 1614.The French people were divided into three "estates." The First Estate was the clergy, members of the Catholic church. The Second Estate was the nobility, the traditional ruling class that controlled the country's wealth. The Third Estate was everyone else. The first two estates enjoyed many special privileges, while the Third Estate paid all the taxes and had no say in government or lawmaking. When the king called the Estates General, the Third Estate suddenly had a voice.In May of 1789, the opening session of the Estates General was held. The delegates were sharply divided into two sides, and no agreement could be reached. Though the Third Estate represented many more people and had twice the number of delegates, each estate had an equal vote. In June, the Third Estate met alone and declared itself the National Assembly.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader54In response, King Louis XVI sent an army towards Paris. On July 14th,Parisians responded by storming the royal prison, called the Bastille. They freed a handful of prisoners, seized weapons to defend the city, and cut off the heads of two officials. The king backed down, but the country was now in revolt. Revolution spreadfrom the cities to the countryside. The National Assembly stripped the church and nobility of their power. In 1789, it passed the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, declaring that all citizens had individual rights and were equal before the law. Over the next two years, a new constitution was written. It established a system of representative democracy.The French Empire strikes backAs the French Revolution spread, it became more extreme. It also turned violent, as peasants attacked castles and burned their debt records. The new government seized and sold church lands. In 1793, King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antionette were killed by the French revolutionaries. After, a French Republic was declared. Understandably, the other European monarchs were pretty shocked.The first French Republic was a much more equal society than the system it replaced. It brought an end to feudalism, the economic system in which peasants had to work on land they could never own. The National Assembly even passed laws ending slavery.The republic did not last for long, however. A powerful and popular general named Napoleon Bonaparte soon rose to power. He declared himself emperor in 1799 and began taking over new land.Napoleon's empire spread many ofthe ideas behind the French Revolution. His armies ended feudalism and established equal rights and religious tolerance in new places. But this was not all good. Napoleon also enforced French values and authority with an iron fist.A revolt leads to a newnationIn present-day Haiti, France controlled a colony called Saint Domingue, the richest plantation colony in the world. There were around 8,000 plantations that produced 40 percent of the world's sugar and about half of its coffee. Enslaved laborers made up 90 percent of the population. In 1791, after the National Assembly in France abolished slavery, they revolted.The Haitian Revolution went for many hard years. The man who emerged as its leader was named Toussaint Louverture, a brilliant general. He outmaneuvered foreign powers like the Spanish and British and defeated Napoleon.The nation of Haiti declared its independence in 1804, and the Haitian Revolution was won in 1808. Haiti became second independent republic in the Americas. It was the first independent nation-state ruled by people of African descent.It was not just a fight for national independence, though. The Haitian Revolution was about human rights and racial equality. Haitian leaders rejected European racial categories, which placed whites above other groups. Instead, all Haitians were defined as "black." The plantation system was taken apart, and Haiti became a nation of farmers who grew their own food on their own land.The Latin American revolutionsThe first revolutions in Latin America were sparked by events in Europe. In 1808, Napoleon invaded and conquered Spain and Portugal, the two colonial powers that controlled Latin America. Suddenly, the Latin
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader55American colonies found themselves without a direct European power telling them whatto do. This triggered revolts throughout the colonies, led at first by groups within the Creole population. The Creoles were native-born descendants of Spanish and Portuguese settlers.In 1810, peasants in Mexico revolted because they wanted their own land and food prices were too high. Two priests, Miguel Hidalgo and José Morelos, led the uprising. It was eventually put down, however, by wealthy Creole landowners. They were alarmed by the peasant revolt, worrying that it would take away their power as a ruling class. So they joined together with anti-revolutionary priests. In 1821, they negotiated Mexico's independence from Spain, but they kept their privileged position in society.In other parts of Latin America, several revolutionary movements were gaining strength. In the northern regions, general Simón Bolívar claimed large amounts of land from Spanish forces. In 1819, he created a new nation called "Gran Columbia" that was modeled after the United States. It included the territories of present-day Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. But it only lasted until 1830. Bolívar had the support of the young nation of Haiti. The country sent soldiers and weapons to help him fight the Spanish.Meanwhile, another general named José de San Martín led a revoltagainst the Spanish in southern Latin America, freeing the modern nations of Argentina, Chile, and Peru. Both San Martín and Bolívar liberated huge parts of the region. Neither revolution, however, led to the creation of a long-lasting constitutional republic. Instead, South America was soon taken over by rulers who cared more about power than democratic ideals.An era of revolutionsThough each of these revolutions had its own origins, important figures, and results, they were all tied together by three things. First, they were inspired by the moral and political ideas of the Enlightenment. Second, they rejected political systems that gave a ruling class total power. Finally, they were influenced by the same global events and colonial history.The era of revolutions transformed the world. Colonial powers shrank and new nations were formed. They went on to create completely new kinds of governments and societies.The Atlantic Revolutions (800L)Malcolm F. PurintonAn era of revolutionsBetween 1775 and 1825,revolutions broke out all over Europe and the Americas. In Europe, countries like France got rid of their kings and queens. Colonies in the Americas fought to be independent of European empires. The American War of Independence was fought in North America. It was followed by the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolution, and the many revolutions of Latin America. These revolutions had many similarities. They all rejected European power and tried to set up new kinds of society. They were also all influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement that placed great value on individual freedom.The revolutions came at a time when Europe was weakened by internal fighting. In 1763, the Seven Years' War left the British and the French in debt. So, each government issued new taxes on colonists to raise money. The colonists, thousands of miles away, had little say in the matter.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader56Until then, the American colonists had been more or less in charge of themselves. Many started openly challenging British rule.The American RevolutionWhen Britain raised taxes, protests and riots broke out in the American colonies. A tax on tea in 1773 inspired the Boston Tea Party, in which protestors threw British tea into the harbor. In response, Britain passed laws closing Boston's harbor, restricting local elections, and expanding the power of the royal governor. Tensions built until they reached a breaking point. In April 1775, fighting broke out in Massachusetts.The next year, the Declaration of Independence was sent to the British king. It announced that the United States was its own nation and listed the natural rights of mankind. In 1778, the French government gave support to the American revolutionaries. After years of war, the English lost. They recognized the independence of colonies in the 1783 Treaty of Paris.In the United States, great value was given to the ideals of liberty and equality. Even so, not everyone was equal in the young nation. For example, the new government continued to allow and profit from slavery.The French RevolutionAfter the Seven Years' War ended in 1763, the French government needed money. King Louis XVI was determined to raise taxes. To do so, he called a meeting of a legislative body known as the Estates General. It was similar to a parliament or congress, just weaker. It hand't met since 1614.The French people were divided into three "estates." The First Estate was the Catholic church. The Second Estate was the nobility, the traditional ruling class who controlled the country's wealth. The Third Estate was everyone else. They paid all the taxes but had no say in the government. When the king called the Estates General, the Third Estate suddenly had a voice.In May of 1789, the opening session was held. The delegates were sharply divided, and no agreement could be reached. Though the Third Estate represented many more people and had twice the number of delegates, each estate had an equal vote. So, in June, the Third Estate met alone. It declared itself the National Assembly.In response, King Louis XVI sent an army toward Paris. People in Paris responded by storming the royal prison, called the Bastille. They freed a handful of prisoners, seized weapons, and killed two officials. The country found itself in a state of revolt.The National Assembly stripped the nobility of their titles. In 1789, it passed the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, recognizing all citizens as equal before the law. And a constitution was written establishinga democratic political system.The French Empire strikes backAs the French Revolution spread, it became more extreme. There was widespread violence. Peasants attacked castles and burned records of their debts. The new government seized and sold church lands. In 1793, King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antionette were killed by revolutionaries. The first French Republic was declared.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader57The republic transformed French society. The National Assembly ended feudalism, the economic system in which peasants had to work on land they could never own. Laws were also passed to put an end to slavery.The republic did not last for long, however. A powerful and popular general named Napoleon Bonaparte soon rose to power. He declared himself emperor in 1799 and began taking over new land.Napoleon ruled with an iron fist. His armies spread ideas behind the French Revolution in new places the conquered. He ended feudalism and established equal rights and religious tolerance.A revolt leads to a new nationIn the Americas, Francehad a colony called Saint Domingue. This was in present-day Haiti. Saint Domingue was the richest plantation colony in the world. It had around 8,000 plantations and produced 40 percent of the world's sugar and about half of its coffee. Enslaved laborers made up 90 percent of the population. In 1791, after the National Assembly in France abolished slavery, Haitians revolted.The Haitian Revolution went for many hard years. The man who emerged as its leader was a brilliant general named Toussaint Louverture.The nation of Haiti declared its independence in 1804, and the Haitian Revolution was won in 1808. Haiti became the second independent republic in the Americas. It was the first independent nation-state ruled by people of African descent.It was not justa fight for national independence, though. It was about human rights and racial equality. Haitian leaders rejected European racial categories, which placed whites above other groups. Instead, all Haitians were defined as "black." The plantation system wastaken apart, and Haiti became a nation of farmers who grew their own food on their own land.The Latin American revolutionsThe first revolutions in Latin America were sparked by events in Europe. In 1808, Napoleon conquered Spain and Portugal. These werethe two colonial powers that controlled Latin America. Suddenly, the Latin American colonies found themselves without anyone in charge.In 1810, peasants in Mexico revolted. They demanded better opportunities and cheaper food. Two priests, Miguel Hidalgo and José Morelos, led the uprising. It was put down, however, by wealthy Creole landowners. The Creoles were native-born descendants of Spanish and Portuguese settlers. They were alarmed by the peasant revolt. They worried that it would destroy their power. So they joined forces with anti-revolutionary priests. In 1821, Mexico was granted independence from Spain. But the wealthy landowners were able to keep their privileged position in society.In other parts of Latin America, several revolutionary movements were gaining strength. In the northern regions, the general Simón Bolívar claimed large amounts of land from Spanish forces. In 1819, he created a new nation called "Gran Columbia" modeled after the United States. It was made up of present-day Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. But Gran Columbia only lasted until 1830.Meanwhile, another revolt was held against the Spanish in southern Latin America. This was led by General José de San Martín. He freed the modern nations of Argentina, Chile, and Peru. Both San Martín and Bolívar
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader58freed large parts of the region. But neither revolution created a long-lasting constitutional republic. Instead, South America was taken over by rulers who cared more about power than democratic ideals.An era of revolutionsThough each of these revolutions was different, they were tied together by three things. First, they were inspired by the moral and political ideas of the Enlightenment. Second, they rejected political systems that gave all power to a ruling class. Finally, they were influenced by the same global events and colonial history.The era of revolutions transformed the world. Colonial powers shrank and new nations were formed. They went on to create completely new kinds of governments and societies.The Atlantic Revolutions (610L)Malcolm F. PurintonAn era of revolutionsBetween 1775 and 1825, revolutions broke out in Europe and the Americas. European countries wanted to get rid of kings and queens. American colonies wanted independence from European empires.The American War of Independence was first. It was followed by the French Revolution. Next, people in Haiti rebelled against slavery and French rule in the Haitian Revolution. Finally, there were revolutions throughout Latin America. These revolutions had many similarities. They all rejected European power. They also tried to set up new kinds of society. Revolutionaries were inspired by the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment was a philosophical movement. It placed value on freedom and equality.The revolutions came at a time when Europe was weakened. The British and French had just fought the Seven Years' War. After, both countries were deep in debt. So, they passed new taxes on their colonies. Thousands of miles away, the colonists had little choice. Until then, the American colonists were practically in charge of themselves. Upset with the taxes, many challenged British rule.The American RevolutionProtests and riots soon broke out in the American colonies. A tax on tea in 1773 inspired the Boston Tea Party. Protestors threw British tea into the harbor. In response, Britain passed laws to restrict the colonists' freedom and close the Boston harbor. Protests and riots continued in the colonies. In April 1775, fighting broke out in Massachusetts.The next year, the Declaration of Independence was sent to the British king. A long and costly war followed. Finally, the British lost in 1783. They recognized the independence of the colonies. A new nation was born.The French RevolutionAfter the Seven Years' War ended in 1763, the French government needed money. King Louis XVI wanted to raise taxes. To do so, he called a special meeting of the French legislators called the Estates General. It was a bit like a congress or parliament —just with less power. Ithadn't met since 1614.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader59At the time, the French people were divided into three "estates." The First Estate was the Catholic church members. The Second Estate was the nobility. This was the ruling class that controlled the country's wealth. The Third Estatewas everyone else. They paid all the taxes but had no power in the government. When the king called the Estates General, the Third Estate suddenly had a voice.In May of 1789, the opening session was held. The delegates were sharply divided, and no agreement could be reached. So, in June, the Third Estate met alone. It declared itself the National Assembly.King Louis XVI sent an army to Paris. People in Paris responded by storming the royal prison. They freed prisoners, seized weapons, and killed two officials. The country was in a state of revolt.The National Assembly ended the nobility. In 1789, it passed the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. This declared that all citizens as equal before the law. A constitution was written, and a democratic system was set up.The French Empire strikes backAs the French Revolution spread, it became more dangerous. The new government took church lands and sold them. Peasants attacked castles. They burned records of their debts. There was widespread violence. In 1793, King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antionette were killed. The first French Republic was declared.The first French Republic completely changed society. Peasants used to work on land they could never own. Now, they could own and work on their land. Slavery was also ended with new laws.The republic did not last for long, though. A general named Napoleon Bonaparte soon rose to power. He declared himself emperor in 1799. His armies began taking over new land across Europe.A revolt leads to a newnationIn the Americas, France owned a colony called Saint Domingue. Today, it is known as Haiti. Saint Domingue was the richest plantation colony in the world. There were around 8,000 plantations. Almost half of the world's sugar and coffee came from Saint Domingue.Enslaved workers made up 90 percent of the population. In 1791, the National Assembly in France ended slavery. In response, the enslaved people of Saint Domingue revolted.The Haitian Revolution lasted many hard years. It was led by Toussaint Louverture. He was a brilliant general. He even defeated Napoleon. The revolution was won in 1808. Haiti became the second independent republic in the Americas. It was the first independent nation-state ruled by people of African descent.It was not just a fight for independence, though. It was about human rights and racial equality. Haitian leaders were rebelling against colonialism, racism, and slavery.The Latin American revolutionsIn 1808, Napoleon conquered Spain and Portugal. These two powers had large colonies in Latin America. After Napoleon's invasion, the colonies found themselves with no ruling empire.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader60In 1810, peasants in Mexico revolted against the Spanish. They demanded land and cheaper food. But Creole landowners stopped the rebellion. They were wealthy descendants of Spanish and Portuguese settlers. In 1821, Mexico was given independence from Spain. But the Creole landowners kept their position at the top of Mexican society.In other parts of Latin America, more revolutionary movements were underway. In the north, general Simón Bolívar freed large amounts of land from the Spanish. In 1819, he created a new nation called "Gran Columbia." It was made up present-day Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. It was modeled after the United States. Gran Columbia only lasted until 1830.General José de San Martín helped free Argentina, Chile, and Peru. Both Bolívar and San Martín had military success. But they did not create long-lasting democratic governments. Power eventually returned to people who did not care about democratic ideals.An era of revolutionsEach of these revolutions was different. They were tied together, though, by three things. First, they were inspired by the ideas of the Enlightenment. Second, they rejected the power of the ruling class. Finally, they were influenced by the same political and economic network.The era of revolutions transformed the world. Colonial powers shrank and new nations were formed. They created new kinds of governments and societies.Origins and Impacts of NationalismNations and nationalism are not very old but have had dramatic effects on how we view the world and each other. With the decline in the power of religion and religious authorities, people looked for a new way to identify themselves, they found this with their nations.Origins and Impacts of Nationalism (1220L)Malcolm F. PurintonWhat exactly is nationalism?It feels like we've always had countries, and people who believe their own country is the best. But in fact, nations andnationalism are only around 200 years old. If you think about how long people have been around and all the kinds of governments and kingdoms and empires they've built over thousands of years, nations are actually quite young!What is a nation? What is nationalism? We often think our nation is an important part of our identity—I am "American," "Indian," "Italian," "Chinese," and so on. But what does that really mean? How are you part of your country/nation? Well, nationalism begins with the idea that the whole of human society is divided into distinct, autonomous groups called nations. What is nation? A nation is a group of people speaking a common language, sharing a common culture, a sense of a common destiny, and sharing a common history. So, nationalism is also a term to describe the common bonds that hold people together within a nation, creating a new type of community. Tied to this is the idea that individuals' loyalty should be focused on the
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader61nation and that each nation should be able to determine itsown future—an idea known as self-determination. So, nationalism is also the idea that the nation should have that right to govern itself and the right to self-determination. Finally, sometimes, nationalism is expressed in the belief that one's own nation is better than other nations. In those instances, it can become competitive or discriminatory.Nationalism bonds people together in a way that is not genetic, not biological, and not based on even having a personal connection with other members of your nation. In some ways the idea of a nation is actually an imaginary relationship and nations could be considered imagined communitiesbecause so much of the making of a nation is about creating unity and loyalty in our minds. It is not enough to just have a common government to make a nation—we must have shared cultural symbols like flags, national anthems, a shared idea of the history of our nations to create and build a community of a nation.OriginsAs noted earlier, nationalism is not very old. Before the very end of the eighteenth century (1700s), nationalism didn't even exist as a widespread cultural or political ideology! When people told you where they were from, they said the name of a village or town. How did we go from identifying ourselves by our town to identifying ourselves by our nation? Well, to understand that we need to look at some of the revolutions around the turn of the nineteenth century, especially in Europe, and what people were fighting for, and against.The French Revolutionary era had great importance in the development and spread of nationalism as an ideology. After French ruler Napoleon Bonaparte rose to power in 1799, he extended the central government of France into all the countries he conquered across Europe. This was after ten years of war within France, and by now the French people had gained a sense of cohesion against its enemies. Especially Great Britain. They were able to define themselves both as what they were—"We're French, ça va?!"—and what they were not—not English, not German, not Italian, nor anything else. The military victories of France helped to create a common sense of history and identity, making nationalism strongest in France. But here's the funny thing about nationalism: As Napoleon expanded and his armies occupied many other European countries, those other countries all agreed national self-determination was the way to go. It was like being bullied by someone who ends up showing you enough wrestling moves that you are able to defeat them. Uniting against the French regime created a sense of common destiny—a sense of nationalism.Napoleon ended up unintentionally leading Europeans from old regimes of kings, queens, and subjects to new nations of citizens and parliaments, but that's not the only reason nationalismtook hold. There were many other trends occurring at the same time including the growth in literacy, urban areas, and print culture (communicating through printed words and images). With the Enlightenment, education and literacy and the many forms of print were crucial to the spread of ideas. Common bonds formed between intellectuals and the reading public within countries. The most devoted nationalists in the early nineteenth century were actually secondary students and university students in urban areas!Peasants who were mostly illiterate and often shared very little in terms of common culture, were left out of the nationalism conversation. But peasants were still the majority of people in Europe, and their views would change for other reasons.Other reasons...Some historians have argued that nationalism became important because older loyalties became less important—which brings us to religion. For hundreds of years after the split of the Christian church into Catholic and Protestant, wars were fought overreligious and dynastic loyalties. The Enlightenment weakened the hold of religion over many parts of the population by pointing out the abuses of the church
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader62and focusing on reason over religion. People soon lost trust in religious authorities. In addition, European dynasties had relied on absolutism to keep their subjects loyal. But between the Enlightenment ideas and the French Revolution, there were enough critiques against kings and queens to shift the people's loyalties. That made absolutism a lot lessabsolute.While nationalism has much to do with unity, its development often comes through the defining of differences. Russia in the nineteenth century is a great example. For Russians, nationalism wasn't just about customs, language, and history, thoughthose mattered. Russian nationalists defined themselves as not part of the West—Western Europe. The Western European models of industrialization and constitutional governments had no appeal to Russian nationalists, who wanted to keep their rural and religious traditions, thank you very much.Across the Atlantic in the Americas, nationalism got going even earlier than in Europe. The national liberation revolutions of the United States and Haiti were tied to similar Enlightenment ideals, though having a national language was less of a factor. As historian Benedict Anderson points out, the creole states in the Americas shared common languages with the colonizing countries of Europe. The connections between the American colonies and the European countries ruling them likely helped the spread of Enlightenment and national ideas.Even as Napoleon's armies overran most of Continental Europe, Toussaint L'Ouverture helped establish the second independent republic in the Western hemisphere in Haiti in 1804. After several hundred years of European colonization in the Americas—and Asia and Africa as well—things had changed. People had changed, as there was less distinction between European colonizers and the local populations. Now there were Eurasians, Eurafricans, and Euramericans who all had closer ties to the colonized lands than to the European powers who controlled them. Local loyalty to the land where they lived would help propel movements and revolutions for national liberation and decolonial movements both during the nineteenth century and through the mid-twentieth century.ObstaclesFrance already had a central government and system of administration that helped bring the center and outlying areas together. This state structure helped to build ideas of "the Nation." But that wasn't the case in many other countries. Sure, Germany and Italy each had common literary languages and the elites of these countries were developing ideas of a common destiny for all German or all Italian peoples. But neither place had a central government structure. They were both split up into a whole bunch of little states without any notion of German or Italian citizenship, no national armies, and their various royalty did not include a singular, that's-the-one-in-charge monarch in either place. Nationalists in places like Italy and Germany had to do a lot more than just talk up the benefits of nationhood to the population. They also had to propose a way that the nation could be expressed in a form of government. It wouldn't be until 1871 that these two regions would each become unified into nations. In Germany it would be through the military force of the Prussians and in Italy, through the political leadership of the kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia in the northwest part of present-day Italy.Conclusions and future differencesThe rise and spread of nationalism gave people a new sense of identity and also led to an increased sense of competition among nation-states. After Napoleon was defeated (twice!) several other European nations joined together to attempt to return to the old—conservative—ways with royal dynasties returning to their thrones. However, over the following century several revolutions across Europe would remove these royals
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader63from power. New constitutional governments led by citizens of these nation-states would take their place. These nations would then compete for colonies across the world in Africa, Eastern Asia, and Southeast Asia by the end of the nineteenth century. At the beginning of the twentieth century, however, nationalism would play a major role in the competition between nations. It was an extremely bloody competition that we now call World War I.Author BioMalcolm F. Purinton is a part-time lecturer of world history and the history of modern Europe at Northeastern University and Emmanuel College in Boston. He specializes in the history of food and the environment, with a focus on beer and other alcoholic beverages.Origins and Impacts of Nationalism (1130L)Malcolm F. PurintonWhat exactly is nationalism?It feels like we've always had countries. But infact, nations are only a little more than 200 years old. If you think about how long people have been around and all the kinds of governments and kingdoms and empires they've built over thousands of years, nations are actually quite young!We often think our nation is an important part of our identity—I am "American," "Indian," "Italian," "Chinese," and so on. But what does that really mean? How are you part of your nation? Indeed, what is a nation? Simply put, a nation is a group of people speaking a common language, sharing a common culture, a sense of a common destiny, and sharing a common history. Nations and nationalism are linked together. What is nationalism? Well, it is a term to describe the common bonds that hold people together within a nation, creating a new type of community. Tied to this is the idea that individuals' loyalty should be focused on the nation and that each nation should be able to determine its own future—an idea known as self-determination. So, nationalism is also the idea that the nation should have that right to govern itself and the right to self-determination. Finally, sometimes, nationalism is expressed in the belief that one's own nation is better than other nations. In those instances, it can become competitive or discriminatory.Nationalism bonds people together in a way that is not based on family ties, or even on having a personal connection with other members of your nation. In some ways, the idea of a nation is actually based on an imaginary relationship between the individual and all others in his or her country. Nations could be considered imagined communitiesbecause so much of the making of a nation is about creating unity and loyalty in our minds. It is not enough to just have a common government. To create and build the community of a nation, we also must have shared cultural symbols like flags and national anthems, and a shared idea of our national history.OriginsAs noted earlier, nationalism is not very old. Before the very end of the eighteenth century, nationalism didn't even exist! When people told you where they were from, they said the name of a village or town. How did we go from identifying ourselves by our town to identifying ourselves by our nation? Well, to understand that we need to look at some of the revolutions around the turn of the nineteenth century, especially in Europe, and what people were fighting for, and against.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader64The French Revolutionary era had great importance in the development and spread of nationalism. After French ruler Napoleon Bonaparte rose to power in 1799, he extended the central government of France into all the countries he conquered across Europe. Traditional local powers were pushed aside. The French people soon gained a sense of cohesion through their opposition to France's many enemies. They were able to define themselves both as what they were—"We're French"—and what they were not—not English, not German, not Italian, nor anything else. The military victories of France helped to create a common sense of history and identity, making nationalism strongest in France. But here's the funny thing about nationalism: As Napoleon expanded and his armies took over many other European countries, those other countries all agreed national self-determination was the way to go. Uniting against the French rulers created a sense of common destiny—a sense of nationalism.Napoleon ended up unintentionally leading Europeans from old regimes of kings, queens, and subjects to new nations of citizens and parliaments, but that's not the only reason nationalism took hold. There were many other trends occurring at the same time, including the growth of large cities and a growth in literacy. Common bonds formed between intellectuals and the reading public within countries. The most devoted nationalists in the early nineteenth century were university students in cities. Peasants, who were mostly unable to read, were left out of the nationalism conversation until later.Other reasons...Some historians have argued that nationalism became important because older loyalties became less important—which brings us to religion. For hundreds of years after the split of the Christian church into Catholic and Protestant wings, people defined themselves in terms of their Catholicism or Protestantism and wars were foughtover religious and dynastic loyalties. The Enlightenment weakened the hold of religion over many parts of the population by pointing out the abuses of the church and focusing on reason. People soon lost trust in religious authorities. In addition, Europe's kings and queens began to lose popular support. Between the Enlightenment ideas and the French Revolution, there were enough critiques of monarchies to shift the people's loyalties. While nationalism has much to do with unity, its development often comes through the defining of differences. Russia in the nineteenth century is a great example. For Russians, nationalism wasn't just about customs, language, and history, though those mattered. Russian nationalists defined themselves as not part of the West—Western Europe. The Western European models of industrialization and constitutional governments had no appeal to Russian nationalists, who wanted to keep their rural and religious traditions.Across the Atlantic in the Americas, nationalism got going even earlier than in Europe. As Napoleon was taking over much of Continental Europe, Touissant L’Ouverture helped establish the second independent republic in the Americas in Haiti in 1804. After several hundred years of European colonization in the Americas, people had changed. There was less distinction between European colonizers and the local populations. Many people had closer ties to the colonized lands than to the European powers who controlled them. Local loyalty to the land where they lived would encourage national movements. These movements would become revolutions for national liberation and decolonization both during the nineteenth and through the mid-twentieth century.ObstaclesFrance already had a central government and system of local administration that helped bring the center and outlying areas together. This state structure helped to build ideas of "the Nation." But that wasn't the
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader65case in many other countries. Sure, Germany and Italy each had common literary languages and the elites of these countries were developing ideas of a common destiny for all German or all Italian peoples. But neither place had a central government structure. They were both split up into a whole bunch of little states without any notion of German or Italian citizenship, no national armies, and their various royalty did not include a singular, that's-the-one-in-charge monarch in either place. Nationalists in places like Italy and Germany had to do a lot more than just talk up the benefits of nationhood to the population. They also had to propose a way that the nation could be expressed in a form of government. It wouldn't be until 1871 that these two regions would each become unified into nations. In Germany it would be through the military force of the Prussians and in Italy, through the political leadership of the kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia in the northwest part of present-day Italy.Conclusions and future differencesThe rise and spread of nationalism gave people a new sense of identity and unity. It also led to increased competition among nation-states. After Napoleon was defeated, several other European nations joined together to attempt to return to the old—conservative—ways. As a result, royal dynasties returned to their thrones. However, over the following century several revolutions across Europe would remove these royals from power. New constitutional governments led by citizens of these nation-states would take their place. By the end of the nineteenth century, these nation-states were locked in a competition for colonies in Africa, Eastern Asia, and Southeast Asia. At the beginning of the twentieth century, nationalism played a major role in the extremely bloody competition between nations we now call World War I.Origins and Impacts of Nationalism (1040L)Malcolm F. PurintonWhat exactly is nationalism?It feels like we've always had countries. But in fact, nations are only a little more than 200 years old. Many kinds of governments, kingdoms, and empires existed over thousands of years before the first nation was formed. Nations are actually quite young!We often think our nation is an important part of who we are—I am "American," "Indian," "Italian," "Chinese," and so on. But what does that really mean? How are you part of your nation? Indeed, what is a nation? Simply put, a nation is a group of people speaking a common language and sharing a common culture and a common history. Nations and nationalism are linked together. What is nationalism? Well, it is a term to describe the common bonds that hold people together within a nation, creating a new type ofcommunity. Tied to this is the idea that individuals' loyalty should be focused on the nation and that each nation should be able to determine its own future—an idea known as self-determination. So, nationalism is also the idea that a nation should have that right to govern itself and the right to self-determination. Finally, sometimes, nationalism is expressed in the belief that one's own nation is better than other nations. In those instances, it can lead to competition and discrimination.Nationalism bonds people together in a way that is not based on family ties, or even on having a personal connection with other members of your nation. In some ways, nations are imagined communities. So much of the making of a nation is about creating unity and loyalty in our minds. It is not enough to just have a
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader66common government. To create and build the community of a nation, we also must have shared cultural symbols like flags and national anthems, and a shared idea of our national history.OriginsAs noted earlier, nationalism is not very old. Before the very end of the eighteenth century, nationalism didn't even exist! When people told you where they were from, they said the name of a village ortown. How did we go from identifying ourselves by our town to identifying ourselves by our nation? Well, to understand that we need to look at some of the revolutions around the turn of the nineteenth century, especially in Europe, and what people were fighting for, and against.The French Revolutionary era had great importance in the development and spread of nationalism. After French ruler Napoleon Bonaparte rose to power in 1799, he extended the central government of France into all the countries he conquered across Europe. Traditional local powers were pushed aside. The French people soon gained a sense of unity through their opposition to France's many enemies. They were able to define themselves both as what they were, and what they were not. They were French—not English, German, Italian, or anything else. France's military victories gave the French people a shared sense of history and a stronger sense of their own “Frenchness.” As a result, nationalism was at first strongest in France. But here's thefunny thing about nationalism: As Napoleon expanded and his armies took over many other European countries, those other countries all began to develop a belief in the importance of national self-determination. Uniting against the French rulers created a sense of common destiny—a sense of nationalism.There were other reasons nationalism took hold. One was the growth in literacy, and another was the growth of larger cities. As the reading public expanded, and as larger numbers of people lived closer together, many ideas and beliefs were more widely shared, which helped bind people together.Other reasons...Some historians have argued that nationalism became important because older loyalties became less important. That brings us to religion. For hundreds of years after the split of the Christian church into Catholic and Protestant wings, wars were fought over religion and people defined themselves in terms of their Catholicism or Protestantism. The Enlightenment weakened the hold of religion over many parts of the population by pointing out the abuses of the church and focusing on reason. People soon lost trust in religious authorities. In addition, Europe's kings and queens began to lose popular support. Between Enlightenment ideas and the French Revolution, there were enough critiques of monarchies to shift the people's loyalties away from their traditional rulers. Across the Atlantic in the Americas, nationalism got going even earlier than in Europe. As Napoleon was taking over much of Continental Europe, Touissant L’Ouverture helped establish the second independent republic in the Americas in Haiti in 1804. After several hundred years of European colonization in the Americas, people had changed. There were fewer differences between European colonizers and the local populations. Many people had closer ties to the colonized lands than to the European powers who controlled them. Local loyalty to the land where they lived would encourage national movements. These movements would become revolutions for national liberation and decolonization both during the nineteenth and through the mid-twentieth century.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader67ObstaclesIn the eighteenth century, France already had a central government and system of local administration that helped bring the center and outlying areas together. This state structure helped to build ideas of "the Nation." But that wasn't the case in many other countries. Sure, the people of Germany and Italy each shared a common language. But neither place had a central government structure. They were both split up into a whole bunch of little states without any notion of German or Italian citizenship. These little states each had their own noble rulers, with no supreme ruler above them all. It wouldn't be until 1871 that these two regions would each become unified into nations with a single national government. In Germany, nationhood was achieved through the military force of the Prussians. In Italy, it was won through the political leadership of the kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia, located in the northwest part of present-day Italy.Conclusions and future differencesThe rise and spread of nationalism gave people a new sense of identity and unity. It also led to increased competition among nation-states. After Napoleon was defeated, several other European nations joined together to attempt to return to the old ways. As a result, royal dynasties returned to their thrones. However, over the following century several revolutions across Europe would remove these royals from power. New constitutional governments led by citizens of these nation-states would take their place. By the end of the nineteenth century, these nation-states were locked in a competition for colonies in Africa, Eastern Asia, and Southeast Asia. At the beginning of the twentieth century, nationalism played a major role in the extremely bloody competition between nations we now call World War I.Origins and Impacts of Nationalism (940L)Malcolm F. PurintonWhat exactly is nationalism?It feels like we've always had countries. But in fact, nations are only a little more than 200 years old. Many kinds of governments, kingdoms, and empires existed before the first nation was formed. Nations are actually quite young!We often think our nation is an important part of who we are. We say we are "American," "Indian," "Italian," "Chinese," and so on. But what does that really mean? How are we part of our nation? Indeed, what is a nation? Simply put, a nation is a group of people speaking a common language and sharing a common culture and history. Nations and nationalism are linked together. What is nationalism? Well, it is a term to describe the common bonds that hold people together within a nation. These bonds create a new type of community. Tied to this is the idea that individuals' loyalty should be focused on the nation and that each nation should be able to determine its own future—an idea known as self-determination. So, nationalism is also the idea that a nation should have that right to govern itself and the right to self-determination. Finally, nationalism is sometimes expressed in the belief that one's own nation is better than other nations. In those cases, it can lead to discrimination and even war.Nationalism bonds people together. Yet, it is not based on family ties, or even on having a personal connection with other members of your nation. In some ways, nations are imagined communities. So much of the making of a nation is about creating unity and loyalty in our minds. It is not enough to just have a
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader68common government. To create and build the community of a nation, we also must have shared cultural symbols like flags and national anthems. We must have a shared idea of our national history.OriginsBefore the very end of the eighteenth century, nationalism did not exist. When people told you where they were from, they said the name of a village or town. How did we go from identifying ourselves by our town to identifying ourselves by our nation? Well, to understand that we need to look at some of the revolutions that occurred around the turn of the nineteenth century, especially in Europe. We need to look at what people were fighting for, and against.The period that followed the French Revolution of 1789 had great importance in the creation and spread of nationalism. After French ruler Napoleon Bonaparte rose to power in 1799, he set out to conquer many of the peoples of Europe. Napoleon swept through the continent and extended the central government of France into all the countries he conquered. Traditional local powers were pushed aside. The French people soon gained a sense of unity against their many enemies. They began to define themselves as French—not English, German, Italian, and so on.France's great military victories gave the French people a shared sense of history and a stronger sense of their own community. As a result, nationalism was at first strongest in France. But here's the funny thing: As Napoleon's armies took over many other European countries, those other countries all began to develop a belief in the importance of national self-determination. Uniting against the French rulers created a sense of common purpose—a sense of nationalism.There were other reasons nationalism took hold. One was the growth in literacy. Another was the growth of larger cities. As the reading public expanded, and as larger numbers of people lived closer together, many ideas and beliefs were more widely shared. This helped bind people together.Other reasons...Some historians have argued that nationalism became important because older loyalties became less important. That brings us to religion. For hundreds of years people defined themselves in terms of their faith: Catholic or Protestant. The Enlightenment weakened the hold of religion over many parts of the population. It did so by pointing out the abuses of the church and by focusing on reason. Many people soon lost trust in religious authorities. In addition, Europe's kings and queens began to lose popular support. Both the Enlightenment and the French Revolution were attacks on the right of kings and queens to rule. Over time, they affected how people thought, and many people stopped feeling any loyalty to their traditional royal rulers. That included the colonists in the Americas, who began feeling closer ties to the colonized lands than to the European powers who controlled them. This loyalty to their new land helped the growth of national movements and revolutions.ObstaclesIn the eighteenth century, France already had a central government and system of local administration that helped bring the center and outlying areas together. This state structure helped to build ideas of "the Nation." But that wasn't the case in many other countries. Sure, the people of Germany and Italy each shared a common language. But neither place had a central governmentstructure. They were both split up
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader69into a whole bunch of little states without any notion of German or Italian citizenship. These little states each had their own noble rulers, with no supreme ruler above them all. It wouldn't be until 1871 that these tworegions would each become unified into nations with a single national government. In Germany, nationhood was achieved through the military force of the Prussians. In Italy, it was won through the political leadership of the kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia, located in the northwest part of present-day Italy.Conclusions and future differencesThe rise and spread of nationalism gave people a new sense of unity within their own state. It also led to increased fighting among nation-states. By the end of the nineteenth century, several nation-states were locked in a competition for colonies in Africa, Eastern Asia, and Southeast Asia. At the beginning of the twentieth century, nationalism played a major role in the extremely bloody competition between nations we now call World War I.Origins and Impacts of Nationalism (680L)Malcolm F. PurintonWhat exactly is nationalism?It feels like we've always had countries. But in fact, nations are only a little more than 200 years old. Many kinds of government existed beforethe first nation was formed. There were countless kingdoms and empires before there were any countries. Nations are actually quite young!We often think our nation is an important part of who we are. We say we are "American," "Indian," "Italian," "Chinese," and so on. But what does that really mean? How are we part of our nation? Indeed, what is a nation? Simply put, a nation is a group of people speaking the same language and sharing the same culture and history. Nations and nationalism are linked together. What is nationalism? It actually means several things. First, it is the idea that every person should be loyal to their nation. Every person is a part of the nation. That idea creates a bond that holds people together within a nation. Nationalism is also the idea that each nation has a right to self-determination. In other words, it should be able to decide its own future. It should be able to govern itself. Finally, nationalism can have a bad side. It can be the belief that one's own nation is better than other nations. This can lead to discrimination and even war.Nationalism binds people together. It is a form of community. In some ways, nations are imagined communities. It is not enough to just have a common government. To create and build thecommunity of a nation, we also must have shared cultural symbols like flags and national anthems. We must believe in these symbols and have a shared idea of our national history.OriginsBefore the late 1700s, nationalism did not exist. People thought ofthemselves as being from a village or town, not a nation. How did nationalism develop? To find the answer we need to look at some of the revolutions of the late 1700s and early 1800s, especially in Europe. We need to look at what people were fighting for,and against.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader70The French Revolution began in 1789. The period that followed had great importance for the spread of nationalism. After French ruler Napoleon Bonaparte rose to power in 1799, he set out to conquer many of the peoples of Europe. Napoleon swept through the continent. He brought the central government of France into all the countries he conquered. Traditional local powers were pushed aside.France's great military victories gave the French people a shared sense of unity against their many enemies. They began to define themselves as French—not English, German, Italian, and so on. As a result, nationalism was at first strongest in France. But here's the funny thing: As Napoleon's armies took over many other European countries, those other countries changed. They all began to develop a belief in the importance of national self-determination. Uniting against their French rulers created a sense of common purpose. In other words, it created a sense of nationalism.There were other reasons nationalism took hold. One was the growth in literacy. With more people able to read and write, many ideas and beliefs were more widely shared. And as cities grew larger, people lived closer together and shared many ideas. This helped bind people together. Other Reasons...Some historians have argued that nationalism became important because other ties became less important. That brings us to religion. For hundreds of years, people defined themselves by their faith. In Europe, they were usually Catholic or Protestant. But the Enlightenment weakened the hold of religion over many parts of the population. It did so in two ways. Enlightenment thinkers focused on reason. They also pointed out the failings of the church. Many people soon lost trust in the church's leaders. Europe's kings and queens also began to lose popular support. Both the Enlightenment and the French Revolution were attacks on the right of kings and queens to rule. Over time, they affected how people thought. Many people stopped feeling any loyalty to their traditional royal rulers. They began to think new forms of government might be possible. This also happened in the American colonies where people began feeling closer ties to the colonized land than to the European powers that controlled them. This loyalty would lead to national movements and revolutions.ObstaclesIn the eighteenth century, France already had a central government. It also had a system of local government that helped bring the center and outer areas together. This form of government helped to build ideas of "the Nation." But that wasn't the case in many other countries. Sure, the people of Germany and Italy each shared a common language. But neither place had a central government. They were both split up into a whole bunch of little states. Each state had its own ruler. The people of these states didn't think of themselves as German or Italian citizens. It wasn't until 1871 that these two regions each became unified into nations. Conclusions and Future DifferencesThe rise and spread of nationalism gave people a new sense of unity within their own state. It also led to fighting among nation-states. By the end of the 1800s, several nation-states were locked in a struggle for colonies in Africa and Asia. In 1914, nationalism helped lead to an all-out war. Today, we know that bloody war between nationsas World War I.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader71The Industrial RevolutionAbundant fossil fuels like coal led to innovative machines, like engines. These inventions launched an era of accelerated change that continues to transform human society.The Industrial Revolution (1220L)Cynthia Stokes-BrownThe transformation of the worldTry to imagine your life without any machines working for you. Make a list of the machines in your house. You might be surprised how many there are. Now imagine young people who grew up before machines. How did they move from place to place? How did they communicate? What foods did they eat?At one time, human communities provided most of their own energy. They ate plants and animals to fuel their bodies, burned wood for warmth and cooking, and used domestic animals for help with chores. Windmills and waterwheels captured some extra energy, but little could be saved. All life depended on the energy the Sun sent to the Earth.However, in the 1700s, everything started to change with the onset of the Industrial Revolution. Now, people found an extra source of energy that could work for them. That source was fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas. These fuels had been forming from the remains of plants and animals from much earlier geologic times. When they were burned, they released energy, originally from the Sun, that had been stored underground for hundreds of millions of years.Take coal, for example. This useful fuel was formed when huge trees from the Carboniferous period (345 to 280 million years ago) fell and were covered with water, so that oxygen and bacteria could not decay them. As other materials covered them over time, they were compressed into dark, carbonic, burnable rock. Oil and gas were made from a similar recipe, formed over 100 million years ago from tiny animal skeletons and plant matter that fell to the bottom of seas or were buried in sediment. The weight of water and soil compressed this organic matter until it turned into the oil and gas that we now use for energy.While coal, oil, and gas are relatively common on Earth, they are not evenly distributed. Some places have much more than others because of the diverse ecosystems that existed long ago. This uneven distribution of suddenly valuable resources, essential for industrialization, led to inequalities around the world that are still felt today.Early steam enginesThe story of the Industrial Revolution begins on the small island of Great Britain. By the early eighteenth century, people there had cut down most of their trees either to build houses and ships or to burn for heating and cooking. So now they needed something else to burn. They knew those hunks of black stone near the surface of the Earth were flammable, so they dug deeper to see how much there was. These coal mines were not an instant success. They were so deep in the Earth that they would fill with water as you were digging. Miners tried using horses to pull up buckets of water, but that was too slow.In 1712, Englishman Thomas Newcomen created a coal-powered steam engine capableof pumping water from the
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader72mines. More than fifty years later, James Watt, a Scottish instrument maker, designed a better version.This steam engine—which would have a long career powering trains, ships and other things—was first used to efficiently pump water out of coal mines. After his patent ran out in 1800, others further improved on his engine. By 1900, engines burned 10 times more efficiently than they had a hundred years before.At the beginning of the nineteenth century, British colonies in North America were producing lots of cotton. Machines, which were usually powered by hardworking people in their homes but also by waterwheels and windmills situated near rivers, were used to spin the cotton thread on spindles (rods) and to weave it into cloth on looms. Attaching a steam engine to these machines was like trading a bicycle for a jumbo jet. The work went much, much faster. One steam engine could power many spindles and looms. But you can't park a jumbo jet in a bike rack. Now people had to leave their homes for work because the steam engines were so large and expensive. As a result, textile work shifted from a primarily home-based occupation to factories.Early in the nineteenth century, the British also invented steam locomotives and steamships, which revolutionized travel. In 1851, they held the first world's fair where they exhibited telegraphs, sewing machines, revolvers, reaping machines, and steam hammers to demonstrate that they were the world's leading manufacturer of machinery. By this time,the characteristics of industrial society—smoke rising from factories, bigger cities and denser populations, railroads—loomed large in many parts of Britain.Why Britain?Britain wasn't the only place that had deposits of coal. So why didn't the Industrial Revolution begin somewhere else that had coal, like China? Did it start in isolation in Britain, or were there global forces at work that shaped it? Did geography or cultural institutions matter more? Historians have vigorously investigated these questions.Possible reasons why industrialization began in Britain include:•Shortage of wood and an abundance of convenient coal deposits•Britain had "wet coal"—mines flooded and they had to devise a way to get the water out of the mines, which led to the invention of the steam engine•Elites who were interested in business,•A capitalist economic system, with very little government involvement; a monarch who had limited powers•Government support for business projects and a strong navy to protect ships•Cheap cotton produced by Africans enslaved in North America•Profits from the transatlantic slave trade provided Britain with capital to invest in industrializationPossible reasons why industrialization did not begin in China include:•Location of China's coal—the north—while most economic activity was centered in the south•China had "dry coal" that was deeper in the ground than Britain's "wet coal"•A large, rapidly growing population, allowing for human labor instead of machines•Confucian ideals that valued stability and discouraged experimentation and change•Lack of Chinese government support for sea explorations, thinking its empire seemed large enough to provide everything it needed•China's focus on defending itself from nomadic attacks from the north and west
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader73Global forces influencing the development of industrialization in Britain include:•Britain's location on the Atlantic Ocean•British colonies in North America, which provided land, labor, and markets•Silver from the Americas, used in trade with China•Socialand ideological conditions in Britain, and new thoughts about the economy, that encouraged an entrepreneurial spiritOf course, that burnable rock we call coal wasn't the only fossil fuel mentioned earlier. What roles did oil and natural gas play while coal was powering the Industrial Revolution? They had been discovered long before and were already in use, but mostly just for lamps and other light sources. It wasn't until the mid-twentieth century with the invention of the internal combustion engine that oil caught up—and surpassed—coal in use. And if you've ever been in a car that's not electric, you've used a combustion engine for transportation.The spread of the Industrial RevolutionBritain wanted to keep secret how its machines were made. But visitors soon learned about them and took the techniques back home. Sometimes they smuggled machines out in rowboats while others memorized factory and machine plans. The first countries after Britain to develop factories and railroads were Belgium, Switzerland, France, and the states that became Germany, all between the 1830s and 1850s. Building a national railroad system was an essential part of industrialization, as trains could transport raw materials and coal to factories at an accelerated rate.Industrialization came to the United States in 1789. That was the year Samuel Slater left Britain for Rhode Island, where he set up the first textile factory on U.S. soil. He couldn't bring any notes or plans from Britain, so he had to set up the factory from memory. Once factories were built, railroad construction in America boomed from the 1830s to 1870s. The American Civil War (1861–1865) was the first truly industrial war in that factories mass-produced supplies and weapons for the war effort, troops were transported by rail, and the telegraph was used to send remarkably fast communications. The increasingly urbanized and factory-based North was fighting against the agriculture-based South. After the war, industrialization grew explosively and by 1900, the United States had overtaken Britain in manufacturing, producing 24 percent of the world's output. Four decades before that, both Russia and Japan gave up their feudal systems to compete in the industrializing world. In Japan, the monarchy was flexible enough to survive early industrialization. But in Russia, a rural country, the czar and nobles tried to industrialize the country while keeping a grip on their dominance. You'll read more about industrialization in other regions of the world later in this era and in Era7.Consequences of the Industrial RevolutionAs industrialization took off in Europe and the Americas, nations began to use their strong armies and navies to colonize many parts of the world that were not industrialized. The industrialized nations then began exploiting colonies for their natural resources, labor, and potential new markets. This would lead to the age of imperialism. The negative consequences of these activities would be felt for generations. These topics will be covered extensively in the remaining lessons of Era 6.The effects of industrialization on global population are staggering. In 1700, before fossil fuels were in use, the world's population was 670 million. By 2011, it was 6.7 billion, a tenfold increase in only 300 years. In the twentieth century alone, the world's economy grew fourteenfold, per capita income grew almost fourfold, and the use of energy expanded at least thirteenfold. In addition, from 1900 to 2000, urban population
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader74growth increased substantially, as more people left rural areas for cities. This kind of growth has never before occurred in human history.Table 1: Percentage of urban population growth, 1600 to 2000 CERegion16001700180019002000World5%5%7%16%47%Western Europe12%13%21%41%75%North America1%2%7%38.5%79%Africa.5%1.25%3%8.5%39%China7%6%6%7%37%Source: Population data adapted from Goldewijk, K.K., A. Beusen, and P. Janssen. “Long-term dynamic modeling of global population and built-up area in a spatially explicit way: HYDE 3.1.” The Holocene 20, no. 4 (2010): 568.Many people around the world today enjoy the benefits of industrialization. With extra energy flowing through the system, many of us do much less physical labor than earlier generations. Child mortality rates have decreased, as more people are able to feed their children and get medical care. Life expectancy has increased, with the largest gains having occurred after the 1850s. Many people vote and participate in modern states, and these states provide education, social security, and health benefits. Large numbers of people enjoy levels of wealth, health, education, travel, and life expectancy unimagined before industrialization.The benefits of industrialization, however, have come at great cost. For one thing, the rate of change (acceleration) is now so rapid that individuals and social systems struggle to keep up. In addition, the natural resources that industrialization depends on are being undermined. Humans continue to use fossil fuels at rates that exceed the time it takes for these resources to replenish. The burning of these fuels also leads to environmental impacts that will continue to impact the Earth for generations to come.Author BioCynthia Stokes-Brown was an American educator-historian. Stokes Brown wrote Big History: From the Big Bang to the Present. Using the term big history, coined by David Christian at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, Stokes Brown told the whole story from the Big Bang to the present in simple, non-academic language to convey our common humanity and our connection to every other part of the natural world.The Industrial Revolution (1050L)Cynthia Stokes-BrownThe transformation of the worldMake a list of the machines around your house, from bicycles to cell phones to microwaves. You might be surprised how many there are. Now imagine young people who grew up before such machines were invented. How did they travel from place to place? How did they communicate? Where did their food come from andhow did they prepare it?
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader75At one time, humans used their arms, legs, and bodies to provide most of the physical energy needed to feed and house their families. They burned wood for warmth and cooking and used domestic animals for help with chores. Windmills and waterwheels powered simple machines, but their uses were limited.However, the early 1700s saw the first developments of what became the Industrial Revolution. Now, people found an extra source of energy that could work for them. That source was fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas. These fuels had been forming from the remains of plants and animals from much earlier geologic times.When burned, these fuels released much more energy than burning wood, becoming the power sources for a revolutionary change in society and civilization.Early steam enginesThe story of the Industrial Revolution begins in Great Britain and its coalfields and coal mines. By the early eighteenth century, coal was being used more and more to heat homes and workshops. The mines that produced this coal, though, would fill with water, slowing the work of miners. In 1712, Englishman Thomas Newcomen created a coal-powered steam engine capable of pumping water from the mines. More than fifty years later, James Watt, a Scottish instrument maker, designed a better version. It was soon adapted for other industrial uses, including milling and weaving. Other inventors and engineers continued to fine-tune Watts' design, making it more efficient and versatile. By 1900, engines burned 10 times more efficiently than they had a hundred years before.At the beginning of the nineteenth century, British colonies in North America were producing a lot of cotton. Machines were usually powered by hardworking people in their homes, but also by waterwheels and windmills situated near rivers. They were used to spin the cotton thread on spindles (rods) and to weave it into cloth on looms. Attaching a steam engine to these machines was like trading a bicycle for a jumbo jet. The work went much, much faster. One steam engine could power many spindles and looms. But you can't park a jumbo jet in a bike rack. Now people had to leave their homes for work because the steam engines were so large and expensive. As a result, textile work shifted from a primarily home-based occupation to factories.Early in the nineteenth century, the British also invented steam locomotives and steamships, which revolutionized travel. In 1851, they held the first world's fair. They exhibited telegraphs, sewing machines, revolvers, reaping machines, and steam hammers to show that they were the world's leading manufacturer of machinery. By this time, the characteristics of industrial society—smoke rising from factories, bigger cities and denser populations, railroads—loomed large in many parts of Britain.Why Britain?Britain wasn't the only place that had deposits of coal. So why didn't the Industrial Revolution begin somewhere else, like China, that had similar fuel resources? Did it start in isolation in Britain, or were there globalforces at work that shaped it? Did geography or cultural institutions play a part? Historians continue to investigate these questions.Possible reasons industrialization began in Britain include:•An abundance of accessible coal deposits and shortage of wood•A wealthy ruling class interested in economic development•A capitalist economic system, with little government interference•A strong navy to protect commercial shipping
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader76•Profits from the transatlantic slave trade that provided Britain with capital to invest in industrialization•Relative safety of Britain as an island nation•British colonies in India, Africa, and the Americas which provided land, natural resources, labor, and marketsPossible reasons industrialization did not begin in China include:•Location of China's coal—the north—while most economic activities were in the south•Coal resources deeper underground and less accessible than Britain's•A large population that made human labor cheap•Cultural ideals that discouraged experimentation and change•China's focus on threats from nomadic tribes in the north and westGlobal forces influencing the development of industrialization in Britain include:•Britain's location on the Atlantic Ocean•British colonies in North America, which provided land, labor, and markets•Silver from the Americas, used in trade with China•New thoughts about the economy encouraged an entrepreneurial spiritThe spread of the Industrial RevolutionIndustrial technologies, practices, and ideas gradually spread out from Britain. The European nations of Belgium, Switzerland, France, and the states that became Germany established their own factories and railroads in the first half of the 1800s. Building a national railroad system was an essential part of industrialization, wherever it took hold. Trains could transport materials and products to and from factories faster and more cheaply.Industrialization took a major step in the United States in 1789. That year Samuel Slater left Britain for Rhode Island, where he set up the firsttextile factory on U.S. soil. Once factories were built, railroad construction in America boomed from the 1830s to the 1870s. The U.S. Civil War (1861–1865) was the first truly industrial war as factories mass-produced supplies and weapons for the war effort. Troops were transported by rail and the telegraph, a recent invention, was used to send remarkably fast communications. The more urbanized and factory-based North used its industrial superiority to defeat the agriculture-based South. After the war, industrialization experienced explosive growth worldwide. Both Russia and Japan gave up their feudal systems to compete in the industrializing world. By 1900, the United States had overtaken Britain in manufacturing, producing 24 percent of the world's output. You'll read more about industrialization in other parts of the world later in this era and in Era 7.Consequences of the Industrial RevolutionAs industrialization took off in Europe and the Americas, nations began to use their strong armies and naviesto colonize less-industrialized lands. They exploited these colonies for their natural resources and labor in what became the age of imperialism. The negative consequences of these activities would be felt for generations and they continue to affect international relations today. These topics will be covered extensively in the remaining lessons of Era 6.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader77Industrialization also had remarkable effects on the global population. In 1700, before fossil fuels were used widely, the world's population was 670 million. By 2011, it was 6.7 billion, a tenfold increase in only 300 years. Industrial output revolutionized almost every aspect of society. In the twentieth century alone, the world's economy grew fourteen times larger, energy use expanded accordingly, and per capita income grew almost quadrupled. In turn, people migrated in numbers never seen before in search of work. Millions of people shifted from rural to urban areas, and from old to new countries.Table 1: Percentage of urban population growth, 1600 to 2000 CERegion16001700180019002000World5%5%7%16%47%Western Europe12%13%21%41%75%North America1%2%7%38.5%79%Africa.5%1.25%3%8.5%39%China7%6%6%7%37%Source: Population data adapted from Goldewijk, K.K., A. Beusen, and P. Janssen. “Long-term dynamic modeling of global population and built-up area in a spatially explicit way: HYDE 3.1.” The Holocene 20, no. 4 (2010): 568.Today, many people around the world have benefited from industrialization. Machines continue to reduce the amount of physical labor required. Child mortality rates have decreased, as more people are able to feed their children and get medical care, while life expectancy has increased. Large numbers of people enjoy levels of wealth, health, and education unimagined before industrialization.The benefits of industrialization, however, have come at a cost. It has led to new social problems as communities have been disrupted by rapid social changes. In addition, the natural resources that industrialization depends on are being overused and in some cases exhausted. The continued use of fossil fuels has also caused environmental impacts that will affect people for generations to come. Balancing industrialization's negative and positive effects is an ongoing challenge.The Industrial Revolution (920L)Cynthia Stokes-BrownThe transformation of the worldMake a list of the machines around your house, from bicycles to cell phones to microwaves. You might be surprised how many there are. Now imagine young people who grew up before such machines were invented. How did they travel from place to place? How did they communicate? Where did their food come from?At one time, humans relied on physical labor to provide much of the energy needed to feed and house themselves. They burned wood for warmth and cooking, and domestic animals help with chores and transport. Windmills and waterwheels powered simple machines, but their uses were limited.However, the early 1700s saw the early developments of what became the Industrial Revolution. Now, people found an extra source of energy that could work for them. That source was fossil fuels—coal, oil, and
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader78natural gas. These fuels had been forming from the remains of plants and animals from much earlier geologic times.When burned, these fuels released much more energy than burning wood. Early steam enginesThe story of the Industrial Revolution begins in Great Britain and its coalfields and coal mines. By the early eighteenth century, coal was being used more and more to heat homes and fuel workshops. The mines that produced this coal, though, often filled with water, slowing work. In 1712, Englishman Thomas Newcomen created a coal-powered steam engine. It was capable of pumping water from the mines. More than fifty years later Scottish instrument maker James Watt designed a much-improved version. His steam engine was soon adapted for other uses, including milling and weaving. Other inventors and engineers continued to fine-tune Watts' design, making it more efficient and versatile. Industry soon took advantage of coal-fueled steam engines. Textile mills were among the first to adopt them. Historically, textiles were woven by hand or in workshops powered by river-drivenwaterwheels. Now steam-powered machines could spin the cotton thread and drive the looms for weaving. Attaching a steam engine to such machines was like trading a bicycle for a jumbo jet. It allowed much more work to be done much faster. These large engines were installed in factories where they could power many machines at once. Industries hired more and more workers to operate them. Early in the nineteenth century, the British added steam engines to locomotives and ships. The technology made them faster,more powerful, and more reliable than horse-drawn wagons and sailing ships. The Industrial Revolution continued to gain momentum. Its products were on display at the first world's fair, hosted by Britain in 1851. There, companies demonstrated a growing assortment of equipment, including telegraphs, sewing machines, farm machinery, and steam hammers. Industry was changing society and even the landscape as cities grew and factories changed where and how people worked.Why Britain?Britain wasn't the only place that had deposits of coal. So why didn't the Industrial Revolution begin somewhere else, like China, that had similar fuel resources? Did it start in isolation in Britain, or were there global forces at work that shaped it? What influence did geographyand cultural institutions have? Historians continue to investigate these questions.Possible reasons industrialization began in Britain include:•An abundance of convenient coal deposits and shortage of wood•A wealthy ruling class interested in economic development•A capitalist economic system, with little government interference•A strong navy to protect commercial shipping•Profits from the transatlantic slave trade that provided Britain with capital to invest in industrialization•Relative safetyof Britain as an island nation•British colonies in India, Africa, and the Americas which provided land, natural resources, labor, and markets
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader79Possible reasons industrialization did not begin in China include:•Location of China's coal—the north—while most economic activity was in the south•Coal resources deeper underground, and therefore less accessible than Britain's•A large, rapidly growing population, making human labor cheap•Cultural ideals that valued stability and discouraged experimentation and change•China's focus on threats from nomadic tribes in the north and westGlobal forces influencing the development of industrialization in Britain include:•Britain's location on the Atlantic Ocean•British colonies in North America, which provided land, labor, and markets•Silver from the Americas, used in trade with China•New thoughts about the economy encouraged an entrepreneurial spiritThe spread of the Industrial RevolutionIndustrial technologies, practices, and ideas soon spread out from Britain. In Europe, countries established their own factories and railroads in the first half of the 1800s. Building a national rail system was an essential part of industrialization, wherever it took hold. Trains could transport raw materials and fuel to factories faster and more cheaply.Industrialization took a major step in the United States in 1789. That year Samuel Slater left Britain for Rhode Island, where he set up the first textile factory on U.S. soil. Once factories were built, railroad construction in America boomed from the 1830s to the 1870s. The American Civil War (1861–1865) was the first truly industrial war. Factories mass-produced supplies and weapons for the war effort. The more urbanized and factory-based North used its industrial superiority to defeat the agriculture-based South. After the war, industrialization experienced explosive growth worldwide. Both Russia and Japan shifted from agricultural to industrial economies. By 1900, the United States had overtaken Britain in manufacturing. It produced 24percent of the world's output. You'll read more about industrialization in other parts of the world later in this era and in Era 7.Consequences of the Industrial RevolutionAs industrialization took off in Europe and the Americas, nations began to use their military to colonize non-industrialized parts of the world. They exploited these colonies for their natural resources and labor, as well as markets for factory-made goods. Industrialization was a driving force in the age of imperialism. These topics will be covered extensively in the remaining lessons of Era 6.Industrialization also had remarkable effects on the global population. In 1700, before fossil fuels were used widely, the world's population was 670 million. By 2011, it was 6.7 billion, a tenfold increase in only 300 years. Industrial production touched every aspect of society. In the twentieth century alone, the world's economy grew fourteen times larger and energy use expanded accordingly. Per capita income quadrupled. In turn, workers in search of jobs migrated in numbers never seen before. Millions of people shifted from rural to urban areas, and even to new countries.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader80Table 1: Percentage of urban population growth, 1600 to 2000 CERegion16001700180019002000World5%5%7%16%47%Western Europe12%13%21%41%75%North America1%2%7%38.5%79%Africa.5%1.25%3%8.5%39%China7%6%6%7%37%Source: Population data adapted from Goldewijk, K.K., A. Beusen, and P. Janssen. “Long-term dynamic modeling of global population and built-up area in a spatially explicit way: HYDE 3.1.” The Holocene 20, no. 4 (2010): 568.Today, many people around the world enjoy the benefits of industrialization. Much less physical labor is required than in earlier generations. Child mortality rates have decreased and life expectancy has increased as more people are able to feed their children and get medical care. Large numbers of people enjoy levels of wealth, health, and education, unimagined before industrialization.The benefits of industrialization, however, have come at a cost. It has led to social problems as communities have been disrupted by rapid social changes. In addition, the resources that industrialization depends on are being overused and in some cases exhausted. The continued use of fossil fuels has also caused serious environmental impacts. Balancing industrialization's negative and positive effects is an ongoing challenge.The Industrial Revolution (800L)Cynthia Stokes-BrownThe transformation of the worldMake a list of the machines around your house, from bicycles to cell phones to microwaves. You might be surprised by how many there are. Now imagine young people who grew up before such machines were invented. How did they travel from place to place? How did theycommunicate? How did they cook?At one time, physical labor provided much of the energy needed to feed and maintain a household. People burned wood for warmth and cooking. Domestic animals help with chores and transport. Under the right conditions, windmills and waterwheels powered simple machines.However, the early 1700s saw the first developments of what became the Industrial Revolution. Now, people found an extra source of energy that could work for them. That source was fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas. These fuels had been forming from the remains of plants and animals from much earlier geologic times.When burned, these fuels released much more energy than wood. Early steam enginesThe story of the Industrial Revolution begins in Great Britain and its coalfields and coal mines. By the early 1700s, coal was being used more and more. The mines that produced this coal, though, often filled with water, slowing work. In 1712, Englishman Thomas Newcomen created a coal-powered steam engine. It was capable of pumping water from the mines. More than fifty years later, Scotland's James Watt designed a better version. His steam engine was soon adapted for other uses. These included milling and weaving. Other inventors and engineers continued to fine-tune Watts' design, making it more versatile.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader81Factories soon found many productive uses for coal-fueled steam engines. Textile mills were among the first to adopt them. Historically, textiles were woven by hand. In some places, river-driven waterwheels poweredtextile workshops. Now steam-powered machines could spin the cotton thread and drive the looms for weaving. They allowed much more work to be done much faster. Such engines were installed in factories where they could power many machines at once. Companies hired more and more workers to operate them. Early in the 1800s, the British added steam engines to locomotives and ships. The new technology made transportation faster and more reliable. The Industrial Revolution continued to gain momentum. Its products were on display at the first world's fair, hosted by Britain in 1851. There, companies demonstrated a growing assortment of equipment. They included telegraphs, sewing machines, farm equipment, and steam hammers. Why Britain?Britain wasn't the only place that had deposits of coal. So why didn't the Industrial Revolution begin somewhere else, like China, that had similar fuel resources? What influence did geography and cultural institutions have? Historians continue to investigate these questions.Possible reasons industrialization began in Britain include:•Convenient and abundant coal deposits and shortage of wood•A wealthy ruling class interested in economic development•A capitalist economic system, with little government interference•A strong navy to protect commercial shipping•Profits from the transatlantic slave trade that provided Britain with capital to invest in industrialization•Relative safety of Britain as an island nation•British colonies in India, Africa, and the Americas which provided land, natural resources, labor, and marketsPossible reasons industrialization did not begin in China include:•Location of China's coal—the north—while most economic activity was in the south; underground coal deposits difficult to reach•A large population, making human labor cheap•Cultural ideals that discouraged experimentation and change•China's focus on threats from nomadic tribes in the north and westGlobal forces that led to industrialization in Britain include:•Britain's location on the Atlantic Ocean•British colonies in North America provided land, labor, and markets•Silver from the Americas, used in trade with China •New thoughts about the economy encouraged an entrepreneurial spirit The spread of the Industrial RevolutionIndustrial technologies, practices, and ideas soon spread out from Britain. In Europe, countries established their own factories and railroads in the first half of the 1800s. Developing a rail system was an important step in industrialization. Trains provided fast and cheap transportation to and from factories.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader82Industrialization took a major step in the United States in 1789. That year Samuel Slater left Britain for Rhode Island. There, he set up the first textile factory on U.S. soil. Railroad construction followed, booming from the 1830s to the 1870s. The American Civil War (1861–1865) was the first truly industrial war. Factories mass-produced supplies and weapons for the war effort. The more urbanized and factory-based North used its industrial superiority to defeat the agriculture-based South. After the war, industrialization experienced explosive growth worldwide. Russia and Japan shifted more and more from agricultural to industrial economies. By 1900, the United States had overtaken Britain in manufacturing. Itnow produced 24 percent of the world's output. You'll read more about industrialization in other parts of the world later in this era and in Era 7.Consequences of the Industrial RevolutionIndustrialization gained momentum in Europe and the Americas throughout the 1800s. Industrialized nations now began to use their military might to colonize other parts of the world. They conquered and exploited these colonies for their natural resources and labor. Colonies also served as markets for factory-made goods. The age of imperialism was a direct result of the Industrial Revolution. These topics will be covered extensively in the remaining lessons of Era 6.Industrialization also had remarkable effects on the global population. In 1700, the world's population was670 million. By 2011, it had exploded to 6.7 billion. This was a tenfold increase in only 300 years. In the twentieth century alone, the world's economy grew fourteen times larger. Meanwhile, per capita income quadrupled. In turn, workers and their families migrated in numbers never seen before. People in search of work moved by the millions from the country to the city, and even emigrated to new countries.Table 1: Percentage of urban population growth, 1600 to 2000 CERegion16001700180019002000World5%5%7%16%47%Western Europe12%13%21%41%75%North America1%2%7%38.5%79%Africa.5%1.25%3%8.5%39%China7%6%6%7%37%Source: Population data adapted from Goldewijk, K.K., A. Beusen, and P. Janssen. “Long-term dynamic modeling of global population and built-up area in a spatially explicit way: HYDE 3.1.” The Holocene 20, no. 4 (2010): 568.Today, many people around the world enjoy the benefits of industrialization. Much less physical labor is required than in previous periods. Hunger and child mortality rates have fallen. Life expectancy has increased. Large numbers of people enjoy higher levels of wealth, health, and education than at any other time in history.The benefits of industrialization, though, have come at a cost. It has led to social problems as communities have been disrupted by rapid social change. In addition, the resources that industrialization depends on are being overused. Pollution from fossil fuels has also done serious environmental damage. Balancingindustrialization's negative and positive effects is an ongoing challenge.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader83The Industrial Revolution (710L)Cynthia Stokes-BrownThe transformation of the worldMake a list of the machines around your house, from bicycles to cell phones to microwaves. Youmight be surprised by how many there are. Now imagine young people who grew up before such machines were invented. How did they travel from place to place? How did they communicate? How did they cook?At one time, physical labor provided much of the energy for daily life. Families burned wood for warmth and cooking. Domestic animals helped with chores and transport. Windmills and waterwheels powered simple machines under the right conditions.However, the early 1700s saw the beginning of a revolution: the Industrial Revolution. Now, people found an extra source of energy that could work for them. That source was fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas. These fuels had been forming from the remains of plants and animals from much earlier geologic times.Whenburned, such fuels released much more energy than wood. Early steam enginesThe story of the Industrial Revolution begins in Great Britain. Its coalfields and coal mines played an important role. By the early 1700s, coal was being used more and more. Coal mines, though, often filled with water, slowing work. The need to fix this problem led to a key invention. In 1712, Englishman Thomas Newcomen built a coal-powered steam engine. It used mechanical power to pump water from the mines. More than fifty yearslater, Scotland's James Watt developed a better steam engine. Other inventors and engineers improved on Watts' design. Factories soon found many uses for coal-fueled steam engines. Textile mills were among the first to adopt them. Historically, textiles were woven by hand. In some places, river-driven waterwheels powered textile workshops. Now steam-powered machines could produce cotton thread. They could drive the weaving looms. The result was more work done much faster. Such engines could power many machines at once, and factories hired more and more workers to operate them. Early in the 1800s, the British added steam engines to locomotives and ships. The new technology made transportation faster and more reliable. The Industrial Revolution continued togain momentum. Its products were on display at the first world's fair. This showcase was hosted by Britain in 1851. There, companies demonstrated equipment that was changing daily work and life. They included telegraphs, sewing machines, farm machinery, and steam hammers. Why Britain?Britain wasn't the only place that had deposits of coal. So why didn't the Industrial Revolution begin somewhere else, like China which had similar fuel resources? What influence did geography and culture have? Historians continue to investigate these questions.Possible reasons industrialization began in Britain include:•Large, easy-to-reach coal deposits and a shortage of wood•A wealthy ruling class willing to invest money in new businesses.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader84•A strong navy to protect commercial shipping.•British colonies in Africa, India, and the Americas; sources of natural resources, labor, and markets.Possible reasons industrialization did not begin in China include:•China's coalfields far from business centers; underground coal deposits difficult to reach.•A large population, making human labor cheap. •A culture that discouraged experimentation and change.Global forces that led to industrialization in Britain include:•Britain's location on the Atlantic Ocean. •British colonies in North America provided land, labor, and markets. •Silver from the Americas, used in trade with China. The spread of the Industrial RevolutionIndustrial technology and ideas soon spread from Britain. European countries built their own factories and railroads. These rail systems were an important need for industrial development. Trains provided fast and cheap transportation to and from factories.Industrialization took a major step in the United States in 1789. That year Samuel Slater left Britain for Rhode Island. There, he set up the first textile factory on U.S. soil. Railroad construction followed. It boomed from the 1830s to the 1870s. The American Civil War (1861–1865) was the first truly industrial war. Factories mass-produced supplies and weapons for the war effort. The North was urbanized and factory-based. It used that industrial superiority to defeat the agriculture-based South. After the war, industrialization accelerated worldwide. Both Russia and Japan shifted from agricultural to industrial economies. Britain lost its place as the world's industrial leader. By 1900, the United States had replaced it. American industries were producing 24 percent of the world's output. You'll read more about industrialization in other parts of the world later in this era and in Era 7.Consequences of the Industrial RevolutionIndustrialization gained momentum in Europe and the Americas throughout the 1800s. Industrialized nations began to colonize other parts of the world. They took natural resources from thesecolonies. The colonists also used local people for labor. Colonies served as markets for factory-made goods, as well. The Industrial Revolution led to the age of imperialism. These topics will be covered extensively in the remaining lessons of Era 6.Industrialization also had remarkable effects on the global population. In 1700, the world's population was 670 million. By 2011, it was 6.7 billion—ten times larger. In the 20th century alone, the world economy grew fourteen times larger. In turn, people in search of work migrated in numbers never seen before. Millions of people moved from the country to industrial cities. Others emigrated to new countries to find work there.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader85Table 1: Percentage of urban population growth, 1600 to 2000 CERegion16001700180019002000World5%5%7%16%47%Western Europe12%13%21%41%75%North America1%2%7%38.5%79%Africa.5%1.25%3%8.5%39%China7%6%6%7%37%Source: Population data adapted from Goldewijk, K.K., A. Beusen, and P. Janssen. “Long-term dynamic modeling of global population and built-up area in a spatially explicit way: HYDE 3.1.” The Holocene 20, no. 4 (2010): 568.Today, many people around the world enjoy the benefits of industrialization. Machines continue to reduce the amount of physical labor people must do. Hunger has decreased. People live longer. Around the world, people enjoy higher levels of wealth, health, and education than ever before.The benefits of industrialization, though, have come at a cost. For example, it has led to social problems. Communities often struggle when they experience rapid social change. In addition, industries are overusing many resources. Pollution from fossil fuels continues to do environmental damage, as well. Balancing industrialization's negative and positive effects is an ongoing challenge.Scale of the Industrial RevolutionWhere did the Industrial Revolution begin? This may sound like something we should have figured out a long time ago, but there are still big debates about how to answer this question, and these debates tell us a lot about both history and the present.Scale of the Industrial Revolution (1120L)Trevor GetzOrigin storiesHistorians argue a lot about the Industrial Revolution. That's because it matters a great deal. Industrialization changed a lot about the world—sometimes quickly, sometimes gradually. Production and distribution methods are some of the most obvious examples, but it was more than that. Society, the way the state worked, how people thought about time and space, the family, the workday, how kids spent their time, how long we lived, what we ate... all of it changed.One of the biggest debates about the Industrial Revolution is about whereit all began. This shouldn't really be a debate, right? We should know theanswer to this question. Surely, we just have to look for the first steam-engine factories! That part is easy. But two big questions about the Industrial Revolution's birthplace remain. The first is the "scale" of the "where" industrialization actually happened first. If we wanted to study that first industrial change, would we be looking at one city? At one country? At a continent? The second
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader86question is where would we look to find the reasons that industrialization happened there. Would those reasonsbe local or would they be global?Let's examine these two questions, the first one briefly, and the second one in greater detail.The scale of the first industrializationWhile it is technically an abstract concept, industrialization is, in many ways, visibleto the eye. We can see it. We can see the first steam-powered machines that did the work people and animals had been doing. We can see James Watt's steam engine and the breakthrough device that it powered, Richard Arkwright's machine for spinning thread. We can see the first steam-powered factories, like the Coalbrookdale and Wilkinson's iron works, and the Lancashire textile works. We can see the first steam locomotive and railroads in the cities of Leeds and Swansea. And the thing is, all of these happened in the small island state of Great Britain, mostly over the course of the eighteenth century.Soon after, similar changes happened elsewhere, especially across the Atlantic Ocean in North America (the British North American colonies, later the United States) and in other parts of Europe. Thus, historians have sometimes argued that the Industrial Revolution started in Europe or in the North Atlantic. In some cases, these arguments were really being used to support bigger points that people wantedto prove. Some European scholars argued for European superiority, and US scholars, in particular, wanted to suggest that the United States had a part to play in this important innovation. But in general, most historians now agree that Great Britain was the place where the Industrial Revolution began.Local causes of the first industrializationEven if most historians agree on the location of the first industrialization, they frequently disagree about where to look for explanations for why it happened firstin Britain. There are many different arguments in this debate, but we will focus on two. First, some scholars argue the Industrial Revolution happened in Britain because of local factors. But others respond that Britain benefited from its particular placein global networks.Let's begin with the argument that it was Britain's unique local conditions that caused it to industrialize first, starting with the island nation's geography and environment. As an island, Britain was easy to defend (at least in the modern era) and relatively peaceful. It was also pretty flat, making it easy to transport goods and to build canals and railroads. These things are essential for successful industrialization. Canals and railroads were needed for moving coal from the variousplaces it was found to the cities and factories where it was used as fuel. Plus, Britain's land was lucky to have a whole lot of coal available. Contrast these conditions to Japan, another island but one with lots of mountains, and the vast area of China,where the coal they had was impractically far from cities and places where factories were likely to be built.Britain also had a favorable demographic situation. The British population was expanding rapidly in the eighteenth century, as death rates fell and birth rates rose. This meant there were lots of available workers for factories, once those were built. Why? Partly because the agricultural land, where most people had lived as farmers until this period, was being bought up by merchants. They were raising sheep in order to use their wool to produce cloth to sell to this growing population. We call this process "enclosure," and it was happening faster in Britain than in other parts of the world, even mainland Europe.You might be asking, but with so manypeople switching to factory work, how were they still growing enough food? This was a result of the agricultural revolution that occurred before the birth of modern factories. In
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader87the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, advances in farming brought improved tools like better plows, new methods like crop rotation, and other innovations that made it possible to grow a lot more food using less labor. This happened in Britain earlier and faster than in many other parts of the world.A big difference between being a farmer who is home all the time and working in a factory all day is that you no longer had time to make your own stuff—clothes, furniture, etc. Now you had to buy stuff that was made in—you guessed it—factories. People needed more goods than hand-working could produce, and that really drove industrialization. But factory workers' demand for stuff was nothing compared to the demand of a growing middle class, mostly merchants and people who owned some property. They had more money and wanted even more industrial goods.Importantly, this middle class of merchants and professionals also had political power. Britain, with its parliamentary system, gave the middle class a representation in parliament. Because these people had property, they passed laws that protected property, making it safer to invest in new factories and other properties in Britain than elsewhere. Bottom line: laws and government now favored industrialization. These men and women also had money to invest in innovation, and they funded many of the inventors and tinkerers who created the machines that cranked up industrialization.Global causes of the first industrializationAll of these local factors may have made industrialization more likely in Britain, but some scholars still argue that itwas Britain's global presence that helped it to industrialize first.Certainly, Britain's big empire helped them a great deal. British merchants and leaders had made a lot of money from the Atlantic slave trade and the plantation system. They could investthat money in inventions and factories. The scale of slave plantations in the Americas may have also inspired factories. Giant sugar plantations in the British Caribbean, in particular, had gang labor systems and giant machines much like the factories that came later in Britain.The colonies were also vital for feeding materials to British industry and food to the British people. Would the Industrial Revolution have happened without lumber and cotton from North America and wool from Australia? Would the country have been able to feed workers without the calories from Caribbean sugar, American beef, and North Atlantic cod? Even before industrialization, the agricultural revolution had been partly the result of observing how people grew things in other parts of the world and adopting new crops from the Americas such as potatoes and corn.Finally, trade drove British production. By the early nineteenth century Britain was probably the world's greatest trading power, with a large navy to protect its massive trading fleet. British textile exports, in particular, helped to drive the growth of industry. Along with factories producing exports, British ports expanded rapidly in Liverpool, London, Glasgow, Bristol and elsewhere. These provided jobs and drove the expansion of railways bringing goods to port.Of course, each of these theories—whether focused on global or on local causes of industrialization—has its critics. As often happens in debates like this, the answer is a combination of these factors. But they help us to see that viewing a major historical event at only one scale can lead us to false conclusions. Looking at it from two or more scales can help us to develop a more complex, and likely more accurate, understanding of what really happened.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader88Author BioTrevor Getz is a professor of African and world history at San Francisco State University. He has been the author or editor of 11 books, including the award-winning graphic history Abina and the Important Men, and has coproduced several prize-winning documentaries.Trevor is also the author of A Primer for Teaching African History, which explores questions about how we should teach the history of Africa in high school and university classes.Scale of the Industrial Revolution (1040L)Trevor GetzOrigin storiesIndustrialization changed a lot about the world—sometimes quickly, sometimes gradually. Production and distribution methods are some of the most obvious examples, but it was more than that. Society, the way government worked, how people thought about time and space, the family, the workday, how kids spent their time, how long we lived, what we ate... all of it changed.One of the biggest debates about the Industrial Revolution is about whereit all began. Surely, we just have to look for the first steam-engine factories! That part is easy. But two big questions about the Industrial Revolution's birthplace remain. The first is the "scale" of the "where" industrialization actually happened first. If we wanted to study early industrial development, would we be looking at one city? At one country? At a continent? The second question is "why" industrialization happened there? Would the reasons be local or global?Let's examine these two questions, the first one briefly, and the second one in greater detail.The scale of the first industrializationWhile it is technically an abstract concept, industrialization is, in many ways, visible to the eye. We can see the first steam-powered machines that did the work people and animals had been doing. Wecan see James Watt's steam engine and the breakthrough device that it powered—Richard Arkwright's machine for spinning thread. We can see the first steam-powered factories, like the Coalbrookdale and Wilkinson's ironworks, and the Lancashire textile works. We can see the first steam locomotive and railroads in the cities of Leeds and Swansea. Interestingly, all of these developments happened in the small island state of Great Britain, mostly over the course of the eighteenth century. Soon after, similar changes happened elsewhere, especially across the Atlantic Ocean in North America (the British North American colonies, later the United States) and in other parts of Europe. Thus, historians have sometimes argued the Industrial Revolution started in Europeor in the North Atlantic. In some cases, these arguments were really being used to support bigger points that people wanted to prove. Some European scholars argued for European superiority. US scholars, in particular, wanted to suggest the United States had a part to play in this important innovation. In general, most historians now agree Great Britain was where the Industrial Revolution began. Local causes of the first industrializationEven if most historians agree on the location of the first industrialization, they frequently disagree about why it happened in Britain. There are different arguments in this debate, but we will focus on two. First, some
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader89scholars argue the Industrial Revolution happened in Britain because of local factors. But others respond that Britain benefited from its particular place in global networks.Let's begin with the argument that it was Britain's unique local conditions that caused it to industrialize first, starting with the island nation's geography. As an island, Britain was easy to defend and relatively peaceful—at least in the modern era. It was also pretty flat, making it easy to transport goods and to build transportation systems—factors that are essential for successful industrialization. Canals and railroads were needed for transporting coal to the cities and factories where it was used as fuel. Plus, Britain's land was lucky to have a lot of coal available. Contrast these conditions to the vast area of China. That country's coal was impractically far from cities where factories were likely to be built.Britain also had a favorable demographic situation. The British population was expanding rapidly in the eighteenth century, as death rates fell and birthrates rose. In other words, there were available workers for factories, once those were built. Why? Partly because farmland, where most people had lived until this period, was being bought up by merchants. They were raising sheep in order to make woolen cloth to sell to this growing population. We call this process "enclosure," and it was happening faster in Britain than in other parts of the world, even mainland Europe.With so many people switching to factory work, you might wonder how they were still growing enough food. The answer is the agricultural revolution that preceded modern factories. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, improved tools like better plows and new practices like crop rotation changed farming. Such innovations made it possible to grow a lot more food using less labor. This happened in Britain earlier and faster than in many other parts of the world.These economic and social changes caused a big shift in how people's needs were met. A big difference between a farmer who is home all the time and a worker toiling in a factory all day is that the workers no longer had time to make their own clothes, furniture, etc. Now they had to buy stuff that was made in—you guessed it—factories. People needed more goods than hand-working could produce, and that sparked more industrialization. But factory workers' demands for stuff was nothing compared to the demand of a growing middle class. This group consisted mostly of merchants, professionals and people who owned some property. They had more money and wanted even more factory-made goods.Importantly, this growing middle class also had political power. Britain, with its parliamentary system, gave the middle class representation in parliament. They passed laws that protected property, making it safer to invest in new factories in Britain than elsewhere. The bottom line was that laws and government now favored industrialization. The wealthier classes also had money to invest in innovation, and they funded many of the companies and inventors who created the machines that accelerated industrialization.Global causes of the first industrializationThese local factors may have made industrialization more likely in Britain. However, some scholars still argue that it was Britain's global presence that was more important to its leading role in the Industrial Revolution.Certainly, Britain's global empire helped its industries a great deal. British merchants and leaders had made a lot of money from the Atlantic trade in enslaved people and the plantation system. They could invest that money in inventions and factories. The scale of plantations in the Americas may have also inspired factories. Giant sugar plantations in the British Caribbean, in particular, had gang labor systems and giant machines much like the factories that came later in Britain.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader90The colonies were also vital for providing raw materials to British industries and food to the British people. Would the Industrial Revolution have happened without lumber and cotton from North America and wool from Australia? Would the country have been able to feed workers without the calories from Caribbean sugar, American beef, and North Atlantic cod? Finally, trade drove British industrial production. By the early nineteenth century, Britain was probably the world's greatest trading power, with a large navy to protect its massive trading fleet. British textile exports, in particular, contributed to the growth of the industry. Along with factories producing exports, British ports expanded rapidly in Liverpool, London, Glasgow, Bristol and elsewhere. Railways also grew to move goods and raw materials between these ports and industrial centers.Each of these theories about the causes of industrialization has its critics. As often happens in debates like this, the answer is an overlapping combination of factors. Considering historical events and movements from different scales and perspectives leads to a more complex, and likely more accurate, understanding of them.Scale of the Industrial Revolution (930L)Trevor GetzOrigin storiesIndustrialization changed a lot about the world—sometimes quickly, sometimes gradually. New production and distribution methods are some of the most obvious examples, but the effects were even more far-reaching. Society, the way government worked, how people thought about time and distance, the family, the workday, how kids spent their time, how long people lived, what they ate... all of it changed.One of the biggest debates about the Industrial Revolution is about whereit all began. Surely, we just have to look for the first steam-engine factories! That part is easy. But two big questions about the Industrial Revolution's birthplace remain. The first is the "scale" of the "where" industrialization actually happened first. If we wanted to study the first industrial change, would we be looking atone city? At one country? At a specific continent? The second question is “why” industrialization happened there. Would those reasons be local or global?Let's examine these two questions, the first one briefly, and the second one in greater detail.The scale of the first industrializationIndustrialization is an abstract concept in many ways, but one that is visible to the eye. We can see the first steam-powered machines doing the work previously performed by people and animals. We can see James Watt's steam engine and the breakthrough device that it powered—Richard Arkwright's machine for spinning thread. We can see the first steam-powered factories, like the Coalbrookdale and Wilkinson's ironworks, and the Lancashire textile works. We can see the first steam locomotive and railroads in the cities of Leeds and Swansea. Interestingly, all of these developments happened in the small island state of Great Britain, with most taking place over the course of the eighteenth century. Soon after, similar changes happened elsewhere. They happened especially in North America (the British North American colonies, later the United States) and in other parts of Europe. Thus, historians have sometimes argued the Industrial Revolution started in Europe or in the North Atlantic. In some cases, these arguments were really being used to support bigger points that people wanted to prove. Some European
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader91scholars argued for European superiority. US scholars, in particular, wanted to suggest the United States had a part to play inthis important innovation. In general, most historians now agree Great Britain was the place where the Industrial Revolution began. Local causes of the first industrializationHistorians, though, frequently disagree about why it happened first in Britain. We will focus on two positions in this debate: local factors versus global factors. Let's begin with the argument that it was Britain's unique local conditions that caused the country to be the first to industrialize. Consider the island nation's geography. As an island, Britain was easy to defend and relatively peaceful—at least in the modern era. It was also pretty flat, making it easy to transport goods and to build canals and railroads. Transportation is an important factor in successful industrialization. Canals and railroads were needed for transporting coal to the cities and factories where it was used as fuel. Plus, Britain's land was lucky to have a lot of coal available. Contrast these conditions to the vast area of China. That country's coal was impractically far from cities where factories were likely to be built.Britain also had a favorable demographic situation. The British population was expanding rapidly in the eighteenth century, as death rates fell and birthrates rose. In other words, there were available workers for factories, once those were built. Why? Partly because farmland, where most people had lived until this period, was being bought up by merchants. They were raising sheep. Sheep's wool was then used to make cloth and clothing to sell to this growing population. We call this process "enclosure." It was happening faster in Britain than in other parts of the world, even mainland Europe.With so many people switching to factory work, you might wonder how they were still growing enough food. The answer is the agricultural revolution when improved productivity on farms came before modern factories. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, advances in farming brought improved tools and new practices. They included better plows and improved practices, like crop rotation. Such innovations made it possible to grow a lot more food using less labor. These developments took place in Britain earlier and faster than in many other parts of the world.These economic and social changes caused abig shift in how people's needs were met. Workers who worked in factories all day—instead of on farms—no longer had time to make their own clothes, furniture, etc. They had to buy stuff that was made in—you guessed it—factories. This sparked more industrialization. But factory workers' demand for stuff was nothing compared to the demand of a growing middle class. This group consisted mostly of merchants and people who owned some property. They had more money and wanted even more factory-made goods.Importantly, this British middle class of merchants and professionals also had political power. Because they had representation in parliament, they passed laws that protected property and encouraged more investment in industries in Britain than elsewhere. The bottom line? Laws and government now favored industrialization. The wealthier classes also had money to invest in innovation, and they funded many of the companies and inventors who created the machines that drove industrialization.Global causes of the first industrializationThese local factors may have made industrialization more likely in Britain. However, some scholars still argue that it was Britain's global presence that helped it to industrialize first.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader92Certainly, Britain's global empire played a role. British merchants and leaders had made a lot of money from the Atlantic trade in enslaved people and the plantation system. They could invest that money in inventions and factories. British colonies were also important sources of raw materials for British industry and food for the British people. Would the Industrial Revolution have been different without lumber from North America or wool from Australia? Would Britain have been able to feed workers without the calories from Caribbean sugar and North Atlantic cod? These colonies were also convenient markets for British-made products.Finally, trade drove British industrial production. By the early nineteenth century, Britain was probably the world's greatest trading power. It boasted a large navy to protect its massive trading fleet. British textile exports, in particular, contributed to the growth of the industry. To handle the growth in trade, British ports expanded rapidly in Liverpool, London, Glasgow and elsewhere. Railways also grew to move goods and raw materials between these ports and British industrial centers.As often happens in debates like this, the comprehensive answer is a combination of these and other factors. Considering historical events and movements from different scales and perspectives leads to a more complete understanding of the past.Scale of the Industrial Revolution (830L)Trevor GetzOrigin storiesIndustrialization changed a lot about the world—sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. New production and transportation methods are some of the most obvious examples. However, the effects were even more far-reaching and touched almost every part of society. The way the government worked, the family, the workday, how kids spent their time, how long people lived, what they ate... all of it changed.One of the biggest debates about the Industrial Revolution is about whereit all began. This shouldn't really be hard to figure out, right? But two big questions about the Industrial Revolution's birthplace remain. The first is the "scale" of the "where" industrialization actually happened first. If we wanted to study that first industrial change, would we be looking at one city? At one country? At a specific continent? The second question is the "why” industrialization happened there. Would those reasons be local or global in scale?The scale of the first industrializationIndustrialization is a big, complex idea, but its history is visible to the eye. We can see the first steam-powered machines doing the work previously performed by people and animals. We can see the steam engine invented by James Watt. We can see Richard Arkwright's machine for spinning thread. We can see the first steam-powered factories, like the Coalbrookdale ironworks and the Lancashire textile works. Interestingly, all of these developments happened in Great Britain, a small island country. Most of them took place over the course of the eighteenth century. However, soon after factories sprang up in mainland Europe. Machine-powered industries also took root in North America, specifically in the United States. In general, most historians now agree that Great Britain was the place where the Industrial Revolution began.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader93Local causes of the first industrializationHistorians, though, often disagree about why it happened first in Britain. We will focus on two positions in this debate: local factors versus global factors. Let's begin with the argument that it was Britain's unique local conditions that caused the country to be the first to industrialize. Consider the nation's geography. As an island, Britain was easy to defend and relatively peaceful—at least in the modern era. It was also pretty flat, making it easy to transport goods. Transportation is an important factor in successful industrialization. Canals and railroads wereneeded for carrying coal to the cities and factories where it was used as fuel. Plus, Britain's land was lucky to have a lot of coal available. Contrast these conditions to the vast area of China. That country's coal was far from cities where factories were likely to be built.Britain also had a population that was expanding rapidly in the eighteenth century. Death rates fell as birthrates rose. In other words, there were enough workers to operate factory machines. Why? Partly because merchants were buyingfarms. That meant a lot of farmers switched to factory work.You might be asking, "With so many people switching to factory work, how were they still growing enough food?" The answer is the agricultural revolution. Improved farm productivity preceded modern factories. In the 1600s and 1700s, new tools and practices allowed fewer farmers to grow more food. These developments took place in Britain earlier and more rapidly than in other parts of the world.These economic and social factors changed how people's needs were met. Workers spent all of their time in a factory, doing a specific job. They no longer had the time to make their own goods, such as clothing and furniture. They had to buy stuff that was made in—you guessed it—factories. These changing needs, in turn, led to more industrialization. But factory workers' demand for stuff was nothing compared to the demand of a growing middle class. This group consisted mostly of merchants and professionals. They had more money and wanted even more factory-made goods.Importantly, this developing British middle class also had political power. New laws were passed protecting property and favoring industry. This made it safer to invest in industries in Britain than elsewhere. The wealthier classes also had money toinvest in innovation and funded many of the innovations that drove industrialization.Global causes of the first industrializationThese local factors may have made industrialization more likely in Britain, but some scholars disagree. They argue that Britain's global presence was a more important factor. Certainly, Britain's global empire played a role. British merchants and leaders had made a lot of money from the Atlantic trade in enslaved people and the plantation system. They could invest that money in inventions and factories. British colonies were important sources of raw materials for British industry. The Industrial Revolution would have been different without lumber from North America or wool from Australia. The colonies also supplied food for the British people. Would Britain have been able to feed its people without Caribbean sugar and North Atlantic cod?
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader94Finally, trade propelled British industrial production. By the early 1800s, Britain was perhaps the world's greatest trading power. Its overseas colonies were ready markets for its exports, especially textiles. The British navy had the power to protect merchant ships. British ports expanded rapidly in Liverpool, London, Glasgow and elsewhere. Railways also branched out. They were needed to movegoods and resources between these ports and industrial centers. So was Britain's leading role in the Industrial Revolution the result of local or global factors? It is more likely that both of these factors contributed. Looking at history from different scales and perspectives helps us to develop a more complete understanding of the past.Scale of the Industrial Revolution (590L)Trevor GetzOrigin storiesThe Industrial Revolution changed a lot about the world. Inventors created new machines that could do more work faster than people or work animals could. Machine-powered factories were built. These changes affected almost every part of society. It changed where and how people worked. It changed how kids spent their time. It even changed what people ate and how long they lived.Wheredid the Industrial Revolution begin? Historians have often asked that question. Different “scales” should be considered. Another question is whyindustrialization happened there. Would those reasonsbe local or would they be global?Looking for answers helps us understand our history.The scale of the first industrializationThe Industrial Revolution is a big idea. But seeing certain historical objects can help us picture it. We can see James Watt's steam engine. We can see Richard Arkwright's machine for spinning thread. We can see the first steam-powered factories. Interestingly, all of these developments took place in Great Britain. The scale of industrialization—its size and effects—grew rapidly there in the 1700s.Most historians now agree Great Britain was where the Industrial Revolution began. But soon after, factories sprang up in other parts of Europe. Machine-powered industries developed in the young United States.Local causes of the first industrializationWhy did industrialization begin in Britain? Historians have different answers to this question. Some say special conditions in Britain itself led to industrialization. Others say it happened there because of trade and other global factors.Let's start with factors in Britain. Consider its geography. It is an island, which made it easy to protect. It was pretty peaceful at the time. It was also flat, making it easier to transport goods. Transportation is an important factor in industrialization. Railroads and canals were needed to carry coal from mines to factories. Plus, Britain had a lot of coal to burn as fuel.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader95Britain's population helped industrialization, too. It was growing rapidly in the 1700s. Death rates fell. Birthrates rose. In other words, there were plenty of workers to run machines in factories. Why? Partly because wealthy people were buying farms. That meant a lot of farmers switched to factory work.With fewer farmers, how did Britain feed the growing number of workers? The answer is the agricultural revolution. It took place in the 1600s and 1700s. New tools and farming practices helped farmers. They were able to produce more food with fewer people. These changes took place faster in Britain than in other parts of the world.Such developments changed how people's needs were met. Factory workers had to buy food instead of growing it. They had to buy clothes instead of making them. Where did many of these goods come from? Factories. The demand for goods led to more industrialization.There was also agrowing middle class. This group consisted of people like merchants and professionals. They had more money, and they wanted more factory-made goods. They also had money to invest in new inventions and factories.This growing middle class also gained powerin government. They owned property. Laws were passed to protect their property and investments. So, it became better for them to invest in Britain than elsewhere.Global causes of the first industrializationSome scholars, though, say global factors were more important than local factors. In the late 1700s, Britain was a world power. It had a powerful navy and many trading ships. It had colonies in many parts of the world.British merchants and leaders had made a lot of money from theAtlantictrade inenslavedpeople and the plantation system. They could invest that money in inventions and factories.British colonies supplied raw materials for British industry. Lumber came from North America. Wool was shipped from Australia.These colonies also supplied food for people back in Britain.Sugar came from British territories in the Caribbean. Fish came from the coasts of North America.Trade also boosted British industrial production. British goods were shipped to other countries. They were also exported to British colonies. Port cities like London grew to handle more ships. Railways expanded to move goods from factories to the ports.The Industrial Revolution changed the world, as well as Britain. Was its leading role because of local or global factors? The most accurate answer is both. Looking at the debate from both scales helps us understand what really happened.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader96The Global Transformations of the Industrial RevolutionThe Industrial Revolution transformed life in Britain. But the transformation of the British economy had consequences for people in every corner of the world.The Global Transformations of the Industrial Revolution (1100L)Bennett SherryIndustrial connectionsThough the Industrial Revolution started in Britain's factories, its innovations were entangled globally. We often think of coal, steam engines, cheap cotton clothes, steel, and agricultural advances as the seeds that grew into the Industrial Revolution. But they were less like separately grown seeds and more like nuts, bolts, and wires. Together, they created connections and links that enabled this massive change in how humans work and live.How did these entanglements shape the lives of people in Britain, and how did these changes ripple around the world? We'll start by examining how industrial production changed British economics, labor, and culture. Then, we'll go global and examine how three industrial commodities changed communities, production, and trade all over the world.It's important to realize that different people in different places experienced the changes of the Industrial Revolution in different ways. Some wealthy and middle-class people in northwestern Europe really benefited, enjoying new wealth and opportunity. For people in Europe's colonies, industrialization brought new and painful exploitation, as European imperialists sought to maximize profits. And for the working poor in industrialized countries like Britain, it was a pretty mixed bag. Working conditions and life expectancy dropped for most people moving to cities in the nineteenth century.Britain's "dark Satanic Mills"We can thank the Industrial Revolution for all shiny new tech, and for cotton underwear, which beats scratchy wool. We can get fresh fruit in winter almost anywhere on Earth. Fun, right? But for the people living through it—especially poor workers—the Industrial Revolution was degrading and dehumanizing. The millions of working poor who migrated to cities found a dismal life of exploitation as wage laborers. The poet William Blake famously referred to the factories of Britain's Industrial Revolution as "these dark Satanic Mills." He was not alone in expressing horror at industrialization. Friedrich Engels, the son of a German businessman, visited England as a young man. What he saw inspired him to write The Condition of the Working Class in England. He concluded that English workers were not treated as human beings. "They were merely toiling machines in the service of the few aristocrats who had guided history down to that time." In otherwords, though the Industrial Revolution improved conditions for the middle class, it mostly enriched a few at the expense of the many.But Engels's analysis wasn't just about economics. The Industrial Revolution destroyed communities and culture. The patterns of rural life were shattered by so many people moving to cities to work in factories. Extended family communities in villages ensured stability. Community and family support provided a safety
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader97net. But as rural farmers became urban wage laborers, extended family communities were replaced by nuclear families—often with a single parent (usually the mother). Without the stability of extended family networks, urban families lacked support in times of crisis, meaning poverty and homelessness for many.The disintegration of family networks and the rise of factories endangered children and unmarried women. Early nineteenth-century England had over a million child laborers, many of whom made their way from orphanages to workhouses. Historian Jane Humphries estimates that up to 15 percent of England's industrial workforce were children. Some children were forced to work for no money in exchange for food and a bed.Women's lives changed as industrialization moved production out of the home. In rural England, women spun textiles for use at home and for sale at market. Women also worked in agriculture and domestic service. The Industrial Revolution didn't really change the work women did, just where they did it. One of the few opportunities for women to improve their financial status was to work in factories, often in textile production. Married women often left the workforce, either because their husbands demanded it or because they had few prospects of rewarding work outside factories.Social mobilityDespite its newburdens, the Industrial Revolution opened up new horizons for new people. Factory life was brutal, but people had their reasons for abandoning their farms and moving to the city. For some people, urban wage labor provided a chance at social mobility and financial freedom.The Industrial Revolution made some social progress precisely becauseof the misery it produced. Britain became the wealthiest nation on Earth. Soon, British workers, politicians, and writers started looking around and wondering why—in the world's richest country—so many people lived and worked in such poor conditions. These were the seeds of the reform movements that pushed children out of factories and into public education. Reformers fought for a minimum wage, safe working conditions, and an eight-hour work day, among other causes. However, these reforms often did not spread to the colonized world, where Britain was putting lots of people to work extracting raw materials.Industrialized sugar comes homeProduction and profit in one part of the world relied on extraction and exploitation in another. To understand this, let's consider the impact of the Industrial Revolution on three global commodities: sugar, wheat, and copper.You've read about how Europeans brought sugarcane to the Caribbean from Southeast Asia. They forced enslaved people to harvest and refine that sugar. The world got addicted to the sweet stuff and demanded more. Then, at the start of the nineteenth century, the British government outlawed the slave trade, and enforced that law with gunboats roaming the Atlantic on the lookout for slavers. This meant that sugar plantations—which relied on forced labor—became less profitable. In response, European colonizers and financiers took their business to Southeast Asia, where sugar got its start. The Dutch East Indies (today's Indonesia) were especially productive. The Dutch forced colonized peoples to turn farms toward sugar production. The Dutch built sugar factories on an industrial scale. Farmers became wage laborers, and farmsbecame sugar factories.Forcing people in the Indian Ocean to grow sugar didn't just hurt those people; it also devastated Caribbean societies that relied on sugar. Enslaved people in some Caribbean islands may have been freed, but they still
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader98needed cash crops like sugar to sell on the global market. The rise of industrial sugar production in the Indian Ocean drove prices down and devastated Caribbean economies.Wheat-fueled industrializationHistorian Thomas Finger argues that wheat—as much as coal—powered England's factories. Coal fed the machines, but wheat fed the workers. Global wheat production was revolutionized in the nineteenth century to feed English wage laborers.In the early nineteenth century, bread prices soared. This created unrest in Britain's cities, where a bunch of working-class people now lived and depended on cheap bread. If they wanted to keep factories open, the British needed cheap bread. Their efforts to import more wheat transformed wheat-producing regions around the world, particularly in Russia, Argentina, and California.British capitalists funded railroads in southern Russia near the Black Sea. This made it easier to get Russian wheat to British ships in the port of Odessa. British demand for cheap wheat transformed this part ofRussia into one of the world's major wheat producers. Russian peasant farmers were connected to English wage laborers by hundreds of miles of rail tracks. In Argentina, British financiers funded new railroads and ports, transforming subsistence farms intoindustrial wheat farms. In California, nearly all wheat exports made the 17,000-mile sea voyage from San Francisco to Liverpool, England. This lucrative exchange (and the British financing that came with it) changed California's landscape. Gold miners became wheat farmers and vast stretches of inner California became wheat fields.Copper connects the world to WalesFor thousands of years, humans smelted metal ore near where it was mined. The historians Chris Evans and Olivia Saunders explain that industrialization changed that. The city of Swansea, in Wales, was a center of British copper smelting. It had always gotten its copper from nearby mines. Around 1830, steamships made it possible for Swansea to import copper ore from the Caribbean, South America, Australasia, southern Africa, Algeria, the United States, and Canada. This tiny corner of Wales became the center of a global copper network that touched every continent.By the mid-nineteenth century, Swansea produced 50 percent of the world's copper. Its copper network included enslaved Africans, Indigenous Americans, Chinese indentured laborers, British and Indian financiers, and sailors from all over the world. They were all connected to satisfy Britain's demand for this orangish metal. Copper also connected with the wheat and sugar industries. The steam engines that moved sugar and wheat around the world relied on copper components. Copper vats were essential to sugar refining. The demand for copper transformed Swansea into a fouled landscape reeking of sulfur and choked with smoke from copper furnaces.ConclusionEach of these three industries—sugar, wheat, and copper—depended on British steam engines, financial systems, and wage laborers. In each case—from British children forced to work in factories, to colonized people forced to farm sugar, to the peasant farmers of southern Russia, to the thousands of forced and free laborers who smelted copper—the global connections forged by the Industrial Revolution restructured local communities, trade networks, and the lives of workers.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader99SourcesBosma, Ulbe. The Sugar Plantation in India and Indonesia: Industrial Production 1770-2010. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013.Clark, Gregory and David Jacks. “Coal and the Industrial Revolution, 1700-1869.” European Review of Economic History 11, issue 1 (April 2007): 39-72.Evans, Chris and Olivia Saunders. “A World of Copper: Globalizing the Industrial Revolution, 1830-70.” Journal of Global History 10 (2015): 3-26.Finger, Thomas D. “Invisible Commodities in World History: The Case of Wheat and the Industrial Revolution.” World History Bulletin 28, no. 2 (Fall 2012): 19-22.Griffin, Emma. Liberty’s Dawn: A People’s History of the Industrial Revolution. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2013. Humphries, Jane. Childhood and Child Labour in the British Industrial Revolution. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010. Stearns, Peter. The Industrial Turn in World History. New York: Routledge, 2016.Author BioBennett Sherry holds a PhD in history from the University of Pittsburgh and has undergraduate teaching experience in world history, human rights, and the Middle East at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Maine at Augusta. Additionally, he is a research associate at Pitt's World History Center. Bennett writes about refugees and international organizations in the twentieth century.The Global Transformations of the Industrial Revolution (980L)Bennett SherryIndustrial connectionsThe Industrial Revolution started in Britain's factories, but its innovations stretched globally. Coal, steam engines, steel, and agricultural advances made the Industrial Revolution possible. They created connections that enabled this massive change in how humans work and live.How did these connections shape the lives of people in Britain? How did these changes affect the rest of the world? We'll start by examining how industrial production changed British economics, labor, and culture. Then we'll look at how three valuable materials changed communities, production, and trade all over the world.Different people in different places experienced the Industrial Revolution in different ways. Wealthy and middle-class Europeans gained new wealth and opportunity. For people in Europe's colonies, industrialization led to exploitation by European imperialists seeking more profit. In this case, Europeans took resources from colonies and treated the people in those colonies poorly. For the working poor in Europe, industrialization brought new opportunities but also brutal working conditions. In the nineteenth century, life expectancy dropped for most people in cities.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader100Britain's "dark Satanic Mills"We can thank the Industrial Revolution for many of the products and technological advances we enjoy today, such as cotton underwear. But for the people living through it, the Industrial Revolution was dehumanizing and depressing. The poet William Blake called British factories "these darkSatanic Mills." He was not alone in expressing horror at industrialization. The German Friedrich Engels felt that English workers were not treated as human beings. He wrote, "They were merely toiling machines in the service of the few aristocrats who had guided history down to that time." In other words, the Industrial Revolution improved conditions for a few at the expense of the many.The Industrial Revolution also destroyed communities and culture. Millions of people moved to cities to work in factories, disrupting community life in rural areas. Traditional extended families were replaced by nuclear families, which are families that include only parents and children. In these times, the families were often just the mother and children. Nuclear families did not provide the same stability as extended families, resulting in less support during hard times. This led to increased levels of poverty and homelessness.The breaking up of family networks and the rise of factories endangered children and unmarried women. Early nineteenth-century England had more than a million child laborers. Many grew up in orphanages and then went to work in workhouses. Historian Jane Humphries estimates that up to 15 percent of England's industrial workforce were children. Some children were forced to work for no money in exchange for food and a bed.Women’s lives were changed as production moved out of homes and into factories. In rural England, women spun textiles for use at home and for sale at the market. Women also worked in agriculture and domestic service. The Industrial Revolution didn't really change the work women did, just where they did it. One of the few opportunities for women was to work in factories, often in textile production. Married women often left the workforce,either because their husbands demanded it or because of the lack of opportunities apart from factory work.Social mobilityThe Industrial Revolution did offer new opportunities for people. For some, working in factories provided a chance at social mobility and financial freedom.The brutal working conditions of the Industrial Revolution caused many to fight for social progress. Britain became the wealthiest nation on Earth. British workers, politicians, and writers started looking around and wondering why—in the world's richest country—so many people lived and worked in poor conditions. Reformers fought for a minimum wage, safe working conditions, and an eight-hour work day. They also argued for children to be educated instead of being forced to work. Unfortunately, these reforms often did not reach Britain's colonies.Industrialized sugar comes homeProduction and profit in England relied on exploiting workers in other parts of the world to bring in raw materials. To understand this, let's consider the impact of the Industrial Revolution on three global commodities: sugar, wheat, and copper.You've read about how Europeans brought sugarcane from Southeast Asia to the Caribbean. They forced enslaved people there to harvest and refine that sugar. Then, the British government outlawed the slave trade in the early 1800s. This meant that Caribbean sugar plantations, which relied on forced labor, became
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader101less profitable. European colonizers turned their focus back to Southeast Asia. The Dutch forced colonized peopleto farm sugar. They built sugar factories on an industrial scale in the Dutch East Indies (today's Indonesia). Sugar became cheaper and the Europeans made greater profits. Workers in Southeast Asia were exploited for their labor, while Caribbean economieswere devastated by the decline in sugar prices.Wheat-fueled industrializationCoal powered machines, but it was wheat that powered the workers. English demand for wheat revolutionized wheat production in the nineteenth century.In the early nineteenth century, bread prices soared. This created unrest in Britain's cities, where a bunch of working-class people now lived and depended on cheap bread. If they wanted to keep factories open, the British needed cheap bread. Their efforts to import more wheat transformed wheat-producing regions around the world, including Russia, Argentina, and California.British capitalists funded the construction of railroads in Russia. In Argentina, the British funded new ports and railroads. In California, nearly all wheat exports made the 17,000-mile sea voyage from San Francisco to Liverpool, England. This profitable exchange turned gold miners into wheat farmers and vast stretches of inner California became wheat fields.Copper connects the world to WalesFor thousands of years, humans smelted, or heated and collected, metal ore where it was mined. But industrialization changed that. Copper is an orange-colored metal that conducts heat well. It was valued for making engine parts. The city of Swansea, in Wales, was a center of British copper smelting, using metal ore that had been mined nearby. Around 1830, steamships made it possible for Swansea to import copper ore from faraway places. This included the Caribbean, South America, Australasia, southern Africa, Algeria, the United States, and Canada. This tiny corner of Wales became the center of a global copper network that touched every continent.By the mid-nineteenth century, Swansea produced 50 percent of the world's copper. The network included enslaved Africans, Indigenous Americans, and Chinese indentured laborers. Wealthy British and Indian bankers and sailors supported copper production. The copper made in Swansea was used in the steam engines that moved wheat, sugar and other materials around the world. Buthigh demand turned Swansea into a fouled landscape reeking of sulfur and smoke from copper furnaces.ConclusionThe sugar, wheat, and copper industries all depended on British steam engines, financial systems, and wage laborers. They reached people from different parts of the world. British children in factories, colonized people farming sugar, peasants of southern Russia, and thousands of forced and free workers who smelted copper were all affected. In each case, the global connections created by the Industrial Revolution had far-reaching effects. They changed local communities, trade networks, and the lives of workers.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader102The Global Transformations of the Industrial Revolution (870L)Bennett SherryIndustrial connectionsThe Industrial Revolution started in Britain's factories. It was made possible by advances in technology, such as steam engines and agricultural technologies. Materials such as coal and steel also fueled the revolution. Together, these advances created connections that reached across the globe and changed how humans worked and lived.How did these connections shape the lives of people in Britain? How did these changes affect the world? We'll start by looking at how industrial production changed British economics, labor, and culture. Then, we'll examine how three valuable materials changed communities, production, and trade globally.Around the world, people experienced the changes of the Industrial Revolution in different ways. Some wealthy Europeans enjoyed new wealth and opportunity. But people in European colonies were forced to work so European imperialists could profit. In Europe, the working poor were given new work opportunities. But in those jobs, they often faced brutal working conditions in factories.Britain's "dark Satanic Mills"TheIndustrial Revolution can be thanked for many products we enjoy today. Cotton underwear is one example. For the people who lived through it, however, the Industrial Revolution was dehumanizing and depressing. Millions of working poor people moved to cities. They faced dismal lives as wage laborers. The poet William Blake famously referred to the factories as "these dark Satanic Mills." The German Friedrich Engels also felt that English workers were not treated as human beings. He wrote: "They were merely toiling machines in the service of the few aristocrats who had guided history down to that time." The Industrial Revolution improved life for the few but many struggled in the harsh environment.The Industrial Revolution had drastic effects on communities and culture. Millions of people moved to cities for factory work, affecting life in rural areas. People traditionally lived in extended families which provided a lot of support. In the cities, they lived in nuclear families, which are only the parents and children. In many cases, the family was just a mother and her children. Without the same level of family support, many people went into poverty or became homeless.Children were exposed to very dangerous conditions. Early nineteenth-century England had morethan a million child laborers. Many grew up in orphanages and then went to work in workhouses. Some children were forced to work for no money in exchange for food and a bed.Women’s lives were changed as production moved out of homes and into factories. Rural women spun textiles for use at home. There were also opportunities in agriculture and domestic service. One of the few industrial jobs for women was to work in factories, often in textile production. Once a woman got married, though, husbands usually demanded their wives stopped working altogether.Social mobilityFactory life was brutal, but many saw it as a chance to move up in life. They moved from their farms to the cities hoping to make more money.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader103The hardships of the Industrial Revolution causedmany people to fight for better conditions. Britain became the wealthiest nation on Earth. But workers, politicians, and writers began to question why so many British people lived and worked in awful conditions. So people pushed for reform, or change. Reformers fought for children to be educated instead of being forced to work. They also fought for a minimum wage, safe working conditions, and for the work day to be limited to eight hours. Sadly, these reforms often did not reach Britain's colonies.Industrialized sugar comes homeThe production and profit in Britain relied on materials from around the world. We'll look at how sugar, wheat, and copper were impacted by the Industrial Revolution.Europeans brought enslaved Africans to the Caribbean to harvest sugarcane. Then, the British government outlawed the slave trade in the early 1800s. This meant that Caribbean sugar which relied on forced labor became more expensive. European colonizers turned to Southeast Asia, particularly the Dutch East Indies (today's Indonesia). The Dutch forced local peoples to work in large sugar factories.The sugar became cheaper and the Europeans made more profit. The people in Southeast Asia suffered under difficult conditions. The Caribbean economies were hurt by lower sugar prices.Wheat-fueled industrializationCoal powered machines, but it was wheat that powered the workers. Britain's demand for wheat changed wheat production in the nineteenth century.In the early nineteenth century, bread prices soared. This createdunrest in Britain's cities, where many working-class people depended on cheap bread. The British needed cheap bread to keep factories running. Their efforts to import more wheat affected wheat-producing regions around the world.To get more wheat, the British factory owners funded the construction of railroads in Russia. The British also paid for new ports and railroads in Argentina. In California, almost all wheat grown here made the 17,000-mile sea journey from San Francisco to Liverpool, England. This money-making crop turned gold miners into wheat farmers. As a result, large parts of inner California then became wheat fields.Copper connects the world to WalesFor thousands of years, humans smelted metal ore near where it was mined. Smelting is the process of heating and collecting metal ore. This changed because of industrialization.Copper is an orange-colored metal that conducts heat well. It was valued for making engine parts. The city of Swansea, in Wales, was a center of British copper smelting. Around 1830, steamships made it possible for Swansea to import copper ore from faraway places. Copper was brought in from the Caribbean, South America, Australasia, southern Africa, Algeria, the United States, and Canada.By the mid-nineteenth century, Swansea produced 50 percent of the world's copper. The network included enslaved Africans, Indigenous Americans, and Chinese laborers. Wealthy British and Indian bankers and sailors supported copper production. Copper made in Swansea was used in steam engines that brought wheat, sugar, and other materials around the world. But the high demand had poor effects on Swansea. The landscape soon smelled terribly of sulfur and smoke from copper furnaces.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader104ConclusionSugar, wheat, and copper industries depended on complex networks. These networks involved British steam engines, financial systems, and wage laborers. They reached people from different parts of the world. British children in factories, enslaved and colonized people farming sugar, and peasants of southern Russia were all affected. In each case, local communities and the lives of workers were changed.The Global Transformations of the Industrial Revolution (750L)Bennett SherryIndustrial connectionsThe Industrial Revolution started in Britain's factories. It was made possible by advances in technology, such as steam engines and farming technologies. Materials such as coal and steel also fueled the revolution. These created connections that reached across the globe. The ways people worked and lived were also changed.How did these connections shape the lives of people in Britain? How did these changes affect people around the world? We'll start by looking at how industrial production changed British economics, labor, and culture. Then, we'll examine three valuable materials. We'll see how these changed communities, production, and trade globally.Different people in different places were affected by the Industrial Revolution in different ways. Wealthy Europeans enjoyed new wealth and opportunity. Colonized peoples were forced to labor for Europeans. The working poor in Europe had new opportunities. They also faced brutal working conditions in industrial factories.Britain's "dark Satanic Mills"The Industrial Revolution can be thanked for many products we enjoy today, such as cotton underwear. It was a hard time to live through, however. Millions of working poor moved to cities to work in factories. They faced dismal lives as wage laborers. Poet William Blake called the factories "these dark Satanic Mills." The German Friedrich Engels also felt that English workers were not treated as human beings. Engels wrote: "They were toiling machines in the service of the few aristocrats who had guided history down to that time." The Industrial Revolution improved life for a small group of people. But these changes made life worse for many.The Industrial Revolution had serious effects on communities and culture. Millions of people moved to cities for factory work, affecting life in rural areas. People traditionally lived in extended families. Now, families were becoming nuclear, meaning only parents and children tended to live together. In many cases, the family was just a mother and her children. People lacked the same level of family support. As a result, many people went into poverty or became homeless.Industrialization endangered many children. In the early 1800s, England had more than a million child workers. Many grew up in orphanages and then went to work in workhouses. Some children were forced to work for no money. Instead, these children received food and a place to sleep.Women's lives changed as production moved out of the home. Rural women spun textiles for use at home. There were also opportunities in agriculture and domestic service. One of the few ways women could make
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader105money in cities was by working in textile production. Often, married women had to stop working if their husbands demanded it.Social mobilityFactory work was hard, but sometimes it gave workers new opportunities. For some, it was a chance to earn more money. This could lead to a better social standing.Many people fought for better conditions. Britain became a wealthy nation. But workers, politicians, and writers began to question why so many British people lived and worked in awful conditions. So people pushed for reform, or change. Reformers pushed for children to be educated instead of working. They also fought for a minimum wage, safe working conditions, and for the work day to be limited to eight hours. Sadly, these reforms often did not reach Britain's colonies.Industrialized sugar comes homeIndustrial production in Britain depended on materials from around the world. We'll look at how sugar, wheat, and copper were affected by the Industrial Revolution.Europeans used enslaved Africans in the Caribbean to harvest sugarcane. In the early 1800s, the British government made slavery against the law. This essentially ended the Atlantic slave trade. It then became harder to make money growing sugarcane in the Caribbean, without the labor of the enslaved. European colonizers turned to Southeast Asia. They forced local peoples to work in large sugar factories.The sugar became cheaper and the Europeans made more profit. The people in Southeast Asia suffered under difficult conditions. The Caribbean economies were hurt by lower sugar prices.Wheat-fueled industrializationMachines were powered by coal. But the people working those machines were powered by wheat, or bread. Britain needed to feed its workers to keep factories running. The British demandfor cheap bread changed wheat production around the world.To get more wheat, the British factory owners paid for railroads to be built in Russia. This allowed wheat to be more easily brought from Russia to England. Britain also paid for new ports and railroads in Argentina. In California, almost all wheat grown here traveled 17,000-miles from San Francisco to Liverpool, England. This money-making crop turned gold miners into wheat farmers. As a result, large parts of inner California then became wheat fields.Copper connects the world to WalesMetal ore was historically smelted near the place it was mined. Smelting is the process of heating and collecting metals. But industrialization changed this process. Metals could be brought in from faraway places.Copper is an orange-colored metal. It is used to make machine parts. The city of Swansea is in Great Britain. Swansea was a center of British copper smelting. Around 1830, steamships made it possible for Swansea to import ore from new places. Copper was brought in from the Caribbean, South America, Australasia, southern Africa, Algeria, the United States and Canada.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader106By the mid-1800s, Swansea produced 50 percent of the world's copper. The network relied heavily on forced labor from people from Africa, Indigenous Americans, and Chinese workers. Wealthy European bankers and sailors supported copper production. Copper made in Swansea helped to build steam engines. These ships brought wheat, sugar and other materials around the world. But the high demand had terrible effects on Swansea. The landscape smelled horribly and became covered in smoke.ConclusionSugar, wheat, and copper industries all depended on complex networks. They involved British steam engines, financial systems, and wage laborers. They reached people from different parts of the world. Children in British factories, enslaved people in colonies, and Russian peasants were affected. In each case, industrialization changed local communities. The way people lived and worked would never be the same.The Global Transformations of the Industrial Revolution (610L)Bennett SherryIndustrial connectionsThe Industrial Revolution started in Britain's factories. It was made possible by coal, steam engines, and farming improvements. These created connections acrossthe world. They changed how humans work and live.We will look at how industrial production changed British life. Then, we will look at how these changes spread around the world. Different people were affected in different ways. Wealthy Europeans became even richer. Colonial workers were forced to work for Europeans. The working poor in Europe had new jobs in factories. But these factories also had terrible working conditions.Britain's "dark Satanic Mills"The Industrial Revolution led to many improvements in our lives. Cotton underwear is one example. But for many people, it was a hard time to live. Poor workers moved to cities for better work. They faced inhuman conditions in factories. William Blake was an English poet. He called the factories "these dark Satanic Mills." The Industrial Revolution improved life for a small group of people. But these changes made life worse for many at the time.Rural communities in England also changed. Farmers moved into cities for work. Large families split up. Before, children used to live with extended family relatives, such as their grandparents. This period saw the rise of nuclear families. Nuclear families are when only parents and children live together. In many cases, the family was just a mother and her children.People had less family support. A lack of support led many to become poor or homeless.Industrialization endangered many children. In the early 1800s, England had more than a million child workers. Many grew up in orphanages and then went to work in workhouses. Some children were forced to work for food and a place to sleep.Women’s lives changed as they began to work outside the home. Rural women made textiles at home. They could also work in agriculture or become a servant. One of the few ways women could make money in the city was by working in textile factories. But married women’s husbands often demanded that their wives quit working.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader107Social mobilityFactory work was hard, but sometimes it gave workers new opportunities. For some, it was a chance to earn more money. This could lead to a better social standing.Industrialization made Britain a wealthy nation. But workers, politicians, and writers began to question why the factories were so terrible. People pushed for reform, or change. Reformers said children should be in school, not factories. Workers also wanted to get a minimum wage. This meant everyone would be given a base amount of money. They also wanted safer factory conditions. These reforms did not reach Britain's colonies.Industrialized sugarcomes homeIndustrial production in Britain relied on materials from elsewhere. We will now look at three goods: sugar, wheat, and copper. These were all affected by the Industrial Revolution.Europeans forced enslaved workers to farm sugarcane in the Caribbean. In the early 1800s, the British government made slavery against the law. This essentially ended the Atlantic slave trade. It then became more expensive to make sugar in the Caribbean. Europeans turned to colonies in Southeast Asia. They forced local people to work in large sugar factories. Everyone suffered except the Europeans. The people in Southeast Asia worked under difficult conditions. The Caribbean economies were hurt by lower sugar prices.Wheat-fueled industrializationMachines were powered by coal. But the people working those machines were powered by wheat, or bread. Britain needed to feed its workers to keep factories running. The British demand for cheap bread changed wheat production around the world.Britain brought in wheat from Russia, Argentina, and California. British factory owners helped pay for railroads and ports in Russia and Argentina. California wheat traveled 17,000 miles from San Francisco to Liverpool, England. It was such a money-making crop that gold miners becamewheat farmers.Copper connects the world to WalesMetal ore was historically smelted near the place it was mined. Smelting is the process of heating and collecting metals. Industrialization changed this process. Metals could be brought in from faraway places.Copper is an orange-colored metal. It is used to make machine parts. The city of Swansea is in Great Britain. Swansea was a center of British copper smelting. Around 1830, steamships allowed Swansea to bring in ore from new places. Copper arrived fromparts of the Americas, Australia, Asia, and Africa.Swansea made half of the world's copper by the mid-1800s. The network used labor from enslaved Africans, Indigenous Americans, and Chinese indentured servants. Copper made in Swansea helped to build steam engines. These ships brought wheat, sugar and other materials around the world. But the high demand had terrible effects on Swansea. The landscape smelled awful. Everywhere was covered in smoke.ConclusionSugar, wheat, and copper industries all dependedon developed networks. These networks included British steam engines, money, and laborers. People around the world were affected. This included children in
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader108British factories, enslaved people in colonies, Russian peasants, and California farmers. Industrialization changed communities. The way people lived and worked would never be the same.Japan’s Industrial RevolutionThe modernization of Japan can best be expressed in the following haiku:You threaten uswith Industrialization?We can win that gameJapan’s Industrial Revolution (1070L)Trevor GetzIn 1853, four modern American warships sailed into Tokyo Bay, Japan's great harbor. It was a show of power. Commodore Matthew Perry hoped it would force Japan to change its trading policies and allow American imports to be sold. For the previous two centuries, the Japanese had kept their national economy mostly closed off to foreign trade. But American businesses saw Japan, with its vast population, as a great potential market for their pots, cloth, and other goods they were now rapidly producing for distribution. It may not have been an act of war, but the sudden appearance of warships was certainly a hard sell.Did Perry's aggressive marketing work? To get an idea of how Japan responded to this forceful display,check out this Japanese poster from 1887. It teaches the Japanese versions of "fashionable English words." Japan in the late nineteenth century was already one of the most literate societies in the world. The fact that they were now learning English reveals how quickly—and intentionally—they prioritized international business.The Tokugawa ShogunateSo why now? Before 1868, for about seven centuries, Japan had been under the rule of the Tokugawa shoguns. Japan did have an emperor, but his role was purely ceremonial. Shoguns were military leaders (some would say dictators) whose job was to maintain the stability of society in a certain territory. Japan's rigid class system during this era put peasants at the bottom, farmers and makers (artisans) above them, and then a class of soldiers called samuraiabove them. The samurai served regional lords, called the daimyo. Stability was important, so the lines between classes were drawn very clearly. However, people were still able to move up and down these classes. In fact, peasants had sometimes managed to become important lords!Japanese society also had a high regard for intellectual pursuits. During this time, the country had a rich intellectual and artistic life, with new art, literature, early forms of comics, and philosophy constantly emerging. Japan had far more people who could read than most of the world's other regions at this time, so literature and poems were highly prized. However, contact with the outside world was strictly regulated. Under the TokugawaShoguns, Europeans were only ever legally allowed to trade at one port, Nagasaki. (That's another reason Perry's warships in Tokyo Bay were such a shocking sight.)But Tokugawa Japan had an economic problem. The shoguns relied on taxation from agricultureto keep the country going and to stay in power. Over time, this did not produce enough money for the government,
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader109especially since the regional daimyolords and samuraihad to be paid. The only way to keep things going was to raise taxes on the peasants, who as a result were increasingly angry. This weakened the government of Japan at a critical time.When Commodore Perry tried to force Japan to "do business," literally at gunpoint, Japan's leaders naturally feared a future invasion. They could also see hownearby China was being defeated and torn apart by European states that were trying to force the Chinese to buy their products (including opium!). They worried, with good reason, that something similar could happen in Japan if they did not modernize. Hoping to protect Japan from a potential European threat, they began to demand military and industrial reforms in response. But these changes fed into the unrest already bubbling up within Japan from the peasants and samurai classes. The result was a period of political chaos. Many argued against copying the Europeans and Americans, wishing to preserve Japanese culture and way of life. In the mid-1860s, a brief civil war broke out, and the reformers—the ones who wanted modernization in the style of those Westernnations—won and took power. They were called the Meiji.MeijiThe new government quickly tried to inspire popular support for their movement. They took control of the imperial palace and claimed they were merely restoring the Emperor to power, rather thanadmitting that they were really creating a brand new government. That's why this event is often called the Meiji "Restoration" though it was more of a revolution. This government—not afraid to use propaganda—sponsored new forms of national art and literature that praised the new government, the emperor, and modernization.With the goal of modernizing, they quickly studied European and U.S. political structures. But their innovations weren't a total imitation. Japan's leaders developed a new form of government that mixed Western industrial styles with their own traditions and needs. They built even more schools and changed the curriculum to train people to work in and run factories. They re-organized the army and trained it with new weapons.As Meiji Japan rapidly industrialized and modernized, its rulers looked at the United States and Europe as dangerous competitors. The West's increasing interference in nearby China and elsewhere had Japan on high alert. Some Meiji leaders argued that only by industrializing could Japan protect itself. This idea is often called "defensive modernization."Unfortunately, Japanese industry was at a disadvantage. The island country lacked many raw materials, including that very important burnable rock called coal. The goods they were able to produce faced significant tariffs—import taxes—from already industrialized countries. Determined to increase industry as rapidly as possible, Japan took actions more drastic than anything that had been seen in Europe or the United States. They actively brought business leaders into government. They poured tax money into industrialization. They sought new markets for their goods, and resources to make the goods. Like industrialized societies elsewhere, they created some markets by forcibly taking colonies. Korea, with both a relatively large population (potential consumers) and lots of natural resources, was an early target.Japan continues to be an industrial power today, but because of its unique history, its industrial economy remains focused on very large companies, many of which are closely tied to the country's government. As a result, while Japan fits into the wider model of changes to production and distribution brought in by the Industrial Revolution, its particular place within this system is unique.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader110Author BioTrevor Getz is a professor of African and world history at San Francisco State University. He has been the author or editor of 11 books, including the award-winning graphic history Abina and the Important Men, and has coproduced several prize-winning documentaries.Trevor is also the author of A Primer for Teaching African History, which explores questions about how we should teach the history of Africa in high school and university classes.Japan’s Industrial Revolution (980L)Trevor GetzIn 1853, four modern American warships sailed into Tokyo Bay, Japan's great harbor. It was a show of power. The leader of those ships was Commodore Matthew Perry. Perry hoped to force Japan to change its trading policies and allow American imports to be sold. For two centuries, Japan kept its national economy mostly closed off to foreign trade. But the United States was now rapidly producing pots, cloth, and other goodsfor distribution.American businesses saw Japan, with its vast population, as a great new market. While it might not have been an act of war, the sudden appearance of U.S. warships was risky.Did Perry's aggressive marketing work? To get an idea of how Japan responded to this forceful display, check out this Japanese poster from 1887. It teaches the Japanese versions of "fashionable English words." Japan in the late nineteenth century was already one of the most literate societies in the world. The fact that they were now learning English reveals how quickly—and intentionally—they prioritized international business.The Tokugawa ShogunateSo why now? Before 1868, for about seven centuries, Japan had been under the rule of the Tokugawa shoguns. Japan had an emperor, but his role was purely ceremonial. Shoguns were military leaders (some would say dictators) whose job was to keep society stable in a certain territory. Japan's rigid class system during this era put peasants at the bottom, farmers and makers (artisans) above peasants, and then a class of soldiers called samuraiaboveartisans. The samurai served regional lords, called the daimyo. Stability was important, so the lines between classes were drawn very clearly. However, people were still able to move up and down these classes. In fact, peasants sometimes managed to becomeimportant lords!Japanese society also highly valued intellectual pursuits. During this time, new kinds of Japanese art, literature, early forms of comics, and philosophy emerged. Japan had more people who could read than other regions around the world atthis time, so literature and poems were highly prized. However, contact with the outside world was strictly regulated. Under the Tokugawa shoguns, Europeans were only legally allowed to trade at one port, Nagasaki. (That's another reason Perry's warships in Tokyo Bay were such a shocking sight.)But Tokugawa Japan had an economic problem. The shoguns relied on taxation from agriculture to keep the country going and to stay in power. Over time, this did not produce enough money for the government, especially since the regional daimyolords and samuraihad to be paid. The only way to keep things going was to raise taxes on the peasants, who became increasingly angry. This weakened the government of Japan at a critical time.Commodore Perry tried to force Japan to "do business," literally at gunpoint. Japan's leaders naturally feared a future invasion. Nearby, China was being defeated and torn apart by European states that were trying to force the Chinese to buy their products. This included the addictive drug,opium, which had negative and
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader111long-lasting effects on Chinese society. Japan's leaders worried, with good reason, that something similar could happen in Japan if they did not modernize.Hoping to protect Japan from a possible European threat, they began to demand military and industrial reforms in response. But these changes fed into the unrest already bubbling up within Japan from the peasants and samurai classes. The result was a period of political chaos. Many Japanese people did not want to copy the Europeans and Americans, wishing to preserve Japanese culture and way of life. In the mid-1860s, a brief civil war broke out. The reformers—those who wanted modernization in the style of those Western nations—won and took power. They were called the Meiji.MeijiThe new government quickly tried to inspire popular support for their movement. They took control of the imperial palace and claimed they were merely restoring the emperor to power, rather than admitting that they were really creating a brand new government. That's why this event is often called the Meiji "Restoration" though it was more of a revolution. This government—not afraid to use propaganda—sponsored new forms of national art and literature. These messages praised the new government, the emperor, and modernization.Tomodernize, the Meiji studied European and U.S. political structures. But their innovations weren't a total imitation. Japan's leaders developed a new form of government that mixed Western industrial styles with their own traditions and needs. They built more schools and trained people to work in and run factories. The army was also re-organized and trained with new weapons.As Meiji Japan rapidly industrialized and modernized, its rulers viewed the US and Europe as dangerous competitors. The West's increasing interference in nearby China and elsewhere had Japan on high alert. Some Meiji leaders argued that only by industrializing could Japan protect itself. This idea is often called "defensive modernization."Unfortunately, Japaneseindustry was at a disadvantage. The island country lacked many raw materials, including that very important burnable rock called coal. The goods they were able to produce faced significant tariffs—import taxes—from already industrialized countries. Determined to see growth in industry as rapidly as possible, Japan took actions more drastic than anything that had been seen in Europe or the United States. Business leaders were brought into government. Tax money was poured into industrialization. Japan aimed for new markets for its goods, and resources to make the goods. Like industrialized societies elsewhere, they created some markets by forcibly taking colonies. Korea, with both a relatively large population (potential consumers) and many natural resources,was an early target.Japan continues to be an industrial power today. However, because of its unique history, its industrial economy remains focused on very large companies. Many of them are closely tied to the country's government. So, Japan does fit into the wider model of changes to production and distribution brought in by the Industrial Revolution. However,its particular place within this system is unique.Japan’s Industrial Revolution (860L)Trevor GetzIn 1853, four modern American warships sailed into Tokyo Bay, Japan's great harbor. It was a show of power. Commodore Matthew Perry, a high-ranking Navy officer, led the ships. Perry hoped to force Japan to change
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader112its trading approach and allow American goods to be sold there. For two centuries, Japankept its national economy mostly closed off to foreign trade. But Americans were rapidly producing pots, cloth, and other goods. American businesses saw Japan as a great new market. The island's large population could be consumers of American products. While it was not an act of war, the sudden appearance of U.S. warships was certainly a bit risky.Did Perry's aggressive marketing work? This Japanese poster from 1887 gives an idea of how Japan responded to this forceful display. It teaches the Japanese versions of "fashionable English words." Japan in the late nineteenth century was already one of the most literate societies in the world. The fact that they were now learning English reveals how quickly—and intentionally—they cared about international business.The Tokugawa ShogunateSo why now? Before 1868, for about seven centuries, Japan had ruled by the Tokugawa shoguns. Japan did have an emperor, but he had little real power. Shoguns were military leaders, but some would say they acted more like dictators. They ruled over certain areas of Japan and had to keep society stable in their region. During this era, Japan had a rigid class system that put peasants at the bottom. The next highest class was for farmers and makers, also known as artisans. Above themwas a class of soldiers called samurai. The samurai served regional lords, called the daimyo. Stability was important, so the lines between classes were drawn very clearly. However, people were still able to move between classes. In fact, some peasants managed to become important lords!Japanese society also highly valued intellectual pursuits. During this time, new art, literature, early forms of comics, and philosophy emerged. Japan had more people who could read than most of the world's other regions atthis time. Literature and poems were highly prized. However, contact with the outside world was restricted. Under the Tokugawa shoguns, Europeans were only legally allowed to trade at one port, Nagasaki. (That's another reason Perry's warships in Tokyo Bay were such a shocking sight.)But Tokugawa Japan had an economic problem. The shoguns relied on taxing agriculture to keep the country going and to stay in power. The regional daimyolords and samuraihad to be paid. Over time, this tax did not produce enough money for the government. The government then decided to raise taxes on the peasants. As a result, the lower classes grew increasingly angry. This weakened the government of Japan at a critical time.Commodore Perry tried to force Japan to "do business," literally at gunpoint. Japan's leaders naturally feared a future takeover. Nearby, China was being defeated and torn apart by European states trying to force the Chinese to buy their products. This included the addictive drug, opium, which had negative and long-lasting effects on Chinese society. Leaders worried that something similar could happen in Japan if they did not modernize. They demanded military and industrial reforms. But these changes fed into the unrest already bubbling up within Japan from the peasants and samurai classes. The result was a period of political chaos. Many Japanese did not want to copy the Europeans and Americans, wishing to preserve Japanese culture and way of life. In the mid-1860s, a brief civil war broke out. The reformers wanted modernization in the style of those Western nations. Eventually, the reformers won and took power. They were called the Meiji.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader113MeijiThe new government tried to inspire popular support for their movement. They took control of the imperial palace. Japan's new leaders claimed tobe restoring the emperor to power, but they were really creating a brand new government. That's why this event is often called the Meiji "Restoration" though it was more of a revolution. The Meiji government sponsored new forms of national art and literature. Messages praising the new government, the emperor, and modernization were distributed around Japan. Such printed material and art made to advance a political idea is known as propaganda. With the goal of modernizing, the Meiji studied European and U.S. political structures. But their ideas weren't a total imitation. Japan's leaders developed a new form of government. It mixed Western industrial styles with their own traditions and needs. They built more schools, and trained people to work in and run factories. The army was re-organized and trained with new weapons.Meiji Japan rapidly industrialized and modernized. Soon its rulers looked at the United States and Europe as dangerous competitors. The West's increasing meddling in places such as China hadJapan on high alert. Some Meiji leaders argued that only by industrializing could Japan protect itself. This idea is often called "defensive modernization."Unfortunately, Japanese industry was at a disadvantage. The island country lacked many raw materials. One important material for industrializing is coal, a burnable rock. The goods Japan was able to produce faced significant tariffs—import taxes—from already industrialized countries. Determined for industry to grow as rapidly as possible, Japan took actions more drastic than anything that had been seen in Europe or the United States. Business leaders were brought into government. Tax money was poured into industrialization. Japan's leaders aimed for new markets for their goods and resources to make the goods. Like industrialized societies elsewhere, they created some markets by forcibly taking colonies. Korea was an early target: it had many natural resources and a relatively large population who could maybe become customers. Japan continues to be an industrial power today. However, because of its unique history, its industrial economy remains focused on very large companies. Many of them are closely tied to the country's government. So, Japan does fit into the wider model of changes to production and distribution brought in by the Industrial Revolution. However, its particular place within this system is unique.Japan’s Industrial Revolution (750L)Trevor GetzIn 1853, four modern American warships sailed into Tokyo Bay. The ships were led by Commodore Matthew Perry, a high-ranking Navy officer. The ships' arrival was a show of power. Perry hoped to force Japan to change its trading approach and allow American merchants to trade. For 200 years, Japan had kept its national economy closed off to the world. The Japanese rarely traded with outsiders. But Americans were rapidly producing pots, cloth, and other goods. American businesses saw Japan as a great new market. The island had a huge population. Perry's move was not necessarily an act of war. Still, suddenly bringing warships to one of Japan's largest harbors was risky.Did Perry's aggressive marketing work? Check out this Japanese poster from 1887. It gives an idea of how Japan responded to the forceful display. The poster teaches the Japanese versions of "fashionable English words." Japan in the late 1800s was already one of the world's most well-read societies. Now, they were learning English. This shows how much they now cared about international business.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader114The Tokugawa ShogunateSo why now? Before 1868, for about 700 years, Japan had been ruled by Tokugawa shoguns. There was a Japanese emperor, but he had little real power. Shoguns were military leaders who ruled over certain regions. Some would call them dictators. Their job was to keep society stable in their region.Japan had a rigid class system during this period. At the bottom were peasants. Above peasants were farmers and makers, or artisans. Above artisans and farmers was a class of soldiers called samurai. The samurai served regional lords, called the daimyo. Stability was important, so the lines between classes were drawn very clearly. However, people were still able to move between classes. In fact, some peasants managed to become important lords.Japanese society also highly valued thinking and studying. During this time, new art, literature, early forms of comics, and philosophy were constantly emerging there. Japan had more people who could read than most of the world's other regions at this time. Literature and poems were highly prized. However, contact with the outside world was restricted. Under the Tokugawa shoguns, Europeans were only ever legally allowed to trade at one port, Nagasaki. (That's another reason Perry's warships in Tokyo Bay were such a shocking sight.)But Tokugawa Japan had an economic problem. The shoguns relied on taxing agriculture to keep the country going and to stay in power. It was especially because the regional daimyolords and samuraihad to be paid. Over time, this did not produce enough money for the government. The only way to keep things going was to raise taxes on the peasants. As a result, they were increasingly angry. This weakened the government of Japan at a critical time.Commodore Perry tried to force Japan to "do business." Japan's leaders naturally feared a future takeover. Nearby, China was being torn apart by European states forcing the Chinese to buy Western products. This included opium, a drug that had bad effects on Chinese society. Japan's leaders worried that something similar could happen in Japan if the country did not modernize. Military and industrial reforms were put in place to prepare for defense against Europe. But these changes made some problems worse. Unrest had already been building within the peasant and samurai classes. The result of these changes was a period of political chaos. Many Japanese argued against copying the Europeans and Americans. They wished to preserve Japanese culture and way of life. In the mid-1860s, a brief civil war broke out. The reformers wanted modernization in the style of those Western nations. Eventually, the reformers won and took power. They were called the Meiji.MeijiThe new government quickly tried to gain support from the Japanese people. The Meiji took control of the emperor's palace. The new leaders claimed they were only restoring the emperor to power. But they were really creating a brand new government. That's why this event is often called the Meiji "Restoration." Really, though, it was more of a revolution. The Meiji government promoted new forms of national art and literature. Messages praising the new government, the Emperor, and modernization were distributed across Japan. Such printed material and art that is made to spread a political idea is known as propaganda. To modernize, they quickly studied European and U.S. political systems. But their ideas weren't an exact copy. Japan's leaders created a new form of government. It mixed Western industrial styles with their own traditions and needs. They built more schools. They trained people to work in and run factories. The army was reorganized and given new weapons.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader115Meiji Japan quickly industrialized and modernized. Soon its rulers looked at the United States and Europe as dangerous rivals. The West's increasing meddling in places likeChina made Japan nervous. Some Meiji leaders said that Japan could only protect itself by industrializing. This idea is often called "defensive modernization."Unfortunately, Japanese industry was at a disadvantage. The island country lacked many raw materials. Japan was lacking coal, for example, a burnable rock. The goods they were able to produce faced high tariffs—import taxes—from already industrialized countries. Still, Japan was determined that its industry grow as fast as possible. So the nation took extreme actions. Business leaders were brought into government. Tax money was poured into the building of industry. Japan aimed for new markets for its goods and resources to make the goods. Like industrialized societies elsewhere, it created some markets by forcefully taking colonies. Korea was an early target. It had many natural resources and a large population to buy Japanese products. Japan continues to be an industrial power today. However, its industrial economy remains focused on large companies. Many of these companies are closely tied to the country's government. So, Japan does fit into the wider model of changes to production and distribution brought in by the Industrial Revolution. But its particular place within this system is unique.Japan’s Industrial Revolution (620L)Trevor GetzIn 1853, four American warships sailed into Japan's Tokyo Bay. They were led by Commodore Matthew Perry. He was a high-ranking Navy officer. Perry wanted Japan to change its views on trading with other countries. For 200 years, Japan had closed off its national economy. There was little trade with outsiders. But Americans were making pots, cloth, and other goods. They needed places to sell these products. American businesses saw Japan as a great new market. It had a huge population. Perry's move was not actually an act of war. Still, bringing warships into Japan's harbor was risky.Did Perry's bold move work? Check out this Japanese poster from 1887. It gives an idea of how Japan responded to the forceful action. The poster teaches Japanese translations of "fashionable English words." Japan in the late 1800s was already one of the most literate societies. Now, they were learning English. This shows that they truly cared about international business.The Tokugawa ShogunateSo why now? Before 1868, Japan had been ruled by Tokugawa shoguns. Tokugawa Japan lasted for about 700 years. There was an emperor, but he had little power. The shoguns were military leaders who ruled over certain areas. Their job was to keep society stable in their region.Japan also had a rigid class system during this period. Peasants were at the bottom. Above the peasants were farmers and makers, or artisans. Above the farmers and makers was a class of soldiers. These soldiers were called samurai. The samurai served regional lords called the daimyo. Remaining stable was important, so the lines between classes were drawn very clearly. However, people were still able to move between classes. In fact, some peasants became important lords!
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader116Japanese society highly valued culture and intelligence. Poems and literature had great importance. New art, writings, and early forms of comics were created. Japan had more people who could read than most of the world. However, Japan cut off contact with the outside world. The Tokugawa shoguns only let Europeans trade at one port: Nagasaki. (That is what made the arrival of Perry's warships in Tokyo Bay extra shocking.)But Tokugawa Japan had an economic problem. The shoguns relied on taxing agriculture goods. The tax helped the shoguns to stay in power. The regional daimyolords and samuraihad to be paid too. Over time, this tax did not produce enough money. There was only one way to get money. The government raised taxes on the peasants. As a result, the poor got increasingly angry. Their unrest weakened the government of Japan.Perry tried to force Japan to "do business." Japan's leaders feared a future takeover. Nearby, China was being torn apart by European states. Europeans were forcing the Chinese to buy Western products. One example was the drug, opium. Opium had bad effects on Chinese society. The Japanese worried that something similar could happen in Japan. So, it seemed they should modernize.Japan's leaders demanded military and industrial changes. This would prepare for defense against Europe. Butthese changes made existing problems worse. Unrest had already been bubbling up within Japan. Peasants and samurai classes were still angry. Soon came a period of political troubles. Many Japanese people argued against copying the Europeans and Americans.They wished to preserve the Japanese way of life.In the mid-1860s, a brief civil war broke out. The reformers wanted a modern society. Eventually, the reformer group won and took power. They were called the Meiji.MeijiThe new government tried to gain support quickly. It took control of the emperor's palace. Japan's new leaders claimed to be restoring the emperor's power. But truthfully, they were creating a new government. That is why this event is often called the Meiji "Restoration." Really, though, it was more of a revolution. This government promoted new forms of national art and literature. Such material is called propaganda. Messages were handed out praising the new government, the emperor, and modernization. The Meiji studied European and U.S. political structures. But their ideas were not total copies. Japan's leaders mixed Western industrial styles with their own traditions and needs. They built schools. They trained people to work in and run factories. They re-organized and trained the army. Soldiers got new weapons.Meiji Japan quickly industrialized. Soon its rulers saw Western countries as dangerous opponents. The West's impact on places like China made Japan nervous. Some Meiji leaders argued Japan could only protect itself by industrializing. This idea is often called "defensive modernization."Unfortunately, Japanese businesses had another problem. The island country lacked many raw materials. For example, it did not have coal. Coal is a source of fuel. Japan was able to sell some goods to other countries. However, these goods were given high tariffs from other modern countries. These tariffs, or import taxes, were costly for Japan.Still, Japan hoped its industry would grow as fast as possible. So the nation made major changes. Business leaders entered the government. Tax money funded industrialization. Japan aimed for new markets for their
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader117goods. The leaders also looked for new places to get resources. Like other powerful nations, they forcibly took some colonies. Korea was an early target.It had many natural resources. The Korean population was also fairly large. Koreans could become future customers. Today, Japan is still an industrial power. However, its industrial economy remains focused on very large companies. Many companies are closely tied to the country's government. The Industrial Revolution created a new model of producing and shipping out goods. However, Japan does not totally fit into that wider model. Its particular place within this system is unlike other states.Egypt’s Short-lived Industrial RevolutionDuring the nineteenth century, Egypt became a major producer of cotton and embarked on a process of building an industrialized economy. However, Egypt's industrialization ultimately failed, for reasons that are still debated.Egypt’s Short-lived Industrial Revolution (1090L)Trevor GetzIn the early nineteenth century, Egypt connected two vast, overlapping regions. One was the enormous empire of the Ottoman Sultans. The other was the even larger African continent. Both were immense zones of trade and interaction. But both were also struggling to find their place in a world that was industrializing faster than anyone expected.For centuries, the Ottoman Empire had been at the center of Eurasian trade that flowed between east and west. It had also been a major center of manufacturing. Workshops in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and other parts of the empire produced handmade goods that were frequently in great demand in Europe and Africa, in particular.But the industrialization of Europe meant that cheaper, machine-made goods soon flooded into the Ottoman Empire. These goods also went to regions that had once purchased Ottoman goods. The result of this sudden competition was increasing unemployment and de-industrialization. Production in much of Africa, meanwhile, had fallen after centuries of the Atlantic slave trade. Africa was increasingly seen as a place that provided resources and raw materials to European factories, not a place that could have factories of its own.But Egypt was an African country that was technically still part of the Ottoman Empire. So in the early nineteenth century, when a new Egyptian ruler wanted to rapidly industrialize, he had to carefully figure out how to work with the Ottoman sultans andthe big European powers. And, of course, he couldn't ignore the Egyptian people either.Muhammad Ali and Egypt's industrial expansionThis ruler, Muhammad Ali, was appointed to control Ottoman forces in Egypt at a pretty rough time. Egypt had recently suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the French army of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1798. With British help, the Ottoman forces eventually drove the French out of Egypt. Following this, Ali managed
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader118to bring about Egyptian independence from the Ottoman Empire ineverything but name. Ali put in motion a campaign of modernization, beginning with his military. He required Egyptian peasants to enlist, hired European advisers, and bought modern weapons. By 1831, he was effectively an independent ruler of a stronger, more modern Egypt.Egypt's rural elite had ideas of their own. Ali skillfully kept them happy by restoring many Egyptian traditions and also encouraged a sense of a shared Egyptian identity across society. But he also introduced many changes in order to modernize Egypt's economy. Egypt was already a small-scale producer of cotton, which was sold to Britain, where British factories would turn it into cloth. Ali encouraged even more cotton production in Egypt. This changed life for most Egyptian peasants. Theywere used to working much of the year to grow food, but always got to rest in winter. After the 1810s, men, women and children still labored to grow food in summer and fall, and then in winter they were forced into cotton production.Using the money from this cotton production, Ali's government then began to sponsor factories so that Egypt could profit from its own industrialization. These factories processed cotton into clothing—beginning with the uniforms for the new military—but also produced foods and some other goods. By the late 1840s, it looked like Egypt would eventually become an industrial power. However, the Egyptian economy slowly declined in the second half of the nineteenth century. The factories stopped producing, and by the 1880s, Egypt was deep in debt to Britain. So in debt, actually, that British banks and "advisers" were calling the shots. Though Egypt remained technically independent, the reality was that now it functioned more like a British colony than a sovereign state.What went wrong? Three explanations...One explanation for the collapse of the Egyptian economy was a failure of leadership. Muhammad Ali was succeeded by members of his family, but some scholars argue they were not very effective rulers. Their focus on cotton production at the expense of other crops meant that Egypt had to rely on a single export. They lived lives of great pomp and luxury, spending extravagantly while borrowing money from European banks. These banks used this debt to influence Egypt's leaders, and eventually came to dictate much of Egypt's policy.A second explanation for Egypt's failure was environmental. They didn't have the coal resources Britain and Europe had, so Egyptian factories ran on animal power. Donkeys, or other strong creatures, had to be harnessed to mechanisms that turned the mills and other machines that automated the work. This system was more expensive and less efficient than burning coal.A third explanation was that Egyptian industry was purposefully driven into the ground by countries that also made cloth and didn't want the competition. Most of the big industrial countries, like Britain and France, had put tariffs (import taxes) on imported cloth in order to help their own industries. This meant Egypt could not sell to them at a competitive price. But these countries had also forbidden the Ottoman Empire, and hence Egypt, from putting tariffs on European goods. Egyptian factories just could not match their low prices.Reform and traditionIn this difficult economic climate, the Egyptianpeople had a problem similar to what many nations faced during industrialization. Some looked for solutions in modernizing, or becoming more like Europeans, while others wanted to return to their Islamic roots. Some Egyptians believed Western-inspired reforms could still function within an Islamic framework, as a kind of middle ground. One scholar, Jamal al-Din al-Afghani, argued that Islam could be modernized and mixed with democracy. He was joined by Abd al-Rahman al-
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader119Jabarti, an intellectual born to a family of Muslim scholars. Al-Jabarti studied the French when they invaded and wrote about French ideas that were worth adopting, and others that he thought should be rejected.Still another was Rifa'a al-Tahtawi. A young religious leader, or imam, al-Tahtawi traveled to France to study military and scientific technology in order to start a new university in Cairo. He studied geometry, physics and math. Upon his return, he argued these ideas were entirely compatible with Islam. But he criticized French scholars for being too secular, or non-religious, and argued that religion was necessary for the proper and thoughtful use of science.Meanwhile, Europeans kept meddling in Egypt. One reason was the Suez Canal, built between 1859 and 1869. Because it connected the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea's Gulf of Suez, the canal was an extremely valuable shortcut for European powers to access their colonial empires. They all wanted control over it.Egypt's leaders could not agree on how to deal with the challenge of European intervention. They were already stressed from the industrial collapse that left their country bankrupt. Eventually, in 1875, the king sold his shares in the Suez Canal Company to the British, giving them control of this important national resource. A group of Egyptian military officers were not pleased. Led by Colonel Ahmad Urabi, they took control of Egypt's government in 1881, as a new nationalist leadership. But the powerful British took advantage of this turmoil and instability and seized the country. They restored the king, but only as a puppet ruler they could control. Thus, Egypt's industrialization and actual independence had both been ended by 1882. Egypt did not become an industrialized nation-state until much, much later–and on worse terms–than Muhammad Ali had planned.Author BioTrevor Getz is a professor of African and world history at San Francisco State University. He has been the author or editor of 11 books, including the award-winning graphic history Abina and the Important Men, and has coproduced several prize-winning documentaries.Trevor is also the author of A Primer for Teaching African History, which explores questions about how we should teach the history of Africa in high school and university classes.Egypt’s Short-lived Industrial Revolution (950L)Trevor GetzIn the early nineteenth century, Egypt connected the enormous empire of the Ottoman Sultans with the even larger African continent. The Ottoman Empire included parts of modern-day Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Both were immense zones of trade and interaction. However, they were both struggling to find their place in a world that was industrializing faster than anyone expected.For centuries, the Ottoman Empire had been at the center of trade in Eurasia. It had alsobeen a major center of manufacturing. The empire produced handmade goods that were in great demand in Europe and Africa, in particular.Soon, the Ottomans faced competition. Europe had begun industrializing, and its cheaper, machine-made goods became a competition for the Ottoman Empire. This caused increased unemployment and de-industrialization in the empire. Meanwhile, the production of goods in much of Africa also fell after centuries of slavery. Africa was seen as a place full of materials that could be offered to European factories, but not a place that could have its own factories.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader120Muhammad Ali and Egypt's industrial expansionEgypt, however, was an African country that was technically still part of the Ottoman Empire. In the early nineteenth century, a new Egyptian ruler named Muhammad Ali wanted to rapidly industrialize. He had to carefully figure out how to work with the Ottoman sultans, the big European powers and the Egyptian people.Ali was appointed to control Ottoman forces in Egypt at a pretty rough time. Egypt had recently suffered a crushing defeat to the French army in 1798. With British help, the Ottoman forces eventually drove the French out of Egypt. After the war, Egypt was still technically part of the Ottoman Empire. In reality, though, it was an independent state led by Ali. Ali set up a plan to modernize Egypt, starting with the military. He required Egyptian peasants to enlist, hired European advisers, and bought modern weapons. By 1831, he was effectively an independent ruler of astronger, more modern Egypt.Egypt's rural elite disagreed with modernizing. Ali kept wealthy Egyptian leaders happy by maintaining many Egyptian traditions. However, he also made changes to modernize Egypt's economy. Egypt already produced small quantities of cotton that were sold to British cloth factories. Ali encouraged even more cotton production in Egypt. This changed life for most Egyptian peasants. They were used to working in the spring and summer and resting in the winter. With Ali's changes, peasants were forced to spend their winters producing cotton. Ali's government used this money from cotton production to make factories. These factories processed cotton into clothing, but also made foods and some other goods. This helped Egypt profit from its own industrialization. By the late 1840s, it looked like Egypt would eventually become an industrial power. But by the 1850s, Egypt's economy began to decline. The factories stopped producing. By the 1880s, Egypt was so in debt to Britain that British banks had basically taken over the country. Egypt was technically independent, but the country was functioning more as a British colony.What went wrong? Three explanations...One explanation for the collapse of the Egyptian economy was a failure of leadership. Members of Ali's family took over after his death, but some experts argue they were not very effective rulers. Their focus was largely on cotton production. This meant that Egypt had to rely on a single export, which could be dangerous if the cotton crops failed. They also borrowed money from European banks to support their luxurious lifestyles. These banks used this debt to influence Egypt's leaders and government.A second explanation for Egypt's failure was environmental. It didn't have the coal resources Britain and Europe had, so Egyptian factories ran their machines using donkeys and other animals. This system was more expensive and less efficient than burning coal.A third explanation was that other countries purposely destroyed the Egyptian industry. These countries also made cloth and did not want Egypt as their competition. Some of these countries taxed imports of Egyptian cloth, meaning Egypt could not sell to them at a competitive price. At the same time, the European countries forbid the Ottoman Empire from taxing European goods. In the end, Egyptian factories could not match their low prices. Reform and traditionIn this difficult economic climate, the Egyptian people had a problem similar to what many nations faced during industrialization. Some looked to modernize and become more like Europeans. Others wanted to
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader121return to their Islamic roots. Some Egyptian thinkers believed there was a middle ground between European and Islamic traditions. One thinker was Rifa'a al-Tahtawi. He was a young Islamic religious leader called an imam. Al-Tahtawi studied in France in order to start a new university in Cairo. Al-Tahtawi believed European beliefs about science and the military could work with Islam. However, he thought the French were not religious enough and argued that religion was necessary to properly use science.Meanwhile, Europeans kept meddling in Egypt. One reason was the Suez Canal, built between 1859 and 1869. The canal cut across Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea's Gulf of Suez. European powers wanted to control the canal because it was a shortcut to access their colonies.Egypt's leaders could not agree on how to deal with European involvement. They were already stressed from the industrial collapse that left their country with no money. In 1875, the king sold his portion of the Suez Canal Company to the British, giving them control of this important national resource. Several Egyptian military officers were not pleased and took control of Egypt's government in1881. The powerful British took advantage of this turmoil and instability and seized the country. They restored the king, but only as a puppet ruler they could control. By 1882, Egypt's industrialization and independence had come to an end. Egypt did not become an industrialized nation-state until much, much later. Even then, it happened on much worse terms than Muhammad Ali had originally planned.Egypt’s Short-lived Industrial Revolution (830L)Trevor GetzIn the early 1800s, Egypt connected the enormousOttoman Empire with the even larger African continent. The Ottoman Empire included parts of modern-day Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Both were huge areas of trade. However, they were both struggling to find their place in a rapidly industrializing world. For centuries, the Ottoman Empire had been at the center of trade in Eurasia. It also was an important manufacturing center for popular handmade goods. Soon, the Ottomans faced competition. Europe had begun industrializing. Their cheaper, machine-made goods became a competition for the Ottoman Empire. This caused increased unemployment and de-industrialization in the empire. Meanwhile, production in much of Africa had fallen after centuries of the Atlantic slave trade. Africa was seen as a place forcollecting materials for European factories, not a place for factories themselves.Muhammad Ali and Egypt's industrial expansionEgypt, however, was an African country that was still part of the Ottoman Empire. In the early nineteenth century, a new Egyptian ruler named Muhammad Ali wanted to quickly industrialize. He had to figure out how to work with the Ottoman sultans and the big European powers. He also could not ignore the Egyptian people. Ali was given control of the Ottoman forces in Egypt at a pretty rough time. Egypt had recently suffered a crushing defeat during a war with France. Eventually, Britain helped to push the French out of Egypt. After the war, Egypt was still technically part of the Ottoman Empire. In reality, though, Ali made it an independent state. Ali set up a plan to modernize Egypt. He began with the military. He required Egyptian
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader122peasants to enlist, hired European advisers, and bought modern weapons. By 1831, he was an independent ruler of a stronger, more modern Egypt.Some wealthy Egyptian leaders disagreed with modernizing. Ali kept these leaders happy by maintaining many Egyptian traditions. At the same time, he began modernizing Egypt's economy. Egypt already produced small quantities of cotton that were sold to British cloth factories. Ali encouraged even more cotton production in Egypt. This changed life for most Egyptian peasants. Peasants usually grew cotton in the summer and fall and then rested in the winter. Now, they were forced to spend their winters growing cotton. Ali's government used this money from cotton production to make factories. These factories produced clothing, food and other goods. This would help Egypt profit from its own industrialization. By the late 1840s, it looked like Egypt would eventually become an industrial power. But by the 1850s, Egypt's economy began to decline. The factories stopped producing. By the 1880s, Egypt was in serious debt to British banks. Egypt was technically independent. In reality, the British banks were in control and the country was functioning like a British colony.What went wrong? Three explanations...One explanation for the collapse of the Egyptian economy was a failure of leadership. Members of Ali's family took over after his death, but some experts argue they were notvery effective rulers. Most of their money came from cotton. This was dangerous if cotton crops failed. They also borrowed money from European banks to support their luxurious lifestyles. These banks used this debt to influence Egypt's government.A second explanation for Egypt's failure was environmental. Egypt didn't have the coal resources Britain and Europe had. As a result, Egyptian factories had to run their machines using donkeys and other animals. This system was more expensive and less efficient than burning coal.A third explanation was that other countries purposely destroyed the Egyptian industry. These countries also made cloth. They did not want Egypt as their competition. They began taxing Egyptian cloth coming into their countries, making Egyptian products more expensive. At the same time, they forbid Egypt from taxing their products. In the end, Egyptian factories just could not match low European prices. Reform and traditionIn this difficult economic climate, the Egyptian people had a problem similar to what many nations faced during industrialization. Some looked to modernize and become more like Europeans. Others wanted to return to their Islamic roots. Some Egyptian thinkers believed there was a middle ground between European and Islamic traditions. One thinker was Rifa'a al-Tahtawi. Al-Tahtawi believed European beliefs about science and the military could work with Islam. However, he thought the French were not religious enough, and argued that religion was necessary to properly use science.Meanwhile, Europeans kept meddling in Egypt. One reason was the Suez Canal, built between 1859 and 1869. The canal cut across Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea's Gulf of Suez. European powers wanted to control the canal because it was a shortcut to their colonies.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader123Egypt's leaders could not agree on how to deal with European involvement. They were already stressed after the cotton industry fell apart, leaving the country with no money. In 1875, the king sold his portion of the Suez Canal Company to the British. This gave the British control of an important national resource. A group of Egyptian military officers were not pleased and took control of Egypt's government in 1881. The powerful British took advantage of this chaotic moment and seized the country. They restored the king, but only as a puppet ruler that they could control. By 1882, Egypt's industrialization and independence had come to an end. Egypt did not become an industrialized nation-state until much, much later. Even then, it happened on much worse terms than Muhammad Ali had originally planned.Egypt’s Short-lived Industrial Revolution (740L)Trevor GetzIn the early 1800s, Egypt connected the enormous Ottoman Empire with the African continent. The OttomanEmpire included parts of modern-day Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Both were huge areas of trade. However, they were both struggling in a rapidly industrializing world. For hundreds of years, the Ottoman Empire was at the center of trade in Eurasia.It also was an important center for handmade goods. Soon, the Ottomans faced competition. Europe had begun industrializing. Europe’s cheaper, machine-made goods became a competition for the Ottoman Empire. This caused a loss of jobs and factories in the empire. Meanwhile, production in much of Africa had fallen. This happened after centuries of the Atlantic slave trade. Africa was seen as a place for collecting materials for European factories, not a place for factories themselves. Muhammed Ali and Egypt's industrial expansionEgypt is an African country. However, at that time it was still part of the Ottoman Empire. In the early 1800s, a new Egyptian ruler wanted to quickly industrialize. His name was Muhammad Ali. Ali had to figure out how to work with the Ottoman leaders, the big European powers and the Egyptian people.Ali was given control of the Ottoman forces in Egypt at a pretty rough time. Egypt had recently lost a war with France. Eventually, Britain helped to push the French out of Egypt. After the war, Egypt was still technically part of the Ottoman Empire. In reality, Ali made it an independent state. Ali set up a plan to modernize Egypt. He started with the military. He required peasants to enlist and bought modern weapons. By 1831, he was basically Egypt's ruler.Some wealthy Egyptian leaders disagreed with modernizing. Ali kept these leaders happy by maintaining many Egyptian traditions. At the same time, he began modernizing Egypt's economy. Egypt already sold some cotton to British cloth factories. Ali encouraged even more cotton production in Egypt. This changed life for most Egyptian peasants. They were used to resting during the winter. Now, they were forced to spend their winters growing cotton. Ali's government used this money from cotton production to make factories. These factories made clothing, food and other goods. This would help Egypt make more money. By the late 1840s, it looked like Egypt would eventually become an industrial power. However, Egypt's economy began to decline soon after. The
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader124factories stopped producing. By the 1880s, Egypt was in serious debt to British banks. Egypt was technically independent. In reality, Egypt was being controlled by British banks.What went wrong? Three explanations...Bad leadership is one explanation for the failure of the Egyptian economy. Members of Ali's family took over after his death. Some experts argue they were not very good rulers. They depended too much on cotton for money. They also borrowed money from European banks to support their luxurious lifestyles. These banks used this debt to influence Egypt's government.A second explanation for Egypt's failure was environmental. They didn't have the coal resources Britain and Europe had. As a result, Egyptian factories ran their machines using animals. This system was more expensive and less efficient than burning coal.A third explanation has to do with European countries. Some countries may have destroyed the Egyptian industry on purpose. They did not want competition from Egyptian cloth factories. European countries began taxing imports of Egyptian cloth. At the same time, they forbid Egypt from taxing European products. The price of Egyptian cloth went way up. In the end, Egyptian factories just could not match low European prices. Reformand traditionIndustrialization caused cultural challenges in Egypt. Some looked to modernize and become more like Europeans. Others wanted to return to their Islamic roots. Some Egyptian thinkers believed there was a middle ground between European and Islamic traditions. One thinker was Rifa'a al-Tahtawi. Al-Tahtawi believed European beliefs about science and the military could work with Islam. However, he thought religion was necessary to properly use science.Meanwhile, Europeans kept meddling in Egypt. One reason was the Suez Canal. The canal cut across Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. European powers wanted to control the canal because it was a shortcut to their colonies.Egypt's leaders could not agree on how to deal with European involvement. They had already lost all their money when the cotton industry fell apart. In 1875, the king sold his portion of the Suez Canal Company to the British. This gave the British control of an important national resource. An unhappy group of Egyptian military officers then took control of Egypt's government. The British took advantage of this chaotic moment and seized the country. They brought back the king, but only as a puppet ruler they could control. By 1882, Egypt's industrialization and independence had come to an end. Egypt did not become an industrialized nation-state until much later. This time, industrialization happened in a much worse way than Muhammad Ali planned.Egypt’s Short-lived Industrial Revolution (590L)Trevor GetzIn the early 1800s, Egypt connected the enormous Ottoman Empire with the African continent. The Ottoman Empire included parts of modern-day Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Both were huge areas of trade. However, they began struggling.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader125Europe had begun industrializing. It was making cheaper, machine-made goods. Europe became a competition for the Ottoman Empire. Many people in the empire lost their jobs. Factories closed down. Production in Africa had also fallen. This was due to centuries of the Atlantic slave trade. Africa was seen as a place for collecting materials. It was not seen as a place for building factories. Muhammed Ali And Egypt's industrial expansionEgypt is an African country. However, at that time it was part of the Ottoman Empire. In the early1800s, a new Egyptian ruler wanted to quickly industrialize. His name was Muhammad Ali. Ali had to work with Ottoman leaders, European powers and the Egyptian people.Ali was given control of the Ottoman forces in Egypt. This happened during a rough time. Egypt had just lost a war with France. Eventually, Britain helped push the French out of Egypt. After the war, Egypt was technically still part of the Ottoman Empire. In reality, Ali made it an independent state. Ali wanted to industrialize the country. He started with the military. He forced peasants to enlist. He also bought modern weapons. By 1831, he was the ruler of a much more modern Egypt. Some wealthy Egyptian leaders did not want to modernize. Ali kept these leaders happy by maintaining many Egyptian traditions. At the same time, he began modernizing Egypt's economy. Egypt already sold some cotton to British cloth factories. Ali encouraged even more cotton production. This changed life for most Egyptian peasants. Peasants were forced to spend their winters growing cotton. Before, they had rested in the winter. Ali's government also started creating factories. These factories made clothing, food and other goods.This helped Egypt profit from its own industrialization. By the late 1840s, looked like Egypt would become an industrial power. However, Egypt's economy soon began to decline. The factories stopped producing. Egypt got into serious debt with British banks. Egypt was still independent. However, Egypt was being controlled by British banks. What went wrong? Three explanations...Three things help explain why Egypt's industrialization failed. Bad leadership is one of them. Ali's family took over after his death. Some experts say they were not good rulers. They depended too much on cotton for money. The rulers also borrowed money from European banks. This money helped them live a luxurious lifestyle. The banks used this debt to influence Egypt's government.A second explanation for Egypt's failure was environmental. They didn't have as much coal as the Europeans. Egyptian factories moved their machines using animals. This system was less efficient than burning coal.A third explanation is European competition. European countries tried to ruin the Egyptian industry on purpose. They did not want the competition. European countries began taxing imports of Egyptian cloth. They also forbid Egypt from taxing European products. The price of Egyptian cloth went up. Egyptian factories could not match low European prices. Reform and traditionIndustrialization caused cultural challenges in Egypt. Some Egyptians wanted to modernize. They thought they should become more like Europeans. Others wanted to return to their Islamic roots. Some Egyptian thinkers thought Egypt could have both European and Islamic traditions.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader126Meanwhile, Europeans kept meddling in Egypt. One reason was the Suez Canal. The canal cut across Egypt. It connected the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. European powers wanted to control the canal because it was a shortcut to their colonies.Egypt's leaders disagreed on what to do with Europe. They had already lost all their money. The king sold his portion of the Suez Canal Company to the British. This gave the British control of an important resource. Some Egyptian military officers did not like this decision. In response, they took control of Egypt's government. The British took advantage of this chaotic moment. They seized control of the country. The British brought back the king. However, he was just a puppet ruler they could control. By 1882, Egypt was no longer independent. Industrialization came to an end. Egypt did not become an industrialized nation-state until much later. This time, industrialization happened in a much worse way than Muhammad Ali planned.Industrial Imperialism, the “New” ImperialismImperialism was only truly new 4,500 years ago (shout out to the Akkadians). But it got a surprising revival when some parts of the world industrialized. Several factors led to this "new" imperialism.Industrial Imperialism, the “New” Imperialism (1130L)Trevor GetzThe world in 1880 was made of both nation-states and empires. As you have already learned, once the idea of sovereignty seemed achievable, it went viral. People around the world were increasingly driven by a nationalistic feeling to have their own countries (nation-states). This meant that some empires were slowly breaking up. At the same time, many great imperial powers still held on to colonies, as in South Asia and the Caribbean. Nearly all the industrialized states had hit the pause button on empire expansion by this time, happy to stick with what they already had. But in 1880, that changed faster than you could say "production and distribution."Suddenly, vast regions of the world were colonized by empires that were, once again, growing. For instance, in 1880, the enormous continent of Africa was still mostly made up of independent states and societies. By 1914, Ethiopia and Liberia were the only two independent states left. The rest of the continent was colonized, divided between Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, and Spain. Meanwhile, mainland southeast Asia was conquered, mostly by France. Many Pacific Islands were occupied bythe United States, Japan, Germany, France, and Britain. Korea was subjugated (conquered) by Japan. This rapid expansion of colonization around 1880 is often called "New Imperialism". What happened in the last decades of the nineteenth century to cause this rapid change?Was the "New" Imperialism actually new?The first question we must ask about the "New Imperialism" is this: what was new about it?Now, to begin to answer that question, we have to define some rather messy terms. The first is imperialism and the second is colonialism. These two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are actually
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader127different. Both occur in empire, which is a third term we have to define (although we have actually defined it before!).Empires are states made up of many communities, where one community has control over, and more rights than, the others. Imperialism is a term used to describe the ideas, beliefs, and actions that one group uses to justify and hold control over the others. Colonialism is the experience ofthe other groups who are being ruled. But again, these last two terms are, in practice, sometimes used interchangeably.Now, empires go back thousands of years in world history! They divided people into a community of citizens with rights, and communitiesof subjects, with few or none. They also divided their territory into multiple states and regions. These empires had one ruler or ruling body controlling these different people and regions. They did it then, and they did it again in the late nineteenth century, so we're still not seeing the "new" part.In fact, when we look closely at the empires of the "New Imperialism", we see that they were partly modeled on earlier empires. For example, Britain ran their new colonies in Africa in much the same way as they'd been running their massive colony in India for a century. Even more astoundingly, Britain's policies and procedures for managing India (a region far larger than Britain itself) were partly based on strategies the Mughal Empire had used to control India over a hundred years earlier. For example, the British model of "indirect rule" in their new African colonies—finding local allies and paying them to do most of the governing—was based on similar practices they had learned from the Mughals in South Asia.Some British methods of ruling the new colonies were influenced by even older policies they had created to rule their North American and Caribbean colonies in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries!Nevertheless, many factors led to this unprecedented version of empire expansion after the 1880s. There were technologies, ideas, and beliefs that gave Europeans, and the inhabitants of a few other countries, a motive and justification for constructing empires. Many of these were new, and certainly their combination was new, and so we call this a "New Imperialism".Why did the "New" Imperialism happen?In 1865, a British parliamentary committee recommended that Britain pull back from some of its colonies, rather than expanding. By the 1880s, however, this stance had been reversed. Britain was rapidly trying to build a bigger empire, alongside other industrial powers. Why were they—and many other industrialized nations—suddenly so eager for more colonies?In seeking to understand the emergence of this New Imperialism, historians look at many factors, not just one. It's not that historians are indecisive or love writing long essays. It's just that, as with so many topics throughout history, there are numerous causes. They play off each other in important ways. The changing elements include technology, industrialization and capitalism, racism, nationalism, and... something else.1.Technology:Before the late nineteenth century, European states (and Japan) couldn't conquer much of the tropical world. They were held back by disease, sure. But also there were large, organized societies in many of these regions that were pretty well armed with low-tech, but effective weapons. Even if invaders had been able to take vast areas, slow communications systems would have made ruling them too difficult. All that changed when several new technologies appeared. New medicines made it possible for Europeans and white Americans to survive malaria and other tropical diseases.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader128The machine gun and other new weapons gave conquerors a big military advantage. Telegraphs, trains, and steamships reinvented communications and travel, making it much easier to rule bigger empires.2.Industrialization and capitalism:This high-tech wave had been born mostly out of industrialization, giving Europe, the United States, and Japan these big advantages. But before you give credit to industrialization for solving problems, it's a good idea to look at the problems it created. The growth of factories in industrialized countries meant that their businesses had an increasing demand for raw materials. Korea, the African continent, and Southeast Asia had almost no factories, but plenty of raw materials. Since imperialists were also capitalists for the most part, they needed customers for all this great new stuff they were making. They went for a kind of two-for-one deal by conquering territories that could provide the raw materials they needed, and a population who would then buy their finished products.3.Racism:Existing misconceptions about race, many of which emerged with the Atlantic slave trade, were becoming even more solidified in this era. Many people within these big imperial powers believed it was their right to rule over people they thought were inferior. Within their own societies, there was already some level of racial segregation. For example, in the United States at this time, post-slavery Jim Crow laws tried to reduce the freedoms and rights of African Americans. When applying these superior/inferior racist ideas to ruling people overseas, some even justified their invasions as if they were doing a favor. They viewed empire expansion as a "civilizing mission" to improve the lives of the "uncivilized" and "inferior" people they conquered.4.Nationalism:You may remember that nationalism began with the idea that all people (the "nation") should have the right to rule themselves through their own government (the "state"). But nationalism could be twisted to the idea that one's own nation was superior to other nations, and had a right to rule over them (see "racism", above). It could also create a competitive attitude among nations. In this era, in particular, nationalism pushed the governments of Britain, France, Germany, and other European powers to compete, first in Europe and then around the world. Nationalism motivated imperialists to take new colonies before their competitors could.5."Men-on-the-spot":This term was created when writers paid less attention to women in history, but in hindsight it may not be an achievement you'd want on your résumé anyway. Everything we have mentioned so far was the result of big trends in the organization of societies. But sometimes, power shifted because of one person or a few people. In some cases, new colonies were carved out because a general or a businessman who had employees with guns just went out and grabbed some new territory, often because they were greedy or wanted glory, and there was no one there to stop them. This happened more often than you might think!Each of these factors played a role in the NewImperialism. The big, global trend that had industrial powers rushing to claim new colonies depended on the interaction of these factors each time a new colony was created. For example, a typical "man-on-the-spot" likely used new weapons (technology) to conquer people he thought were inferior (racism) to expand his business (industrialism/capitalism) and be politically rewarded back home for making his country proud (nationalism).The situation in those colonies was also influenced by local factors. How much were locals organized to resist colonialism? How did they react? What was the environment like? What did the people choose to do? As we will see soon, these issues also played a role in the New Imperialism.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader129Author BioTrevor Getz is a professor of African and world history at San Francisco State University. He has been the author or editor of 11 books, including the award-winning graphic history Abina and the Important Men, and has coproduced several prize-winning documentaries.Trevor is also the author of A Primer for Teaching African History, which explores questions about how we should teach the history of Africa in high school and university classes.Industrial Imperialism, the “New” Imperialism (1030L)Trevor GetzThe world in 1880 was made of both nation-states and empires. As you have already learned, once the idea of sovereignty seemed achievable, it went viral. People around the world were increasingly driven by a nationalistic feeling to have their own countries (nation-states). This meant that some empires were slowly breaking up. At the same time, many great imperial powers still held on to colonies. This was true in South Asia and the Caribbean. Nearly all the industrialized states had hit the pause button onempire expansion by this time, happy to stick with what they already had. But in 1880, that changed faster than you could say "production and distribution."Suddenly, vast regions of the world were colonized by empires that were, once again, growing. For instance, in 1880, the enormous continent of Africa was still mostly made up of independent states and societies. By 1914, Ethiopia and Liberia were the only two independent states left. The rest of the continent was colonized, divided between Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, and Spain. Meanwhile, mainland southeast Asia was conquered, mostly by France. Many Pacific Islands were occupied by the United States, Japan, Germany, France, and Britain. Korea was subjugated (conquered) by Japan. This rapid expansion of colonization around 1880 is often called "New Imperialism". What happened in the last decades of the nineteenth century to cause this rapid change?Was the "New" Imperialism actually new?To discover what was new about "New Imperialism," we first have to define the terms imperialism and colonialism. These two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are actually different. Both imperialism and colonialism occur in empires.Empires are states made up of many communities, where one community has control over, and more rights than, the others. Imperialism is a term used to describe the ideas, beliefs, and actions that one group uses to justify its control over the others. Colonialism is the experience of the other groups who are being ruled.Now, empires go back thousands of years in world history! They divided people into a community of citizens with rights, and communities of subjects, with few or none. They also divided their territory into multiple states and regions. These empires had one ruler or ruling body controlling these different people and regions. They did it then, and they did it again in the late nineteenth century. So, we're still not seeing the "new" part.The empires of the "New Imperialism" were partly modeledon earlier empires. For example, Britain ran its new colonies in Africa similar to the way they had been running their massive colony in India for a century. Britain's policies for managing India were partly based on strategies the Mughal Empire had used to control India from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries. One of these strategies was "indirect rule," which refers to
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader130finding local allies and paying them to do most of the governing. The British implemented this model in their new African colonies using practices they had learned from the Mughals in India.Some British methods of ruling the new colonies were influenced by even older policies. This included the way they ruled their North American and Caribbean colonies in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries!Nevertheless, many factors led to this unprecedented version of empire expansion after the 1880s. New technologies, ideas, and beliefs gave Europeans, and the inhabitants of a few other countries, a motive for constructing empires. Many of these were new, and certainly their combination was new, and so we call this a "New Imperialism". Why did the "New" Imperialism happen?In 1865, a British parliamentary committee recommended that Britain pull back from some of its colonies. By the 1880s, however, Britain was rapidly trying to build a bigger empire. Why were Britain and many other industrialized nations suddenly so eager for more colonies?Historians look at numerous causes for this New Imperialism, not just one. These different factors play off each other in important ways. The changing elements include technology, industrialization and capitalism, racism, and nationalism, and...something else. 1.Technology:Before the late nineteenth century, European states (and Japan) couldn't conquer much of the tropical world. They were held back by disease, sure. But also there were large, organized societies in many of these regions that were pretty well armed with low-tech, but effective weapons. Even if invaders had been able to take vast areas, slowcommunications systems would have made ruling them too difficult. But, new technologies changed this. New medicines made it possible for Europeans and white Americans to survive malaria and other tropical diseases. New weapons, such as the machine gun, gave conquerors a big military advantage. Finally, once they did seize new territory, there were new forms of communication that made it possible to govern these areas. Telegraphs, trains, and steamships reinvented communications and travel, making it much easier to rule bigger empires.2.Industrialization and capitalism:The growth of factories in industrialized countries meant that their businesses had an increasing demand for raw materials. Korea, the African continent, and Southeast Asia had plenty of raw materials. Since imperialists were also capitalists, for the most part, they needed customers for all this great new stuff they were making. They went for a kind of two-for-one deal by conquering territories that could provide the raw materials they needed,and a population who would then buy their finished products.3.Racism:Many misconceptions about race emerged with the Atlantic slave trade. These ideas were becoming even more solidified in this era. Many imperialists believed it was their right to rule over people they thought were inferior. Within their own societies, there was already some level of racial segregation. For example, in the United States at this time, post-slavery Jim Crow laws tried to reduce the freedoms and rights of African Americans. They then applied these inferior/superior racist ideas to people overseas. Some even justified these missions as if they were doing a favor. They viewed empire expansion as a "civilizing mission" to improve the lives of the "uncivilized" and "inferior" people they conquered.4.Nationalism:Nationalism began with the idea that all people (the "nation") should have the right to rule themselves through their own government (the "state"). This idea was twisted by some imperial nations. They believed their own nation was superior and had the right to rule over other nations
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader131(see "racism" above). Nationalism also created a competitive attitude among nations. In this era, in particular, nationalism pushed the governments of Britain, France, Germany, and other European powers to compete. This happened first in Europe, and then around the world. Nationalism motivated them to take new colonies before their competitors could.5."Men-on-the-spot":Everything we have mentioned so far was the result of big trends in the organization of societies. The term "Men-on-the-spot" refers to events that were caused by one person or a few people. In some cases, a general or a businessman with an armed group was able to seize new territory, often because they were greedy or wanted glory and there was no one there to stop them. Each of these factors played a role in the New Imperialism. The global trend of colonial expansion depended on a combination of these factors each time a new colony was created. For example, a typical "man-on-the-spot" likely used new weapons (technology) to conquer people he thought were inferior (racism) to expand his business (industrialism/capitalism) and be politically rewarded back home for making his country proud (nationalism).The situation in those colonieswas also influenced by local factors. How much were locals organized to resist colonialism? How did they react? What was the environment like? What did the people choose to do? As we will see soon, these issues also played a role in the New Imperialism.Industrial Imperialism, the “New” Imperialism (930L)Trevor GetzThe world in 1880 was made of both nation-states and empires. As you have already learned, once the idea of sovereignty seemed achievable, it went viral. People around the world were increasingly driven by a nationalistic feeling to have their own countries (nation-states). This meant that some empires were slowly breaking up. At the same time, many great imperial powers still held on to colonies. This was true in South Asia and the Caribbean. Nearly all the industrialized states had hit the pause button on empire expansion by this time, happy to stick with what they already had. But in 1880, that changed faster than you could say "production and distribution."Suddenly, vast regions of the world were colonized by empires that were growing. For instance, in 1880, the enormous continent of Africa was still mostly made up of independent states and societies. By 1914, Ethiopia and Liberia were the only two independent states left. The rest of the continent was colonized, divided between Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, and Spain. Meanwhile, mainland southeast Asia was conquered, mostly by France. Many Pacific Islands were occupied by the United States, Japan, Germany, France, and Britain. Korea was subjugated (conquered) by Japan. This rapid expansion of colonization around 1880 is often called "New Imperialism". What happened in the last decades of the nineteenth century to cause this rapid change?Was the "New" Imperialism actually new?To explain what was new about "New Imperialism," we first have to define the terms imperialism and colonialism. These two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are actually different. Both imperialism and colonialism occur in empires.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader132Empires are states where one community has control over many other communities. Imperialism is a term used to describe the ideas that one group uses to justify its control over the others. Colonialism is the experience of the other groups who are being ruled.Empires go back thousands of years in world history. They divided people into a community of citizens with rights and communities of subjects with few rights. These empires had one ruler or ruling body controlling different people and regions. They did it then, and they did it again in the late nineteenth century. So, we're still not seeing the "new" part.The empires of the "New Imperialism" were partly modeled on earlier empires. For example, British colonies in Africa were modeled after their colony in India. Their model in India was based on strategies the Mughal Empire had used to control India from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries. One strategy was "indirect rule," where the colonizer uses local leaders to manage the colony. The British learnedthis strategy from the Mughals in India.Some British policies were influenced by even older policies. This included the way they ruled their North American and Caribbean colonies in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries!Nevertheless, many factors led to this new version of empire expansion after the 1880s. There were new technologies, ideas, and beliefs. These gave Europeans, and the inhabitants of a few other countries, a motive for constructing empires. Many of these were new, and so we call this a "New Imperialism". Why did the "New" Imperialism happen?There are numerous causes for New Imperialism that play off each other in important ways. The changing elements include technology, industrialization and capitalism, racism, and nationalism, and... something else. 1.Technology:Before the late nineteenth century, European states (and Japan) couldn't conquer much of the tropical world. They were held back by disease and armed societies. This changed when several new technologies appeared. New medicines made it possible for colonizers to survive malaria and other tropical diseases. New weapons made it easier to conquer the local peoples. Once they did seize new territory, there were new forms of communication that made it possible to govern these areas. Telegraphs, trains, and steamships reinvented communications and travel. This made it much easier to rule bigger empires. 2.Industrialization and capitalism:The growth of factories in industrialized countries meant that their businesses had an increasing demand for raw materials. Korea, the African continent, and Southeast Asia had plenty of raw materials. For the most part, imperialists were also capitalists. So, they needed customers for all this great new stuff they were making. They went for a kind of two-for-one deal by conquering territories that could provide the raw materials they needed, and a population that would buy their finished products. 3.Racism:Many misconceptions about race emerged with the Atlantic slave trade. These ideas were becoming even more solidified in this era. Many imperialists believed it was their right to rule over people they thought were inferior. Within their own societies, there was already some level of racial segregation. For example, in the United States at this time, post-slavery Jim Crow laws tried to reduce the freedoms and rights of African Americans. They then applied these inferior/superior racist ideas to people overseas. Some even justified these missions as if they were doing a favor.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader133They viewed empire expansion as a "civilizing mission." This mission would improve the lives of the "uncivilized" and "inferior" people they conquered.4.Nationalism:Nationalism began with the idea that all people (the "nation") should have the right to rule themselves through their own government (the "state"). This idea was twisted by some imperial nations. They believed their own nation was superior and had the right to rule over othernations (see "racism" above). Nationalism also created a competitive attitude among nations. In this era, in particular, nationalism pushed the governments of Britain, France, Germany, and other European powers to compete. This happened first in Europe, and then around the world. Nationalism motivated them to take new colonies before their competitors could.5."Men-on-the-spot":The first four factors were the result of big trends in the organization of societies. The term "Men-on-the-spot" refers to eventsthat were caused by one person or a few people. In some cases, a man with a small armed group was able to seize new territory. They were often motivated by greed or glory. Additionally, there was no one there to stop them. Each of these factors played a role in the New Imperialism. The trend depended on the interaction of these factors. For example, a typical "man-on-the-spot" likely used new weapons (technology) to conquer people he thought were inferior (racism). He could expand his business (industrialism/capitalism) and be politically rewarded back home for making his country proud (nationalism).The situation in those colonies was also influenced by local factors. How much were locals organized to resist colonialism? How did they react? What was the environment like? What did the people choose to do? As we will see soon, these issues also played a role in the New Imperialism.Industrial Imperialism, the “New” Imperialism (770L)Trevor GetzThe world in 1880 was made up of both nation-states and empires. You have learned about the idea of sovereignty (the ability to govern oneself). People across the world formed their own countries (nation-states). This meant that some empires were breaking up. At the same time, many great imperial powers still held on to colonies. This was true in South Asia and the Caribbean. Nearly all the industrialized states had hit the pause button on empire expansion by this time. But, this changed in 1880. Empires again began to colonize new regions of the world. European powers colonized most of Africa between 1880 and 1914. France conquered much of Southeast Asia. Many Pacific Islands were occupied by the United States, Japan, Germany, France, and Britain. Japan conquered Korea. This rise of colonization is often called "New Imperialism." What happened in this era that caused this rapid change?Was the "New" Imperialism actually new?To explain what was new about "New Imperialism," we first have to define two terms: imperialism and colonialism. They are sometimes used to mean the same thing, but they are different. Both imperialism and colonialism occur in empires.Empires are states where one community has control over many other communities. The ruling community has greater rights than other communities. Imperialism describes the ideas that one group uses to justify its control over the others. Colonialism is the experience of the other groups who are being ruled.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader134Empires go back thousands of years in world history. These empires ruled over different people and regions. They would divide their territory into communities and give the people few or no rights. So, we're still not seeing the "new" part.The empires of the "New Imperialism" were partly modeled on earlier empires. For example, British colonies in Africa were modeled after their colony in India. Their model in India was based on strategies the Mughal Empire had used to control India from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries. One strategy was "indirect rule." This is when the colonizer uses local leaders to manage the colony. Some British policies were even older. This included the way they ruled their North American and Caribbean colonies in the 1500s and 1600s. Nevertheless, many factors led to "New Imperialism" after the 1880s. There were new technologies, ideas, and beliefs. These gave Europeans, and a few other countries, a motive for constructing empires. Many of these were new, and so we call this a "New Imperialism". Why did the "New" Imperialism happen?There are numerous causes for New Imperialism. These causes play off each other in important ways. These causes include technology, industrialization, racism and nationalism. 1.Technology:Before the late nineteenth century, empires could not conquer much of the tropical world. They died of diseases. Societies had low-tech, but effective weapons. This changed when several new technologies appeared. New medicines made it possible for colonizers to survive tropical diseases. New weapons made it easier to conquer the local peoples. Telegraphs, trains, and steamships better connected the world. It was now easier to govern a large empire. 2.Industrialization and capitalism:Industrialized countries needed raw materials for their factories. Korea, the African continent, and Southeast Asia had plenty of raw materials. For the most part, imperialists were also capitalists. So, they needed customers for all this great new stuff they were making. They went for a kind of two-for-one deal. They conquered territories that could provide the raw materials they needed. The people that lived in these territories then bought their finished products. 3.Racism:After the Atlantic slave trade, there were many false ideas about race. Many imperialists believed they should rule over people they thought were inferior. They used policies of racial segregation. One example is the post-slavery Jim Crow laws that existed in the U.S. at this time. These laws tried to reduce the freedoms and rights of African Americans. They then applied these inferior/superior racist ideas to people overseas. Some even believed they were doing a favor. They viewed empire expansion as a "civilizing mission." This mission would improve the lives of the "uncivilized" and "inferior" people they conquered.4.Nationalism:Nationalism is the idea that people (the "nation") have the right to rule themselves. They did this by creating their own government (the "state"). This idea was twisted by some imperial nations (see "racism" above). They believed they had the right to rule over others. Nationalism also created a competitive attitude among nations. European powers were motivated to take new colonies before their competitors could.5."Men-on-the-spot":The first four factors were the result of big trends. The term "Men-on-the-spot" refers to events that were caused by one person. In some cases, a man with an armed group was able to seize new territory. They were often motivated by greed or glory.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader135Each of these factors played a role in the New Imperialism. The trend depended on a combination of these factors. For example, a typical "man-on-the-spot" likely used new weapons (technology) to conquer people he thought were inferior (racism). He could expand his business (industrialism/capitalism) and be rewarded back home for making his country proud (nationalism).The situation in those colonies was also influenced by local factors. How much were locals organized to resist colonialism? How did they react? What was the environment like? What did the people choose to do? As we will see soon, these issues also played a role in the New Imperialism.Industrial Imperialism, the “New” Imperialism (620L)Trevor GetzThe world in 1880 was made of both nation-states and empires. The idea of sovereignty (the ability to govern oneself) had spread. People around the world wanted their own countries. This meant that empires were breaking up. At the same time, many great imperial powers still held on to colonies. This was true in South Asia and the Caribbean. Nearly all the industrialized states had stopped empire expansion by this time. But, this all changed in 1880. New regions were colonized by European nations, the United States, and Japan. These regions include Africa, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and Korea. This age of colonization is called "New Imperialism." What caused this rapid change?Was the "New" imperialism actually new?What was new about "New Imperialism?" To understand this, we have to define two terms: imperialism and colonialism. They are sometimes used to mean the same thing. But, they are different. Both imperialism and colonialism occur in empires.Empires are states where one community has control over other communities. Imperialism describes the ideas that one group uses to control others. Colonialism is the experience of the groups who are being ruled.Empires go back thousands of years in world history. These empires also had one ruler to control people from different areas. They would divide their territory into communities and give the people few or no rights. So, we're still not seeing the "new" part.The empires of the "New Imperialism" were partly modeled on earlier empires. For example, British colonies in Africa were modeled after their colony in India. The strategies the British used to control India were partly based on ideas from the Mughal Empire.Some British policies were even older. This included the way they ruled their North American and Caribbean colonies. They ruled these colonies in the 1500s and 1600s. Why did the "New" Imperialism happen?Many factors that led to these new empires. These factors include technology and industrialization and capitalism. Racism and nationalism also played a role. 1.Technology:It was once difficult for European states (and Japan) to conquer the tropical world. They died from diseases. Societies had low-tech, but effective weapons. Slow communication made it
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader136difficult to rule. New technologies changed this. New medicine made it possible to survive tropical diseases. New weapons made it easier to conquer. Telegraphs, trains, and steamships were invented. These made it easy to rule large empires.2.Industrialization and capitalism:There was a growth of factories during the Industrial Revolution. Industrialized countries needed raw materials. Korea, Africa, and Southeast Asia had those raw materials. For the most part, imperialists were also capitalists. So, they needed customers to buy their products. They went for a kind of two-for-one deal. They conquered territories that had the raw materials they needed. The people that lived in these territories then bought their finished products. 3.Racism:Many imperialists thought they had a right to rule over people of other races. They saw these people as inferior. Some thought they were doing native people a favor. They thought they were "civilizing" these "uncivilized" people.4.Nationalism:Nationalism is the idea that all people have the right to rule themselves. This idea could be twisted. Some countries thought they had a right to rule others. Nationalistic feelings also created competition. European powers competed with each other for new colonies.5."Men-on-the-spot":The first four factors are all big ideas or trends. Sometimes new colonies were taken over by one man. This man or small group usually had weapons. They used these weapons to seize territory. Often they were motivated by greed or glory. Each of these factors played a role in the New Imperialism.It was often a combination of these factors. For example, a "man-on-the-spot" likely used new weapons (technology). He conquered people he thought were inferior (racism). He used the land to make his business (industrialism/capitalism). He was then rewarded back home for making his country proud (nationalism).The situation in these colonies was also influenced by local factors. How did locals resist colonialism? How did they react? What did the people choose to do? These issues also played a role in the New Imperialism.Responses to Industrial ImperialismWhen confronting imperial power, people responded in creative ways that go beyond collaboration and resistance. Local knowledge and customs enabled some to resist imperialism with invisible yet effective tactics.Responses to Industrial Imperialism (1120L)Eman M. ElshaikhThe anti-imperialist vegetableThe struggle against imperialism conjures images of weapons and uprisings. Foods like corn or cassava usually aren't in the picture, but we'll soon find out why they should be. The thing is that while armed struggles were forms of resistance to empire, they really weren't all that common in the modern period. New imperial powers had greater technologies and deadlier weapons, and colonized peoples—mostly
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader137peasants—couldn't fight them. At least not with weapons. There were subtle ways to resist empire, and corn and cassava12were two of them.Colonial states relied on income from fixed farming areas—that is, the farm and its workers stayed in one place. The imperial powers wanted to maximize farming output and export crops to make profits. By using the forced labor of indigenous people that stayed in one place, production costs stayed low.But that all unravels when those local populations don't stay put. After all, they weren't getting any of the profits and only needed enough food for themselves. Crops like corn and cassava grow in a way that allowed growers to move around. Indigenous people sometimes migrated and changed their farming patterns to evade colonial oppression. Cassava, in particular, made this easier because it required relatively little labor fora pretty big return. Mobile groups could plant cassava and pretty much just walk away. A couple of years later, a community could come back and dig it up the high-calorie tubers (it's kind of like a potato). They could also eat the leaves in the meantime. Cassava gave indigenous people a cheap, easy way to feed themselves while resisting colonial systems of forced labor. Colonizers tried to brand cassava and corn as "lazy" crops for natives who wanted to avoid work—but these crops helped them resist empire. Like activists.Aggressive and bloody? No. Effective and more common? Definitely. Let's contextualize with the many different ways people responded to imperialism.Anti-imperialism before decolonizationIn the late nineteenth century, most of southeast Asia came under either British, French, or Dutch control. This imperialism disrupted existing lives and societies affecting both empires and their subjects. It got very messy! Colonizers controlled wealth, status, and survival, so people had to be careful and strategic about how they engaged with imperial power. But the people of the colonies—the "colonial subjects"—had some ability to shape their own lives. More than individual survival, they also wanted to maintain their dignity and culture. The case studies in this article will show how some communities in Southeast Asia responded to the new, industrial imperialism that began in the late nineteenth century.French IndochinaFrench Indochina was the colonial name for French-occupied areas in Southeast Asia. In the late nineteenth century, the French invaded the places now called Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. European missionaries and merchants had already established some presence there.But colonial maps can be misleading; conquering a territory is not the same as truly controlling it. Although the local royal families technically accepted colonial rule, the French were met with constant mutinies and peasant uprisings, which are easily recognizable as resistance. Others—and that was most people—just tried tosurvive and thrive within a difficult system.For instance, many Laotian villagers pretended to collaborate with the French while resisting at the same time. The French believed they were using local leaders to control villages, a key strategy in colonialempire-building. But the villages often put fake notables forward, who had no real power. Meanwhile, the real 12Tapioca pearls, (the fun part of boba tea) come from cassava. Cassava can also be used to make bread flour and several other foods.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader138leaders secretly ran villages according Laotian interests, rather than what the empire wanted. The French had no clue.Another example comes fromthe city of Hanoi, where French construction projects like sewers brought in large numbers of rats. The French decided to pay the locals to kill the rats, and give them a small amount of money per rat that they killed. They just had to bring the tail in as proof. People in Hanoi started clipping live rats' tails and releasing them back into the sewers to breed. The rat population grew, and the high number of tails coming in broke the colony's treasury, leaving the French with an even worse rat problem!Butnot everybody resisted French rule. Some minority groups, like the small Christian population, saw French rule as a way to get ahead, especially by joining the military. Others felt so oppressed by colonial rule that instead of resisting, they left. They followed a long pattern in the region of people fleeing the valleys and deltas for the hills and mountains, which were more difficult for the imperial government to get to. As with the cassava example earlier, deep local knowledge of the environment was anadvantage the French didn't have.Even the French education policy backfired somewhat. It tried to make Southeast Asians embrace French values and culture. It worked to some extent, but it also gave many indigenous peoples intellectual tools to resist French imperialism. Colonial subjects formed networks and shared new ideas about revolution and resistance. Two great examples are Nguyen Thai Hoc, who founded the Vietnamese Nationalist Party in 1927, and Vo Nguyen Giap, who led the Vietnamese in battle against the French in 1954—both were products of French education.Dutch East Indies Just like French Indochina, Dutch colonialism in Southeast Asia began with commercial activity, in the form of the Dutch East India company. But both the company and the Dutch government struggled to control this very diverse region.In Java13the Dutch tried to recruit Javanese aristocrats as leaders who would serve them, just like the French did in Indochina. These aristocrats accepted Dutch political rule, but got to keep some wealth and their elaborate ceremonies and court life. Other people, including those of lower social status, could gain some political rights in various ways. Many learned to speak Dutch, converted to Christianity, or adopted Dutch customs. These are examples of accommodation, where people adapt to colonial rule and even benefit from it, but without entirely giving up their own culture or values.But some Javanese aristocrats didn't love this, like Raden Mas Adipati Brotodiningrat. His name translates to"Esteemed Golden Lord Who Performs the Most Noble Meditation in the World". But this guy is remembered less for his meditation skills and more for stealing a curtainfrom a Dutch colonizer. That might seem like a low-level crime, but it was politically charged. The curtain he snatched was used in a symbolic way to maintain privacy and separation between the colonizer and the colonized. By removing it, Brotodiningrat signaled that the Dutch had not earned his respect and held no real authority over him. A heated court battle followed this minor crime, giving Brotodiningrat's act of disobedience great publicity. This inspired aristocrats and others to fundamentally question colonialism and its morality. 13Java is an island that is part of today's Indonesia.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader139Religious and spiritual beliefs also helped people subtly resist colonial rule. There was a large revival of Islam in this period, for example. Muslims were making their annual pilgrimage to Mecca—called the Hajj—in growing numbers, thanks to European transportation. Other local systems of belief revolved around mystics and holy people. What these all had in common is that they celebrated a higher authority than the colonial government.As in Indochina, Javanese peasants dodged colonial oppression by moving around or leaving. This was an important weapon used by otherwise powerless people. Peasants moved between Javanese and Dutch ruled areas. They understood that staying in one place long enough to be counted might trap them into forced labor and high taxes. They also resisted colonial regulations by purposely failing to comply, such as inaccurately reporting on land or crop yields.The Southeast Asian highlandsAs we saw, in both Indochina and the Dutch East Indies, people moved around, challenged authority, and failed to comply with colonial rules. But the Southeast Asian highlands are perhaps the strongest example of resistance to colonial rule. In the second half of the nineteenth century, the British pushed into Burma, Malaya, and Borneo, but they and other colonial powers had a lot of trouble controlling the people living in the hilly regions of Southeast Asia. These communities were incredibly mobile and were dispersed across a highland region roughly the size of Europe!Like their Southeast Asian neighbors, many indigenous people here moved around to avoidtaxation and forced labor. They resisted being included in colonial censuses14, colonial writing, and record-keeping in general. It was a kind of an "if you can't count me, you can't rule me" strategy. By some reports, peasants even vandalized or burned down offices of official records.Unlike their Southeast Asian neighbors, these communities were more nomadic and loosely organized. Colonizers found it hard to pin down local leaders or aristocrats who would work for them. So over time, the British switched tactics. They tried to imitate the local custom of community gatherings around elaborate feasts, where resources and political concerns were exchanged. The British paid for a few of these big parties in an effort to win favor and establish more colonial ties, but the locals resisted by simply not showing up. Instead, they had their own smaller gatherings.Creative resistanceIn these case studies, we've seen how colonized people engaged with empire. But even when these techniques weren't available, they found ways to voice their attitudes. The English writer George Orwell, when describing the occupation of Burma, noted that indigenous people communicated their disapproval anonymously or ambiguously. They would cause accidents by spitting at or tripping British colonizers, or they might laugh and insult them from far enough away to remain anonymous. Additionally, colonized people often created secret channels using special language codes, inside jokes, or satire to share their feelings of dissent.People were incredibly creative in how they worked with or resisted imperial power. Large rebellions are easily recorded in history, but these subtler forms of resistance are—by design—much more "off the record". To learn about them, historians haveto read the sources differently, or find new sources—though 14A census is an official count of the population, along with other demographic information.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader140written ones are rare. Indeed, colonized people often expressed themselves in ways that weren't easily understood by colonial powers and are still largely misunderstood by contemporary scholars. SourcesAdas, Michael. “From Avoidance to Confrontation: Peasant Protest in Precolonial and Colonial Southeast Asia.” Comparative Studies in Society and History 23, no. 2 (1981): 217–47.Brownlee, John M. “Colonial Knowledge and Indigenous Power in the Dutch East.” Explorations 2, no. 1 (1998): 19-29. Chandra, Uday. “Rethinking Subaltern Resistance.” Journal of Contemporary Asia 45, no. 4 (October 2, 2015): 563–73. Errington, James Joseph. Language and Social Change in Java: Linguistic Reflexes of Modernization in a Traditional Royal Polity. Athens, OH: Ohio University, 1985.Gledhill, John. “Indigenous Autonomy, Delinquent States, and the Limits of Resistance.” History and Anthropology 25, no. 4 (August 8, 2014): 507–29.Goscha, Christopher E. The Penguin History of Modern Vietnam. London: Penguin UK, 2017.Gouda, Frances. “Teaching Indonesian Girls in Java and Bali, 1900-1942: Dutch Progressives, the Infatuation with ‘Oriental’ Refinement, and ‘Western ’ Ideas about Proper Womanhood.” Women’s History Review 4, no. 1 (March 1995): 25–62.Scott, James C. Domination and the Arts of Resistance: Hidden Transcripts. Edited by James C. Scott. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1990.———. TheArt of Not Being Governed an Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2009.———. Weapons of the Weak : Everyday Forms of Peasant Resistance. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1985.Stoler, Ann Laura. Carnal Knowledge and Imperial Power: Race and the Intimate in Colonial Rule. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2002.Streets-Salter, Heather, and Trevor R. Getz. Empires and Colonies in the Modern World: A Global Perspective. New York: Oxford University Press, 2016.Theodossopoulos, Dimitrios. “On De-Pathologizing Resistance.” History and Anthropology 25, no. 4 (August 8, 2014): 415–30. Urla, Jacqueline, and Justin Helepololei. “The Ethnography of Resistance Then and Now: On Thickness and Activist Engagement in the Twenty-First Century.” History and Anthropology 25, no. 4 (August 8, 2014): 431–51.Vickers, Adrian. A History of Modern Indonesia. 2nd ed. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2012.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader141Author BioEman M. Elshaikh holds an MA in social sciences from and is pursuing a PhD at the University of Chicago, where she also teaches writing. She is a writer and researcher, and has taught K-12 and undergraduates in the US and in the Middle East. Eman was previously a World History Fellow at Khan Academy, where she worked closely with the College Board to develop curriculum for AP world history.Responses to Industrial Imperialism (1070L)Eman M. ElshaikhThe anti-imperialist vegetableIf you think about a struggle against imperialism, you see images of weapons and uprisings. Foods like corn or cassava usually aren't in the picture, but we'll soon find out why they should be. While armed struggles were forms of resistance to empire, they weren't very common in the modern period. New imperial powers had greater technologies and deadlier weapons. Colonized peoples, most of whom were peasants, couldn't fight them with weapons. There were subtle ways to resist the empire. Corn and cassava15were two of them.Colonial states relied on income from fixed farming areas. They could reduce costs by using the forced labor of native people who stayed in one place. But that all unravels when those local populations don't stay put. After all, they weren't getting any of the profits and only needed enough food for themselves. Crops like corn and cassava grow in a way that allowed growers to move around. Indigenous people sometimes migrated and changed their farming patterns to evade colonial oppression. Cassava, in particular, made this easier because it required relatively little labor for a pretty big return. Mobile groups could plant cassava and pretty much just walk away. A couple of years later, a community could come back and dig up the high-calorie tubers (it's kind of like a potato). They could also eat the leaves in the meantime. Cassava gave indigenous people a cheap, easy way to feed themselves while resisting colonial systems of forced labor. Colonizers tried to brand cassava and corn as "lazy" crops for native people who wanted to avoid work—but these crops helped them resist empire. Like activists.Aggressive and bloody? No. Effective and more common? Definitely. Let's contextualize with the many different ways people responded to imperialism.Anti-imperialism before decolonizationIn the late nineteenthcentury, most of Southeast Asia came under either British, French, or Dutch control. This imperialism disrupted existing lives and societies affecting both empires and their subjects. Colonizers controlled wealth, status, and survival. So, people had to be careful and strategic about how they engaged with imperial power. But the people of the colonies—the "colonial subjects"—had some ability to shape their own lives. More than individual survival, they also wanted to maintain their dignity and culture. Thecase studies in this article will show how some communities in Southeast Asia responded to the new, industrial imperialism that began in the late nineteenth century.15Tapioca pearls, (the fun part of boba tea) come from cassava. Cassava can also be used to make bread flour and several other foods.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader142French IndochinaFrench Indochina was the colonial name for French-occupied areas in Southeast Asia. In the late nineteenth century, the French invaded the places now called Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. European missionaries and merchants had already established some presence there.But colonial maps can be misleading; conquering territory is not the same as truly controlling it. Although the local royal families technically accepted colonial rule, the French were met with constant mutinies and peasant uprisings, which are easily recognizable as resistance. Others—and that was most people—just tried to survive and thrive within a difficult system.For instance, many Laotian villagers pretended to collaborate with the French while resisting at the same time. The French believed they were using local leaders to control villages, a key strategy in colonial empire-building. But the villages often put fake notables forward, who had no real power. Meanwhile, the real leaders secretly ran villages according to Laotian interests, rather than what the empire wanted. The French had no clue.Another examplecomes from the city of Hanoi in Vietnam. French construction projects brought in large numbers of rats. The French offered to pay the locals for killing rats, demanding to see a rat's tail as proof. The locals began to just clip the tails off of live ratsand release them back into the sewers to breed. The French paid large sums of money to the locals and ended up with an even worse rat problem!Not everybody resisted French rule. Some minority groups, like the small Christian population, saw French rule as a way to get ahead, especially by joining the military. Others escaped colonial oppression by fleeing into the hills, where the imperial government had trouble reaching. As with the cassava example earlier, deep local knowledge of the environment was an advantage the French didn't have.Even the French education policy backfired somewhat. It tried to make Southeast Asians embrace French values and culture. It worked to some extent, but it also gave many indigenous peoples intellectual tools to resist French imperialism. Colonial subjects formed networks and shared new ideas about revolution and resistance. Two great examples are Nguyen Thai Hoc, who founded the Vietnamese Nationalist Party in 1927, and Vo Nguyen Giap, who led the Vietnamese in a battle against the French in 1954.Dutch East IndiesDutch colonialism in modern-day Indonesia began with the commercial activity of the Dutch East India company. But both the company and the Dutch government struggled to control this very diverse region.On the island of Java16, some Javanese aristocrats agreed to serve the Dutch in exchange for keeping some wealth. Those of lower social status could also gain some political rights in various ways. Many learned to speak Dutch, converted to Christianity, or adopted Dutch customs. These are examples of accommodation, where people adapt to colonial rule. They can benefit from it without entirely giving up their own culture or values.But some Javanese aristocrats didn't love this, like Raden Mas Adipati Brotodiningrat. Brotodiningrat protested against Dutch rule by stealing a curtain from a Dutch colonizer. The curtain was a symbol of the separation between the colonizer and the colonized. Brotodiningrat's act of disobedience signaled that the 16Java is an island that is part of today's Indonesia.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader143Dutch held no real authority over him. A heated court battle followed this minor crime, giving Brotodiningrat's act of disobedience great publicity. This inspired aristocrats to fundamentally question colonialism and its morality.Religious and spiritual beliefs also helped people subtly resist colonial rule. There was a large revival of Islam during this period. Muslims were making their annual pilgrimage to Mecca—called the Hajj—in growing numbers, thanks to European transportation. Other local systems of belief revolved around mystics and holy people. What these all had in common is that they celebrated a higher authority than the colonial government.As in Indochina, Javanese peasants dodged colonial oppression by moving around or leaving. This was an important weapon used by otherwise powerless people. Peasants moved between Javanese and Dutch ruled areas. They understood that staying in one place long enough to be counted might trap them into forced labor and high taxes. They also resisted colonial regulations by purposely failing to comply, such as inaccurately reporting on land or crop yields.The Southeast Asian highlandsThe Southeast Asian highlands in Burma, Malaya, and Borneo are perhaps the strongest example of resistance to colonial rule. The British and other colonial powers had a lot of trouble controlling the people who lived here. These communities were incredibly mobile and were dispersed across a highland region roughly the size ofEurope!Many native peoples here moved around to avoid taxation and forced labor. They resisted being included in colonial censuses17, colonial writing, and record-keeping in general. It was a kind of an "if you can't count me, you can't rule me" strategy. By some reports, peasants even vandalized or burned down offices of official records.Compared to their Southeast Asian neighbors, these communities were more loosely organized. Colonizers found it hard to pin down local leaders or aristocrats who would work for them. The British tried to throw elaborate feasts to win favor with the local peoples and establish connections. However, the locals resisted by simply not showing up.Creative resistanceEnglish writer George Orwell, who witnessed the occupation of Burma, described how local peoples could resist anonymously. They would cause accidents by spitting at or tripping British colonizers or insult them from far away. Colonized people often had special language codes or inside jokes to share their feelingsof dissent.People were incredibly creative in how they resisted imperial power. Large rebellions are easily recorded in history. However, these subtler forms of resistance are difficult for historians to learn. Colonized people often expressed themselvesin ways that weren't easily understood by colonial powers and are still largely misunderstood by scholars.17A census is an official count of the population, along with other demographic information.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader144Responses to Industrial Imperialism (970L)Eman M. ElshaikhThe anti-imperialist vegetableIf you think about a struggle against imperialism, you usually think of uprisings. You probably don't think of foods like corn, but you should. While there were armed struggles against empires, they weren't very common in the modern period. New imperial powers had greater technologies and deadlier weapons. Colonized peoples couldn't fight them with weapons. There were more subtle ways to resist empire, however. These included corn and cassava18. Colonial states generated income by forcing native people to work on large farms. This doesn't workwhen the local populations move around to evade oppression. After all, they weren't getting any of the profits and only needed enough food for themselves. Crops like corn and cassava grow in a way that allowed growers to move around. Cassava, in particular, made this easier because it required little labor for a pretty big return. Mobile groups could plant cassava and pretty much just walk away. A couple of years later, a community could come back and dig it up (it's kind of like a potato). They could also eat the leaves in the meantime. Cassava gave indigenous people a cheap, easy way to feed themselves while resisting forced labor. Colonizers tried to brand cassava and corn as "lazy" crops for native people who wanted to avoid work. But these crops helped them resist the empire—like activists. These crops helped them resist the empire. It was not aggressive and bloody, but it was effective and more common. Let's examine the many different ways people responded to imperialism.Anti-imperialism before decolonizationIn the late nineteenth century, most of Southeast Asia came under European control. Colonizers disrupted local societies and controlled the lives of the native people. So, people had to be careful about how they engaged with imperial power. But the people of the colonies—the "colonial subjects"—had some ability to shape their own lives. They did not just want individual survival. They also wanted to maintain their dignity and culture. The case studies in this article will show how some communities in Southeast Asia responded to the new, industrial imperialism that began in the late nineteenth century.French IndochinaFrench Indochina covered modern-day Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The French invaded these areas in the late nineteenth century. The local royal families technically accepted colonial rule. However, the French were met with constant peasant uprisings, which are easily recognizable as resistance. Others—and that was most people—just tried to survive and thrive within a difficult system.For instance, many Laotian villagers pretended to collaborate with the French while resisting at the same time. The French believed they were using local leaders to control villages, a key strategy in colonial empire-building. But the villages often put fake notables forward, who had no real power. Meanwhile, the real 18Tapioca pearls, (the fun part of boba tea) come from cassava. Cassava can also be used to make bread flour and several other foods.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader145leaders secretly ran villages according to Laotian interests, rather than what the empire wanted. The French had no clue.Another example comes from the city of Hanoi in Vietnam. French construction projects brought in large numbers of rats. The French offered to pay the locals for killing rats. They demanded to see a rat's tail as proof. The locals began to just clip the tails off of live rats and release them back into the sewers to breed. The French paid large sums of money to the locals and ended up with an even worse rat problem!Not everybody resisted French rule. Some minority groups, like the small Christian population, saw French rule as a way to get ahead. Others escaped colonial oppression by fleeing into the hills, where the French had trouble reaching. As with the cassava example earlier, deep local knowledge of the environment was an advantage the French didn't have.The French also educated their colonial subjects so that they would adopt French values and customs. But this education policy backfired somewhat. Educated subjects could form networks and shared new ideas about revolution and resistance. Dutch East IndiesDutch colonialism in modern-day Indonesia began with the commercial activity of the Dutch East India company. Both the company and the Dutch government struggled to control this very diverse region.Some aristocrats on the island of Java19agreed to serve the Dutch in exchange for keeping some wealth. Those of lower social status also found ways to gain political rights. Many converted to Christianity or adopted Dutch customs. These are examples of accommodation, where people adapt to colonial rule. They can benefit from it without entirely giving up their own cultureor values.But some Javanese aristocrats didn't love this. Javanese aristocrat Raden Mas Adipati Brotodiningrat protested by stealing a curtain from a Dutch colonizer. The curtain was a symbol of the separation between the colonizer and the colonized. Brotodiningrat's act of disobedience signaled that the Dutch held no real authority over him. It inspired aristocrats to question colonialism and its morality.Religious and spiritual beliefs also helped people subtly resist colonial rule. Many people practiced Islam or local beliefs involving mystics and holy people. What these all had in common is that they celebrated a higher authority than the colonial government.As in Indochina, Javanese peasants dodged colonial oppression by moving around or leaving. This was an important weapon used by otherwise powerless people. Peasants moved between Javanese and Dutch ruled areas. They understood that staying in one place long enough to be counted might trap them into forced labor and high taxes. They also resisted colonial regulations by purposely failing to comply. One way they did this was by refusing to accurately report on crop yields. The Southeast Asian highlandsThe Southeast Asian highlands in Burma, Malaya, and Borneo are perhaps the strongest example of resistance to colonial rule. The British and other colonial powers had a lot of trouble controlling the people 19Java is an island that is part of today's Indonesia.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader146who lived here. These communities were incredibly mobile. They were also dispersed across a highland region roughly the size of Europe!Many nativepeoples here moved around to avoid taxation and forced labor. They resisted being included in colonial censuses20and other record-keeping. In some cases, they even burned down offices of official records.Compared to their Southeast Asian neighbors, these communities were more loosely organized. Colonizers found it hard to find local leaders who would work for them. The British tried to throw elaborate feasts to make connections the local peoples. The locals resisted by simply not showing up.Creative resistanceColonized people also found ways to voice their attitudes without being seen. English writer George Orwell described how local peoples in Burma reacted to British colonizers. They would cause accidents by tripping colonizers. They wouldalso insult them from far away. Colonized people often had special language codes or inside jokes to share their feelings with each other.People were creative in how they resisted imperial power. Large rebellions are easily recorded in history, but thesesubtler forms of resistance are difficult for historians to learn. Colonized people often expressed themselves in ways that weren't easily understood by colonial powers. They are still largely misunderstood by scholars today.Responses to Industrial Imperialism (830L)Eman M. ElshaikhThe anti-imperialist vegetableIf you think about a struggle against imperialism, you usually think of uprisings. You probably don't think of foods like corn, but you should. While there were armed struggles against empires, they weren't very common in the modern period. New imperial powers had greater technologies and deadlier weapons. Colonized peoples couldn't fight them with weapons. But there were subtler ways to resist empires. These included corn and cassava21. Colonial states generated income by forcing native people to work on large farms. But this did not work when the local people moved around. After all, they weren't getting any of the profits. They only needed enough food for themselves. Crops like corn and cassava grow in a way that allowed growers to move around. Cassava, in particular, made this easier because it required little labor for a pretty big return. Mobile groups could plant cassava and pretty much just walk away. A couple of years later, a community could come back and dig it up (it's kind of like a potato). They could also eat the leaves in the meantime. Cassava gave indigenous people a way to resist forced labor. It also gave them a cheap, easy way to feed themselves. Colonizers tried to brand cassava and corn as "lazy" crops for native people who wanted to avoid work. 20A census is an official count of the population, along with other demographic information.21Tapiocapearls,(thefunpartofbobatea)comefromcassava.Cassavacanalsobeusedtomakebreadflourandseveralotherfoods.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader147These crops helped them resist the empire. It was not aggressive and bloody. But, it was effective and more common. Let's examine the many different ways people responded to imperialism.Anti-imperialism before decolonizationIn the late 1800s, most of Southeast Asia came under European control. Colonizers disrupted local societies and controlled the lives of the native people. So, people had to be careful about how they engaged with imperial power. But the people of the colonies—the "colonial subjects"—had some ability to shape their own lives. They did not just want individual survival. They also wanted to maintain their dignity and culture. The following cases show the different waysin which the local people responded to empires. French IndochinaFrench Indochina covered modern-day Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The French invaded these areas in the late 1800s. The local royal families technically accepted colonial rule. But, there were still constant uprisings. Other local people just tried to survive in a difficult system. Many Laotian villagers pretended to cooperate with the French while resisting at the same time. The French believed they were using local leaders to control villages. But, the villagers nominated fake leaders, who didn’t have any real power. Then the real leaders ran the villages how the Laotian people wanted. The French had no idea. Another example comes from the city of Hanoi in Vietnam. French construction projects brought in large numbers of rats. The French offered to pay the locals for killing rats. They demanded to see a rat's tail as proof. The locals began to just clip the tails off of live rats. They then released them back into the sewers to breed. The French paid large sums of money to the locals and ended up with an even worse rat problem! Not everybody resisted French rule. Some minority groups, like the small Christian population, saw French rule as a way to get ahead. Others escaped colonial oppression by fleeing into the hills. The French colonial government had trouble reaching them there.The French also educated their colonial subjects. The education policy backfired somewhat. It gave people intellectual tools to resist the colonial oppressors. Colonial subjects formed networks and shared new ideas about revolution and resistance.Dutch East IndiesThe Dutch colonized modern-day Indonesia, but they struggled to control this very diverse region.Some aristocrats on the island of Java22agreed to serve the Dutch. In exchange, they were able to keep some wealth. Those in lower classes also found ways to gain political rights. Many converted to Christianity or adopted Dutch customs. These are examples of accommodation. They adapt to colonial rule and can benefit from it. They do so without entirely giving up their own culture or values.22Java is an island that is part of today's Indonesia.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader148But some Javanese aristocrats didn't love this. Javanese aristocrat Raden Mas Adipati Brotodiningrat was one of them. He protested by stealing a curtain from a Dutch colonizer. The curtain was a symbol of the separation between the colonizer and the colonized. Brotodiningrat's act of disobedience signaled that the Dutch held no real authority over him. It inspired aristocrats to question colonialism and its morality.Local people also turned to religious and spiritual beliefs to resist colonial rule. They could celebrate a higher authority than the colonial government.As in Indochina, Javanese peasants dodged colonial oppression by moving around or leaving. This was an important weapon used by otherwise powerless people. Peasants moved between Javanese and Dutch ruled areas. This prevented them from being counted by the empire. They understood that staying in one place long enough might trap them into forced labor and high taxes. The Southeast Asian highlandsThe Southeast Asian highlands are in Burma, Malaya, and Borneo. They are perhaps the strongest example of resistance to colonial rule. The British had a lot of trouble controlling the local people. These communities were incredibly mobile.Many native peoples here moved around to avoid taxation and forced labor. They resisted being included in colonial censuses23. In some cases, they even burned down offices of official records.Compared to their SoutheastAsian neighbors, these communities were more loosely organized. Colonizers found it hard to find local leaders who would work for them. The British tried to throw feasts to connect with local people. But the locals resisted by simply not showing up.Creative resistanceColonized people also found ways to voice their feelings without being seen or noticed. Native people in Burma would cause accidents by spitting at or tripping British colonizers. They would also insult them from far away. Colonized people often had special language codes or inside jokes. They could share their feelings of opposition without the colonizers realizing it.People were incredibly creative in how they resisted colonizers. Large rebellions are easily recorded in history. These subtler forms of resistance are difficult for historians to learn. Colonized people often expressed themselves in ways that weren't easily understood by colonial powers. They are still largely misunderstood by scholars today.Responses to Industrial Imperialism (610L)Eman M. ElshaikhThe anti-imperialist vegetableThe fight against imperialism often did not include any fighting. New imperial powers had deadlier weapons. Colonized peoples couldn't fight them with weapons. But there were subtler ways to resist empires.23A census is an official count of the population, along with other demographic information.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader149One way involved food. Native people resisted oppression by moving around. They could plant simple crops like corn and cassava24. They could then move away to another area. Later, they could come back and dug up the crops (it's kind of like a potato). They could also eat the leaves in the meantime. Cassava gave indigenous people a way to resist forced labor. It also gave them a cheap way to feed themselves. It was not violent, but it was effective. It was also more common. Let's look at other ways people could resist empires.Anti-imperialism before decolonizationMost of Southeast Asia came under European control in the late 1800s. The European colonizers included Britain, France, and the Netherlands. They controlled the lives of the local people. So, people had to be careful about how they interacted with the imperial power. The local people did not just want to survive. They also wanted to maintain their self-worth and culture. The following cases are some ways in which they resisted colonial control. French IndochinaFrench Indochina covered modern-day Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The French invaded these areas in the late 1800s. Some local families accepted French rule. But the French colonizers faced constant uprisings. They also faced less obvious forms of resistance.Many Laotian villagers pretended to cooperate with the French while resisting at the same time. The French believed they were using local leaders to control villages. But, the villagers nominated fake leaders, who didn’t have any real power. Then the real leaders ran the villages how the Laotian people wanted. The French had no idea. Another example comes from the city of Hanoi in Vietnam. There were many rats in the city. The French offered to pay the locals for killing rats. They demanded to see a rat's tail as proof. The locals began to just clip the tails off of live rats. They then released them back into the sewers. The French paid large sums of money to the locals. But, they ended up with an even worse rat problem! Many in Indochina fled from colonial rule. They went into the hills. The colonial government couldn't reach them there.The French also educated their colonial subjects. But this backfired. It gave people intellectual tools to resist the empire. Colonial subjects formed networks. This allowed them to share new ideas about revolution. Dutch East IndiesThe Dutch East Indies covered modern Indonesia. But the Dutch struggled to control this region. 24Tapioca pearls, (the fun part of boba tea) come from cassava. Cassava can also be used to make bread flour and several other foods.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader150Some aristocrats on the island of Java25agreed to serve the Dutch. In exchange, they were able to keep some wealth. Those in lower classes also found ways to gain political rights. Many converted to Christianity. They also adopted Dutch customs. These are examples of accommodation. They adapt to colonial rule. They receive some benefits from doing this. They can also hold on to parts of their own culture. Religious beliefs also helped local people. There was a revival of Islam during this period. They could celebrate a higher power than the colonial government. As in Indochina, Javanese peasants moved around or left. This allowed them to escape oppression.They moved between Javanese and Dutch ruled areas. This prevented them from being counted by the empire. They understood that staying in one place long enough might trap them. They could be forced into labor. They could also be forced into paying high taxes. The Southeast Asian highlandsThe Southeast Asian highlands include Burma, Malaya, and Borneo. The people were very mobile. They hid from their British colonizers in the hills.They moved around to avoid taxation and forced labor. They also avoided colonial censuses26. Some even burned down records offices.The British tried to reach the locals by holding feasts. They hoped they could make connections. But the locals resisted by not showing up. Instead, they held their own feasts. Creative resistanceThere were even smaller ways to resist. Some people did it without being noticed. They would cause accidents by tripping colonizers. They could also insult colonizers. They had secret language codes and inside jokes.People were very creative in how they resisted. It is hard for historians to track all the ways. Many colonized people expressed themselves in ways that are still misunderstood.25Java is an island that is part of today's Indonesia.26A census is an official count of the population, along with other demographic information.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader151Struggle and Transformation in ChinaChina's already diverse culture, traditions, and beliefs had been around an awfully long time before the things we call "modern" appeared there. Here's how that went down.Struggle and Transformation in China (1210L)Bridgette Byrd O’ConnorBackgroundIn the late seventeenth century, the Ming dynasty in China was in disorder. Internaldissent led one group of Ming generals to recruit allies from a militarized society in Manchuria, northeast of China. Once they were allowed in, these Manchu units became the most powerful force within China. They established control over the area and created the Qing dynasty that ruled China for over 250 years. The Qing emperors expanded the borders of China and controlled an area that included a number of different ethnicities and cultures. While the Qing reigned over a population of about 410 million bythe nineteenth century, it was also a divided nation. Tensions existed between the Manchu Qing and the ethnic Han Chinese. Also, traditionalists were at odds with those who wished to modernize the empire. These divisions caused such resentment that the Han started treating the Qing (Manchus) as if they were a foreign dynasty. These tensions produced several conflicts and rebellions that would lead to the end of dynastic rule in China.In the late eighteenth century, the Qing empire was at its height both in terms of geographic area and prosperity. It was ruled in these years by emperor Qian Long (Ch'ien Lung). During this time, the British king, George III, wanted to open up more trade ports. So he sent the ambassador Lord Macartney on a mission to China toget the project going. The emperor, upon meeting this large group of foreigners, didn't exactly throw a welcome parade. Here is his disdainful response to George III."Yesterday your Ambassador petitioned my Ministers to memorialise me regarding your trade with China, but his proposal is not consistent with our dynastic usage and cannot be entertained. Hitherto [Before], all European nations, including your own country's barbarian merchants, have carried on their trade with Our Celestial Empire at Canton. Such has been the procedure for many years, although Our Celestial Empire possesses all things in prolific abundance and lacks no product within its borders. There was therefore no need to import the manufacturers of outside barbarians in exchange for our own produce..."But despite the position of strength stated by the emperor Qian Long, China's last dynasty would experience real peril with the Opium Wars (1839-1860 CE), the Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864 CE), and the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901 CE).Westernimperialism and internal struggleChina during the late Qing dynasty faced many problems, both at home and from the outside. Modern Communist Chinese scholars present this era as one that began with the foreign dynasty agreeing to the "unequal treaties" (described further below) demanded by the British. These scholars argue that the Qing’s illegitimate rule of China brought one disaster after another. The disasters included foreign influence,
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader152famine, poor management, natural disasters, and humiliating defeats against both peasant rebellions and foreign "barbarians" such as the British and Japanese. In addition, divisions based on ethnicity, religion, and socio-economic status left China in disunity, and thus vulnerable to foreign intrusions. Their argument focuses on internal problems that allowed western powers to meddle in China’s affairs. By contrast, western historians traditionally viewed this period as one where foreign influence succeeded in China and led to the modernization of the nation. In actuality, it was a mixture of both internal and external issues that led to this period of struggle and transformation in China.External meddling led to the Opium Wars, two periods of war fought between the British and Chinese. The British wanted to expand networks of trade by having the Chinese open more ports to their ships. However, the Chinese only wanted one thing from Europe—silver, mostly from mines in the Americas. Meanwhile Europeans wanted many products from China, such as tea, silk, and ceramics. Economically, this meant the Chinese profited from the silver trade while European countries did not. Finally, the British found something that many Chinese could no longer do without—opium. Used as medicine, but also highly addictive, most of this opium was grown in northern India, by the 1760s under British rule. Eventually, British traders convinced Chinese merchants to accept opium in exchange for products like tea. Buying more opium and less silver did not help the Chinese economy (China's paper currency relied on silver for its worth27). In response, the Qing emperor ordered the trade of opium to end. Chinese officials dumped British opium into the Pearl River near Canton. The British responded with modern, steam-powered war ships and the Chinese lost to the superior arms of the British. The treaty that ended the Opium Wars was devastating for the Qing, who lost Hong Kong (for over a century!) and lots of money. They were also required to open up more ports for British ships and British citizens no longer had to follow Chinese laws (hence the "unequal" bit of the treaties mentioned earlier).But around the same period as the Opium Wars, the Qing emperors were dealing with an internal conflict known as the Taiping Rebellion. A rural teacher named Hong Xiuquanwas able to mobilize an army of over 100,000 dissatisfied Chinese people. The uprising showcased the deep divisions in China. The rebels were mainly peasants who were suffering land shortages, mismanagement by Manchu landlords, and the economic losses of growing European control over trade. Hong Xiuquan blended Confucian and Christian beliefs into a doctrine that promised salvation and a better life for all who followed him. His proposal would forbid the mixing of unmarried men and women. It would also outlaw opium, a drug that ripped apart families and communities.While the Taiping Rebellion was mainly a Chinese civil war, European and American powers were involved. American soldiers were hired as mercenaries (military for hire) to fight for the Qing against the Taiping (although some also fought for the Taiping). The British and French military also participated but these soldiers were "on loan" from their respective governments rather than loyal to the Qing. In addition, the British and French weren't really fighting because they thought the Qing were "right". Instead, they wanted to protect the trade treaties they had recently negotiated with the emperor. Eventually, the rebellion was stopped but not before almost 20 million were killed. The tensions between these communities within China and with foreign governments continued for many years.27Silver was used to back up or support the paper currency produced in China. As a result, paper currency was tied directly to silver and represented a fixed amount of silver. This is similar to the gold standard that was used in most countries prior to the Great Depression.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader153Other political and environmental issues gave China many headaches during this period. European intervention and Manchu misrule made governing more difficult, and a succession of natural disasters led to famines. Many people were hungry and angry (hangry), and that made the tension between China's various groups even worse. Communities in China were also changing. Coastal areas endured the mass influxof European missionaries and merchants, while the interior areas dealt with increased friction between rival ethnicities and beliefs. China was changing rapidly in some ways, just like the rest of the world. But most Chinese people held onto traditional views and values, varied though they were.An era of conflicts: Modernization vs. traditional Chinese customsChina lost the Opium Wars to a modernized British military. After this, modernization seemed more important than ever. More Western influences flooded into coastal cities. Railway lines (a Western technology) were constructed and the military acquired more advanced weapons. At first the Chinese attempted to counterbalance this outside influence with traditional Chinese practices such as a reliance onConfucian ideals. The period from 1860 to 1874, known as the Tongzhi Restoration, led to a strengthening of traditional Chinese values with some modernizations.This began with the Empress Dowager Cixi (Tz'u-hsi), who was regent (advisor) and mother to the young Qing emperor, Tongzhi. Cixi ruled China for almost 50 years and exercised enormous power. Historians, both at the time, and later on, would paint her in an unflattering light, as a ruthless, illiterate woman. However, the truth was not that simple.While she used strategies that would seem extreme by today's standards, she helped lead China during an era that also led to positive reforms.The later years of Cixi's influence were marked by conflicting goals: modernization versus uniting the empire through traditional Chinese customs and values. China's defeat in the Sino-Japanese War would lead to the Hundred Days' Reform (Wuxu Reform). This ambitious effort sought to modernize China through a series of reforms, many of which focused on "Westernization", meaning the adoption of European-style laws and practices.However, some Chinese wanted to modernize without becoming overly westernized, so the plan angered traditionalists, including the Dowager Empress. Cixi had been in a semi-retirement from 1889 but still exercised influence and control over the Guangxu Emperor (Cixi's nephew and successor to the emperor Tongzhi) and the court. In 1898 with the launch of the reform movement, Cixi came out of retirement to launch a coup (revolt) against the emperor.While successful in re-establishing her control, the coup simply encouraged other groups to find a way to get rid of the Qing family for good.In one last attempt to deal with foreign influence in China, the Qing supported a rebellion led by members of a society in the provinces known as the Boxers (Yihequan)28. This secret group had once been hostile to the Qing and wanted to overthrow what they still saw as a foreign government. But the Qing were able to recruit them to get rid of the people they all agreed were foreigners—the Europeans.Their first target was the community of Christians in northern China. Then in 1900, the Boxers moved to Beijing where they repelled a group of foreign forces outside the city. When attacks on foreigners started happening in the capital, an international force of almost 20,000 troops marched into the city to free those 28The English translation of Yihequan is "righteous and harmonious fists", which is why westerners referred to this group as the "Boxers" ("Boxer Rebellion").
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader154under siege. Guangxu, the Dowager Empress, and her court were forced to flee. After negotiations between the Empress' emissaries (representatives) and the foreign coalition, the Empress returned to Beijing and began to institute many of the reforms that were suggested in the Hundred Days' Reform movement.In 1908 both the Emperor Guangxu and the Empress Dowager died in the same week. One final emperor would rule China until he was forced to step down in 1912 after a rebellion that began the previous year. The Xinhai Revolution (Chinese Revolution) resulted in the formation of a republic. The 2000-year reign of emperors in China had officially come to an end. SourcesBickers, Robert. The Scramble for China: Foreign Devils in the Qing Empire, 1852-1914. New York: Allen Lane/Penguin Books, 2011.Emperor Qian Long [Ch’ien Lung] Letter to King George III, 1793. Modern History Sourcebook. Fordham University. Accessed16 February 2019 https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/1793qianlong.asp.Fenby, Jonathan. The Penguin History of Modern China: The Fall and Rise of a Great Power, 1850 to the Present. New York: Penguin Books, 2008.Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War. New York: Alfred Knopf, 2012.Platt, Stephen R. Imperial Twilight: The Opium War and the End of China’s Last Golden Age. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2018. Qian, Nanxiu, Fong, Grace S., & Smith, Richard J., eds. Different Worlds of Discourse: Transformations of Gender and Genre in Late Qing and Early Republican China. Leiden, Netherlands: Brill, 2008.Robbins, Helen H. Our First Ambassador to China: An Account of the Life of George, Earl of Macartney, with Extracts from His Letters, and the Narrative of His Experiences in China, as Told by Himself, 1737-1806. London: John Murray, 1908.Author BioBridgette Byrd O’Connor holds a DPhil in history from the University of Oxford and has taught Big History, world history, and AP US government and politics for the past 10 years at the high school level. In addition, Bridgette has been a freelance writer and editor for the Big History Project and the Crash Course world history and US history curricula.Struggle and Transformation in China (1170L)Bridgette Byrd O’ConnorBackgroundIn the late seventeenth century, the Ming dynasty in China was in disorder. Internal dissent led one group of Ming generals to recruit allies from a militarized society in Manchuria, northeast of China. Once they were allowed in, these Manchu units became the most powerful force within China. They established control over the area and created the Qing dynasty that ruled China for over 250 years. The Qing emperors expanded the
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader155borders of China and controlled an area that included many different ethnicities and cultures. While the Qing reigned over a population of about 410 million by the nineteenth century, it was also a divided nation. Tensions existed between the Manchu Qing and the ethnic Han Chinese. Also, traditionalists were at odds with those who wished to modernize the empire. These divisions caused such resentment that the Han started treating the Qing (Manchus) as if they were a foreign dynasty. These tensions produced several conflicts and rebellions that would lead to the end of dynastic rule in China.In the late eighteenth century, the Qing empire peaked both in terms of geographic area and prosperity. It was ruled in these years by emperor Qian Long (Ch'ien Lung). During this time, the British king, George III, wanted to open up more trade ports. So he sent the ambassador Lord Macartney on a mission to China to get the project going. The emperor, upon meeting this large group of foreigners, had a bitter response to George III."Hitherto [Before], all European nations, including your own country's barbarian merchants, have carriedon their trade with Our Celestial Empire at Canton. Such has been the procedure for many years, although Our Celestial Empire possesses all things in prolific abundance and lacks no product within its borders. There was therefore no need to import the manufacturers of outside barbarians in exchange for our own produce..."Emperor Qian Long tried to assert China's strength. However, China's last dynasty would experience real peril with the Opium Wars (1839-1860 CE), the Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864 CE), and the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901 CE).Western imperialism and internal struggleChina during the late Qing dynasty faced many problems, both at home and from the outside. Modern Communist Chinese scholars present this era as one that began with the foreign dynasty agreeing to the "unequal treaties" demanded by the British. These scholars argue that the Qin’s unlawful rule of China brought one disaster after another. The disasters included foreign influence, famine, poor management, naturaldisasters, and humiliating defeats against both peasant rebellions and foreign "barbarians" such as the British and Japanese. In addition, divisions based on ethnicity, religion, and socio-economic status left China torn apart, and vulnerable to foreign intrusions. Their argument focuses on internal problems that allowed western powers to meddle in China’s affairs. By contrast, western historians traditionally viewed this period as one where foreign influence succeeded in China and led to the modernizationof the nation. In actuality, it was a mixture of both internal and external issues that led to this period of struggle and transformation.External meddling led to the Opium Wars, two periods of war fought between the British and Chinese. The British wanted the Chinese to open more ports to their ships. However, the Chinese only wanted one thing from Europe—silver, mostly from mines in the Americas. Meanwhile, Europeans wanted many Chinese products, such as tea, silk, and ceramics. Economically, this meantthe Chinese profited from the silver trade while European countries did not. Finally, the British found something that many Chinese could no longer do without—opium. Used as medicine, but also highly addictive, most of this opium was grown in northern India, which was under British rule by the 1760s. Eventually, British traders convinced Chinese merchants to accept opium in exchange for products like tea. Buying more opium and less silver did not help the Chinese
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader156economy (China's paper currency relied on silver for its worth29). In response, the Qing emperor ordered the trade of opium to end. Chinese officials dumped British opium into the Pearl River near Canton. The British responded with modern, steam-powered war ships and the Chinese lost to the superior arms of the British. The treaty that ended the Opium Wars was devastating for the Qing, who lost Hong Kong for over a century and much money. They were also required to open up more ports for British ships and British citizens no longer had to follow Chinese laws (hence the "unequal" bit of the treaties mentioned earlier).But around the same period as the Opium Wars, the Qing emperors were dealing with an internal conflict known as the Taiping Rebellion. A rural teacher named Hong Xiuquan was able to mobilize an army of over 100,000 dissatisfied Chinese people. The uprising showcased the deep divisions in China. The rebels were mainly peasants who were suffering land shortages, mismanagement by Manchu landlords, and the economic losses of growing Europeancontrol over trade. Hong Xiuquan blended beliefs from Christianity and Confucius, the traditional Chinese philosopher, into a movement. He promised salvation and a better life for all who followed him. His proposal would forbid the mixing of unmarried menand women. It would also outlaw opium, a drug that ripped apart families and communities.While the Taiping Rebellion was mainly a Chinese civil war, European and American powers were involved. American soldiers were hired as mercenaries (military for hire) to fight for the Qing against the Taiping (although some also fought for the Taiping). The British and French military also participated but these soldiers were "on loan" from their respective governments rather than loyal to the Qing. Also, the Britishand French weren't really fighting because they thought the Qing were "right." They wanted to protect the trade treaties they had recently negotiated with the emperor. Eventually, the rebellion was stopped, but not before almost 20 million were killed. The tensions between these communities within China and with foreign governments continued for many years.Other political and environmental issues gave China many headaches during this period. European meddling and Manchu misrule made governing more difficult. Added to these problems were a series of natural disasters that led to famines. Many people were hungry and angry, which worsened the tension between China's various groups. Communities in China were also changing. Coastal areas endured the mass arrival of European missionaries and merchants, while the interior areas dealt with increased friction between rival ethnicities and beliefs. China was changing rapidly in some ways, just like the rest of the world. But most Chinese people held onto traditional views and values, varied though they were.An era of conflicts: Modernization vs. traditional Chinese customsChina lost the Opium Wars to a modernized British military. Afterward, modernization seemed more important than ever. After this, modernization seemed more important than ever. More Western influences flooded into coastal cities. Railway lines, a Western technology, were constructed and the military acquired more advanced weapons. At first, the Chinese attempted to offset this outside influence withtraditional Chinese practices such as a reliance on Confucian ideals. The period from 1860 to 1874, known as the Tongzhi Restoration, led to a strengthening of traditional Chinese values with some modernizations.29Silver was used to back up or support thepaper currency produced in China. As a result, paper currency was tied directly to silver and represented a fixed amount of silver. This is similar to the gold standard that was used in most countries prior to the Great Depression.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader157This began with the Empress Dowager Cixi (Tz'u-hsi), who was regent (advisor) and mother to the young Qing emperor, Tongzhi. Cixi ruled China for almost 50 years and exercised enormous power. Historians, both at the time, and later on, would paint her in an unflattering light, as a ruthless, illiterate woman. However, the truth was not that simple. While she used strategies that would seem extreme by today's standards, she helped lead China during an era that also led to positive reforms.The later years of Cixi's influence were marked by conflicting goals: modernization versus uniting the empire through traditional Chinese customs and values. China's defeat in the Sino-Japanese War would lead to the Hundred Days' Reform (Wuxu Reform). This ambitious effort aimed to modernize China through a series of reforms, many of which focused on "Westernization," meaning the adoption of European-style laws and practices.However, some Chinese wanted to modernize without becoming overly westernized. The proposed reforms angered traditionalists, including the Dowager Empress. Cixi had been in a semi-retirement from 1889 but still exercised influence and control over the Guangxu Emperor, Cixi's nephew and successor to the emperor Tongzhi, and the court. In 1898 with the launch of the reform movement, Cixi came out of retirement to launch a coup (revolt) against the emperor. While successful in re-establishing her control, the coup simply encouraged other groups to find a way to force out the Qing family for good.In one last attempt to deal with foreign influence inChina, the Qing supported a rebellion led by members of a society in the provinces known as the Boxers (Yihequan)30. This secret group had once been hostile to the Qing and wanted to overthrow what they still saw as a foreign government. But the Qing wereable to recruit them to get rid of the people they all agreed were foreigners—the Europeans.Their first target was the community of Christians in northern China. Then in 1900, the Boxers moved to Beijing where they repelled a group of foreign forces outside the city. When attacks on foreigners started happening in the capital, an international force of almost 20,000 troops marched into the city to free those under siege. Guangxu, the Dowager Empress, and her court were forced to flee. After negotiations between the Empress' emissaries (representatives) and the foreign alliance, the Empress returned to Beijing. She began to institute many of the reforms that were suggested in the Hundred Days' Reform movement.In 1908 both the Emperor Guangxu and the Empress Dowager died in the same week. One final emperor would rule China until he was forced to step down in 1912, after the Xinhai Revolution (Chinese Revolution) began the previous year, resulting in the formation of a republic. The 2000-year reign of emperors in China had officially come to an end.Struggle and Transformation in China (1060L)Bridgette Byrd O’ConnorBackgroundIn the late seventeenth century, the Ming dynasty in China was in disorder. Internal disagreements led one group of Ming generals to recruit allies from a militarized society in Manchuria, northeast of China. Once they were allowed in, these Manchu units became the most powerful force within China. They established 30The English translation of Yihequan is "righteous and harmonious fists", which is why westerners referred to this group as the "Boxers" ("Boxer Rebellion").
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader158control over the area and created the Qing dynasty that ruled China for over 250 years. The Qing emperors expanded the borders of China and controlled an area that included many different ethnicities and cultures. While the Qing reigned over about 410 million people by the nineteenth century, it was also a divided nation. Tensions existed between the Manchu Qing and the ethnic Han Chinese. Also, traditionalists were at odds with those who wished to modernize the empire. These divisions caused such resentment that the Han started treating the Qing (Manchus) as if they were a foreign dynasty. These tensions produced several conflicts and rebellions that would lead to the end of dynastic rule in China.In the late eighteenth century, the Qing empire was peaking both in terms of geographic area and prosperity. Emperor Qian Long (Ch'ien Lung) ruled during these years. At the same time, the British king, George III, wanted to open up more trade ports. So he sent the ambassador Lord Macartney on a mission to China to get the project going. The emperor, upon meeting this large group of foreigners, had a bitter response for George III. He refused to open more ports, saying:"Our Celestial Empire possesses all things in prolific abundance and lacks no product within its borders. There was therefore no need to import the manufacturers of outside barbarians in exchange for our own produce..."Emperor Qian Long tried to assert China's strength. However, China's last dynasty would experience real peril with the Opium Wars (1839-1860 CE), the Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864 CE), and the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901 CE).Western imperialism and internal struggleChina during the late Qing dynasty faced many problems. Modern Communist Chinese scholars present this era as one that began with the foreign dynasty agreeing to the "unequal treaties" demanded by the British. These scholars argue that the Qing’s unlawful rule of China brought one disaster after another. The disasters included foreign influence, famine, natural disasters, and poor management. They faced humiliating defeats against both peasant rebellions and foreign "barbarians" such as the British and Japanese. In addition, divisions based on ethnicity, religion, and social class left China torn apart, and vulnerable to foreign intrusions. Their argument focuses on the internal problems that allowed western powers to interfere in China’s affairs. By contrast, western historians traditionally viewed this period as one where foreign influence succeeded in China. It led to the modernization of the nation. In truth, it was a mixture of both internal and external issues that led to this period of struggle and transformation.External meddling led to the Opium Wars, two periods of war fought between the British and Chinese. The British wanted the Chinese to open more ports to their ships. However, the Chinese only wanted one thing from Europe—silver, mostly from mines in the Americas. Meanwhile, Europeans wanted many Chinese products, such as tea, silk, and ceramics. Economically, this meant the Chinese profited from the silver trade while European countries did not. Finally, the British found something that many Chinese could no longer do without—opium. Used as medicine, but also highly addictive, most of this opium was grown in northern India, which was under British control by the 1760s. Eventually, British traders convinced Chinese merchants to accept opium in exchange for products like tea. Buying more opium and less silver did not help the
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader159Chinese economy. China's paper currency relied on silver for its worth31. In response, the Qing emperor ordered the end of the opium trade. Chinese officials dumped British opium into the Pearl River near Canton. The British responded with modern, steam-powered war ships, defeating the Chinese arms. The treaty that ended the Opium Wars was devastating for the Qing, who lost Hong Kong for over a century and much money. They were also required to open up more ports for British ships. British citizens no longer had to follow Chinese laws, hence the "unequal" bit of the treaties mentioned earlier.But around the same period as the Opium Wars, the Qing emperors were dealing with an internal conflict known as the Taiping Rebellion. A rural teacher named Hong Xiuquan was able to mobilize an army of over 100,000 dissatisfied Chinese people. The uprising showcased the deep divisions in China. The rebels were mainly peasants who were suffering land shortages, mismanagement by Manchu landlords, and the economic losses of growing European control over trade. Hong Xiuquan blended beliefs from the Christian religion with ideas from Chinese philosopher Confucius, creating a movement. He promised salvation and a better life for all who followed him. His proposal would forbid the mixing of unmarried men and women. It also outlawed opium, a drug that ripped apart families and communities.While the Taiping Rebellion was mainly a Chinese civil war, European and American powers were involved. American soldiers were hired as mercenaries (military for hire) to fight for the Qing against the Taiping, although some also fought for the Taiping. The British and French military also participated but these soldiers were "on loan" from their respective governments rather than loyal to the Qing. In addition, the British and French weren't really fighting because they thought the Qing were "right." Instead, they wanted to protect the trade treaties they had recently negotiated with the emperor. Eventually, the rebellion was stopped, but almost 20 million were killed. The tensions between these communities within China and with foreign governments continued for many years.Other political and environmental issues gave China many headaches during this period. European meddling and Manchu misrule made governing more difficult. Added to these problems were a series of natural disasters that led to famines. Many people were hungry and angry, which worsened the tension between China's various groups. Communities in China were also changing. Coastal areas endured the mass arrival of European missionaries and merchants. Meanwhile, the interior areas facedincreased friction between rival ethnicities and beliefs. China was changing rapidly in some ways, just like the rest of the world. But most Chinese people held onto traditional views and values, varied though they were.An era of conflicts: Modernizationvs. traditional Chinese customsChina lost the Opium Wars to a modernized British military. After this, modernization seemed more important than ever. More Western influences flooded into coastal cities. Railway lines, a Western technology, were constructed. The military acquired more advanced weapons. At first, the Chinese attempted to balance out this outside influence with traditional Chinese practices, such as a reliance on Confucian ideals. The period from 1860 to 1874, known as the Tongzhi Restoration, led to a strengthening of traditional Chinese values with some modernizations.31Silver was used to back up or support the paper currency produced in China. As a result, paper currency was tied directly to silver and represented a fixed amount of silver. This is similar to the gold standard that was used in most countries prior to the Great Depression.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader160This began with the Empress Dowager Cixi (Tz'u-hsi). She was regent (advisor) and mother to the young Qing emperor, Tongzhi. Cixi ruled China for almost 50 years and exercised enormous power. Historians, both at the time, and later on, would paint her in an unflattering light, as a ruthless, illiterate woman. However, the truth was not that simple. While she used strategies that would seem extreme by today's standards, she helped lead China during an era that also led to positive reforms.The later years of Cixi's influence were marked by conflicting goals: modernization versus uniting the empire through traditional Chinese customs and values. China's defeat in the Sino-Japanese War would lead to the Hundred Days' Reform (Wuxu Reform). This ambitious effort sought to modernize China through a series of reforms. Many of these focused on "Westernization," meaning the adoption of European-style laws and practices.However, some Chinese wanted to modernize without becoming overly westernized. The proposed reforms angered traditionalists, including the Dowager Empress. Cixi had been in a semi-retirement from 1889. Still, she exercised control over the court and the Guangxu Emperor, Cixi's nephew and successor to the emperor Tongzhi. In 1898 as the reform movement launched, Cixi came out of retirement to launch a coup (revolt) against the emperor. While successful in re-establishing her control, the coup simply encouraged other groups to find a way to force out the Qing family for good.In one last attempt to deal with foreign influence in China, the Qing supported a rebellion led by members of a society in the provinces known as the Boxers (Yihequan)32. This secret group had once been against the Qing. They wanted to overthrow what they still saw as a foreign government. But the Qing were able to recruit them to get rid of the people they all agreed were foreigners—the Europeans.Their first target was the community of Christians in northern China. Then in 1900, the Boxers moved to Beijing where they repelled a group of foreign forces outside the city. Attacks on foreigners started happening in the capital. Soon an international force of almost 20,000 troops marched into the city to free those under siege. Guangxu, the Dowager Empress, and her court were forced to flee. After negotiations between the Empress' emissaries (representatives) and the foreign alliance, the Empress returned to Beijing. She began to carry out many of the reforms that were suggested in the Hundred Days' Reform movement.In 1908 both the Emperor Guangxu and the Empress Dowager died in the same week. One final emperor would rule China until he was forced to step down in 1912 after a rebellion that began the previous year. The Xinhai Revolution (Chinese Revolution) resulted in the formation of a republic. The 2000-year reign of emperors in China had officially come to an end.Struggle and Transformation in China (960L)Bridgette Byrd O’ConnorBackgroundIn the late seventeenth century, the Ming dynasty in China was in disorder. Internal disagreement led one group of Ming generals to gather allies from a militarized society in Manchuria, northeast of China. Once they were allowed in, these Manchu units became the most powerful force within China. They established 32The English translation of Yihequan is "righteous and harmonious fists", which is why westerners referred to this group as the "Boxers" ("Boxer Rebellion").
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader161control over the area and created the Qing dynasty. It would rule China for over 250 years. The Qing emperors expanded the borders of China and controlled an area that included many different ethnic groups and cultures. The Qing reigned over about 410 million people by the 1800s. Still, it was a divided nation. Tensions existed between the Manchu Qing and the ethnic Han Chinese. Also, some people believed in following China's older traditions. They clashed with those who wished to make the empire modern. Soon, such anger led the Han to treat the Qing (Manchus) as if they were a foreign dynasty. These tensions produced several conflicts and rebellions. They would lead to the end of dynastic rule in China.In the lateeighteenth century, the Qing empire was peaking both in terms of total land and wealth. Emperor Qian Long (Ch'ien Lung) was the ruler then. During this time, the British king, George III, wanted to open up more trade ports. So, he sent the ambassador LordMacartney to China to get the project going. After meeting the foreign group, the emperor had a bitter response for George III. He refused to open more ports, saying:"Our Celestial Empire possesses all things in prolific abundance and lacks no product within its borders. There was therefore no need to import the manufacturers of outside barbarians in exchange for our own produce..."Emperor Qian Long bragged about China's strength. However, China's last dynasty would experience real trouble. Soon came theOpium Wars (1839-1860 CE), the Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864 CE), and the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901 CE).Western imperialism and internal struggleModern Communist Chinese scholars present the Qing era as one that began with the foreign dynasty agreeing to the "unequal treaties" demanded by the British. These scholars argue that the Qing’s unlawful rule of China brought one disaster after another. There were foreign influences, natural disasters, famine, and poor management. They also faced embarrassing defeats against both peasant rebellions and foreign "barbarians," such as the British and Japanese. In addition, divisions based on ethnicity, religion and ranking in society left China torn apart. It would become vulnerable to foreign intrusions. Their argument focuses on the internal problems that allowed western powers to interfere in China. By contrast, western historians traditionally viewed this period as one where foreign influence succeeded in China. It led to the modernization of the nation. In truth, it was a mixture of both internal and external issues that led to this period of struggle and transformation.External meddling led to the Opium Wars, two periods of war fought between the British and Chinese. The British wanted the Chinese to open more ports to their ships. However, the Chinese only wanted one thing from Europe—silver, mostly from mines in the Americas. Meanwhile, Europeans wanted many Chinese products, such as tea, silk, and ceramics. This meant the Chinese profited from the silver trade while European countries did not. Finally, the British found something that many Chinese could no longer do without—opium. Used as medicine, but also highly addictive, most of this opium was grown in northern India, by the 1760s under British rule. Eventually, British traders convinced Chinese merchants to accept opium in exchange for products like tea. Buying more opium and less silver did not help the Chinese
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader162economy. China's paper currency relied on silver for its worth33. In response, the Qing emperor ordered the trade of opium to end. Chinese officials dumped British opium into the Pearl River near Canton. The British responded with modern, steam-powered warships. The Chinese lost to the superior arms of the British. The treaty that ended the Opium Wars was devastating for the Qing, who lost Hong Kong for over a century and much money. They were also required to open up more ports for British ships. British citizens no longer had to follow Chinese laws. This explains the "unequal" bit of the treaties mentioned earlier.But around the same period as the Opium Wars, the Qing emperors were dealing with an internal conflict known as the Taiping Rebellion. A rural teacher named Hong Xiuquan was able to gather an army of over 100,000 angry Chinese people. The uprising showcased the deep divisions in China. The rebels were mainly peasants. They suffered land shortages, mismanagement by Manchu landlords, and lost money due to growing European control over trade. Hong Xiuquan blended beliefs from the religion Christianity and the Chinese philosopher Confucius, creating a movement. He promised salvation and a better life for all who followed him. His ideas would outlaw the mixing of unmarried men and women. It also outlawed opium, a drug that ripped apart families and communities.While the Taiping Rebellion was mainly a Chinese civil war, European and American powers were involved. American soldiers were hired as mercenaries (military for hire) to fight for the Qing against the Taiping, although some also fought for the Taiping. The British and French military also participated but these soldiers were "on loan" from their governments rather than loyal to the Qing. Additionally, the British and French weren't really fighting because they thought the Qing were "right." Instead, they wanted to protect the trade treaties they had recently negotiated with the emperor. Eventually, the rebellion was stopped. However, almost 20 million were killed. The tensions between these communities within China and with foreign governments continued for many years.Other political and environmental issues troubled China during this period. European meddling and Manchu rulers' mistakes made governing more difficult. Added to this problem were a series of natural disasters that led to food shortages. Many people were hungry and angry. That worsened the tension between China's various groups. China was changing rapidly in some ways, just like the rest of the world. But most Chinese people held onto traditional views and values.An eraof conflicts: Modernization vs. traditional Chinese customsChina lost the Opium Wars to a modernized British military. After this, modernization seemed more important than ever. More Western influences flooded into coastal cities. Railway lines, a Western technology, were constructed. The military acquired more advanced weapons. At first, the Chinese attempted to balance out this outside influence with traditional Chinese practices, such as a reliance on Confucian ideals. The period from 1860 to 1874 was known as the Tongzhi Restoration. It led to strengthened traditional Chinese values with some modernizations.It began with the Empress Dowager Cixi (Tz'u-hsi). She was regent (advisor) and mother to the young Qing emperor, Tongzhi. Cixi ruled China for almost 50 years and held enormous power. Historians treated her negatively, then and later. They called her a ruthless woman who couldn't read. However, the truth was not 33Silver was used to back up or support the paper currency produced in China. As a result, paper currency was tied directly to silver and represented a fixed amount of silver. This is similar to the gold standard that was used in most countries prior to the Great Depression.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader163that simple. She did use methods that would seem extreme by today's standards. But she also helped lead China during an era that led to positive reforms.The later years of Cixi's influence were marked by conflicting goals: Should China become modern? Or should she unite the empire through traditional Chinese customs and values? China's defeat in the Sino-Japanese War would lead to the Hundred Days' Reform (Wuxu Reform). This bold effort aimed to modernize China through several reforms. Many of these focused on "Westernization," meaning the adoption of European-style laws and practices.However, some Chinese wanted to modernize without becoming overly westernized. The proposed reforms angered traditionalists, including the Dowager Empress. Cixi had been in a semi-retirement from 1889. Still, she exercised control over the court and the GuangxuEmperor, Cixi's nephew, and next-in-line to the emperor Tongzhi. In 1898, with the reform movement launching, Cixi came out of retirement to begin a coup (revolt) against the emperor. While successful in re-establishing her control, the coup simply encouraged other groups to force out the Qing family for good.In one last attempt to deal with foreign influence in China, the Qing supported a rebellion led by members of a society in the provinces known as the Boxers (Yihequan)34. This secret group had once been against the Qing, seeing them as a foreign government. But the Qing were able to recruit them to get rid of the people they all agreed were foreigners—the Europeans.Their first target was the community of Christians in northern China. Then in 1900, the Boxers moved to Beijing. There they fought back a group of foreign forces outside the city. Attacks on foreigners started happening in the capital. Soon an international force of almost 20,000 troops marched into the city to free those being held. Guangxu, the Dowager Empress, and her court were forced to flee. After negotiations between the Empress' emissaries (representatives) and the foreign alliance, the Empress returned to Beijing. She began to carry out many of the reforms that were suggested in theHundred Days' Reform movement.In 1908, both the Emperor Guangxu and the Empress Dowager died in the same week. One final emperor would rule China until he was forced to step down in 1912 after a rebellion that began the previous year. The Xinhai Revolution (Chinese Revolution) resulted in the formation of a republic. The 2000-year reign of emperors in China had officially come to an end.Struggle and Transformation in China (730L)Bridgette Byrd O’ConnorBackgroundIn the late 1600s, the Ming dynasty in China was falling apart. Rulers disagreed on many things. It led one group of Ming generals to gather allies from Manchuria, northeast of China. The area was known for its strong military. These Manchu units became the most powerful force within China. Theyestablished control over the area and created the Qing dynasty. It would rule China for over 250 years. The Qing emperors expanded the borders of China. They controlled an area that included many different cultures. By the 1800s, they ruled about 410 million people. However, it was a divided nation. Tensions existed between the 34The English translation of Yihequan is "righteous and harmonious fists", which is why westerners referred to this group as the "Boxers" ("Boxer Rebellion").
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader164Manchu Qing and the ethnic Han Chinese. Also, some people believed in following China's older traditions. They clashed with those who wished to make the empire modern. Soon, such anger led the Han to treat the Qing (Manchus) as if they were a foreign dynasty. These tensions produced several conflicts and rebellions. They would lead to the end of dynastic rule in China.In the late 1700s, the Qing empire was peaking. It had much land and wealth. It was ruled in these years by emperor Qian Long (Ch'ien Lung). During this time, the British king, George III, wanted to open up more trade ports. So he sent the messenger Lord Macartney on a mission to China to get the project going. The emperor gave a bitter response to George III. He refused to open more ports. Qian Long said the holy empire "lacks no product within its borders." It did not need to bring in the manufacturers of "outside barbarians."Emperor Qian Long bragged about China's strength. However, China's last dynasty would experience real trouble. Soon came the Opium Wars (1839-1860 CE). After came the Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864 CE), and the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901 CE).Western imperialism and internal struggleModern Communist Chinese scholars say the Qing era began with agreeing to "unequal treaties" with the British. These scholars argue that the Qing’s unlawful rule of China brought many disasters. There were foreign influences, natural disasters, hunger, and poor management. They also faced embarrassing defeats. There were peasant rebellions and fights with foreign "barbarians" such as the British and Japanese. Divisions based on ethnicity, religion, and ranking in society tore China apart. It would become powerless to foreign invaders. Their argument focuses on the internal problems that allowed foreign influence. Western historians thought differently about this period. They saw it as one where foreign influence succeeded in China. It led to the modernization of the nation. In truth, it was a mixture of both internal and external issues that led to this period of struggle and transformation.External meddling led to the Opium Wars. This was a war between the British and the Chinese. The British wanted to the Chinese open more ports to their ships. However, the Chinese only wanted silver from Europe. Meanwhile, Europeans wanted many Chinese products. This meant the Chinese profited from the silver trade. But, European countries did not. Finally, the British found that many Chinese could no longer do without opium. It was used as medicine. It is also highly addictive. Most opium was grown in northern India. This area was under British rule in the 1760s. Eventually, British traders convinced Chinese merchants to trade tea for opium. Buying more opium and less silver did not help Chinese businesses and jobs. China's paper money depended on silver for its worth35. In response, the Qing emperor ordered the trade of opium to end. Chinese officials dumped British opium into the Pearl River near Canton. The British responded with modern, steam-powered warships. The Chinese lost to the superior arms of the British. The treaty that ended the Opium Wars was crushing for the Qing. It lost Hong Kong for over 100 years and a lot of money. They were also forced to open up more ports for British ships. British citizens no longer had to follow Chinese laws. This explains the "unequal" bit of the treaties mentioned earlier.But around the Opium Wars, the Qing emperors were dealing with an internalconflict. It was known as the Taiping Rebellion. It started with a rural teacher named Hong Xiuquan. He gathered an army of over 100,000 35Silver was used to back up or support the paper currency produced in China. As a result, paper currency was tied directly to silver and represented a fixed amount of silver. This is similar to the gold standard that was used in most countries prior to the Great Depression.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader165angry Chinese people. The rebels were mainly peasants. They suffered land shortages, mistakes by Manchu landlords, andlost money due to growing European control over trade. Hong Xiuquan blended Christian beliefs with ideas from Confucius, the Chinese philosopher. He promised salvation and a better life for all who followed him. It also outlawed opium. The uprising showcased the deep divisions in China. The Taiping Rebellion was mainly a Chinese civil war. However European and American powers were involved. American soldiers were hired as mercenaries, or military for hire. They would fight for the Qing against the Taiping. Some did fight for the Taiping too. The British and French military also joined. However, these soldiers were "on loan" from their governments rather than loyal to the Qing. Additionally, the British and French weren't really fighting because they thought the Qing were "right." They just wanted to protect the trade treaties they had recently negotiated with the emperor. Later, the rebellion was stopped. However, almost 20 million were killed. The tensions between these communities within China and with foreign governments continued for many years.Other political and environmental issues troubled China during this period. Governing was difficult. The Europeans were forcing themselves in. The Manchu rulers made many mistakes. Soon natural disasters such as floods came. Food shortages resulted. Many people were hungry and angry. That made the tension between China's various groups even worse. China was changing quickly in some ways. So was the rest of the world. But most Chinese people held onto traditional views and values.An era of conflicts: Modernization vs. traditional Chinese customsChina lost the Opium Wars to a modernized British military. After, modernization seemed more important than ever. More Western influences flooded into coastal cities. Railroads, a Western technology, were constructed. The military got more modern weapons. At first, the Chinese tried to balance out this outside influence. They celebrated traditional Chinese practices, such as the writings of Confucius. The period from 1860 to 1874 was known as the Tongzhi Restoration. It led to strengthened traditional Chinese values with some modernizations.It began with the Empress Dowager Cixi (Tz'u-hsi). She was regent (advisor) and mother to the young Qing emperor, Tongzhi. Cixi ruled China for almost 50 years and held enormous power. Historians have often treated her negatively. They called her a cruel woman who couldn't read. However, the truth was not that simple. She did use methods that would seem extreme today. But she also helped lead China during a tough time and brought positive changes.Cixi's later years were marked by conflicting goals: Should China become modern? Or should she unite the empire through traditional Chinese customs? China's defeat in the Sino-Japanese War would lead to the Hundred Days' Reform (Wuxu Reform). This bold effort aimed to modernize China through several changes. Many of these focused on "Westernization." That meant taking on European-style laws and practices.However, some Chinese wanted to modernize without becoming overly westernized. The proposed reforms angered traditionalists, including the Dowager Empress. Cixi had been in a semi-retirement from 1889. Still, she exercised control over the court. She also had control over Guangxu Emperor, Cixi's nephew, and next-in-line to the emperor Tongzhi. In 1898 the reform movement launched.Cixi came out of retirement to launch a coup (revolt) against the emperor. She was successful in re-establishing her control. However, the coup simply encouraged other groups to find a way to force out the Qing family for good.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader166There would be one last attempt to deal with outside influence in China. The Qing supported a rebellion. It was led by members of a society in the provinces known as the Boxers (Yihequan)36. This secret group had once been against the Qing. They still saw the Qing as a foreign government. But the Qing were able to recruit the Boxers to get rid of people they all agreed were foreigners—the Europeans.Their first target was the community of Christians in northern China. Then in 1900, the Boxers moved to Beijing. There they fought back a group of foreign forces outside the city. Foreigners started getting attacked in the capital. Soon an international force of 20,000 troops marched into the city to free those being held. Guangxu, the Dowager Empress, and her court had to flee. Negotiations took place between the Empress' emissaries (representatives) and the foreign alliance. After, the Empress returned to Beijing. She began to carry out many of the changes that were suggested in the Hundred Days' Reform movement.In 1908 both the Emperor Guangxu and the Empress Dowager died in the same week. One final emperor would rule China until he was forced to step down in 1912. Soon, the Xinhai Revolution (Chinese Revolution) led to the creation of a republic. The 2000-year rule of emperors in China had officially come to an end.Dual ConsciousnessThis article helps students understand the cultural and psychological effects of racism and colonialism. It places W.E.B. DuBois’s work, including his idea of “double consciousness,” in the context of transnational connections between colonized peoples.Dual Consciousness (1300L)Amy Elizabeth RobinsonImperialism can be understood as the practice of a powerful nation politically and economically controlling less powerful regions and peoples. Sometimes imperialism involves colonization (settling among and establishing control over the indigenous people) and sometimes it does not. Regardless, the effects of imperialism and colonialism are not just political and economic. Peoples drawn into extensive trade networks or occupied by a colonizing power also experience cultural, emotional, and psychological consequences. As industrial imperialism intensified over the course of the nineteenth century, and as it relied more and more on the ideology of scientific racism, leading intellectuals of color began to talk about these arguably deeper effects of imperial power, especially as they related to race and racism. Two of these intellectuals were W.E.B. DuBois, an African-American scholar, and Frantz Fanon, a psychologist from the colony of French Martinique in the Caribbean, who became involved in the Algerian War for Independence.W.E.B. DuBois, racism, and double consciousnessW.E.B. DuBois was a sociologist, historian, and author, and one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He was born in Massachusetts in 1868, just after the end 36The English translation of Yihequan is "righteous and harmonious fists", which is why westerners referred to this group as the "Boxers" ("Boxer Rebellion").
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader167of the U.S. Civil War. He worked and traveled extensively in both the United States and Europe, and died in Ghana in 1963.In 1905 DuBoispublished a book, The Souls of Black Folk, that had a lasting impact on how people across the world think about the effects of racism. In the introduction to the book he wrote, "I have sought here to sketch, in vague, uncertain outline, the spiritual world in which ten thousand thousand Americans live and strive." The term that he used to discuss this spiritual world of black Americans, many of whom still remembered the experience of enslavement, was "double consciousness."37He sometimes illustrated this concept using the metaphor of a "veil" dividing the world of black Americans from that of white Americans. On one side of the veil (curtain), among themselves, people of color felt comfortable being themselves: dreaming dreams, making music, expressing their full humanity. But on the other side of the veil, confronted with racism, they lived with "a peculiar wrenching of the soul, a peculiar sense of doubt and bewilderment."The long passage below further explains his idea of double consciousness. (In the passage, DuBois uses terms for "racial" or historical groups that were common at the time he wrote—for example, "Egyptian" instead of "Arab," "Teuton" instead of "northern European," "Mongolian" instead of "Asian," "Negro" instead of "African" or "black.")After the Egyptian and the Indian, the Greek and the Roman, the Teuton and the Mongolian, the Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second-sight in this American world, —a world which yields him notrue self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others, of measuring one's soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his twoness, —an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings...in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.DuBois discussed in depth the psychology of racism, but he also discussed political issues. He contested the work of another leading black intellectual, Booker T. Washington. Washington stressed technical education and "racial uplift," but refused to engage in strugglesfor civil and political rights. DuBois admitted that Washington's approach was popular in the industrializing society of the American South. "This very singleness of vision and thorough oneness with his age is a mark of the successful man," he wrote. But for DuBois, this wasn't true freedom, and it wasn't enough. "It is as though Nature must needs make men narrow," he wrote sadly, "in order to give them force."DuBois developed a sense that the "whole story" of a society or culture could not be told if anypart of it was left out. Black Americans, "gifted with second sight" because of their dual consciousness, had much to teach white Americans and the world. He also wrote about the way in which other stories were excluded and erased from history. For example, he openly talked about the exclusion of black women from the nineteenth-and early-twentieth century women's movement, at a time when speaking out about this topic was unusual. "As I look about me today in this veiled world of mine," he wrote in an article in 1919, "despite the noisier and more spectacular advance of my brothers, I instinctively feel and know that it is the five million women of my race who really count."37Double or dual consciousness refers to feeling as though you have two identities housed in one person or mind. It's as if you view yourself one way and then others view you a different way or see you through a different lens.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader168DuBois's attention to black women's experience may have been influenced by his friendship with Anna Julia Cooper, a leading black woman intellectual who wrote A Voice from the Southin 1892. Just as DuBois set out to depict the particular spiritual life of black Americans in a racist political and economic system, Cooper set out to present "an intelligent and sympathetic comprehension of the interests and special needs of the Negro." But, unlike DuBois in Souls of Black Folk, she included "the real and special influence of woman." "'Tis woman's strongest vindication [defense] for speaking," she wrote, "that the world needs to hear her voice." In 1896 Cooper helped to found the National Association of Colored Women, whose motto—"Lift as we climb"—combined the uplift of Washington with the activism of DuBois.Colonialism, culture, and dual consciousnessIn The Souls of Black Folk, DuBois wrote famously that "The problem of the Twentieth Century is the problem of the color line,—the relation of the darker to the lighter races of men in Asia and Africa, in America and the islands of the sea." Indeed, by the early twentieth century, people of color around the world were thinking internationally, and connecting their struggles and their work. DuBois attended the first Pan-African Congress in London in 1900. The congress was organized by Trinidadian lawyer Henry Sylvester Williams, and attracted participants from Africa, the West Indies, the U.S., and Britain. One attendee was Dadabhai Naoroji, the only British Indian member of Parliament and one of the founders of the Indian National Congress.While many Pan-African Congress participants focused on political and economic rights, they also explored the effects of racism and colonialism on culture and psychology. Indian nationalists, for example, were very interested in reasserting local languagesand traditions. In the 1830s the British in India had established a system of education that required instruction in English alone, and Indian poets and scholars like Rabindranath Tagore insisted this was part of the damage of colonialism. "To break the lamp of any people is to deprive it of its rightful place in the world festival," Tagore said in a 1919 lecture. "He who has no light is unfortunate enough, but utterly miserable is he who, having it, has been deprived of it, or has forgotten all about it."Women of color were also building new global networks. In 1920, black women from the U.S., including Booker T. Washington's widow, Margaret Murray Washington, founded the International Council of Women from the Darker Races. They wanted to learn about andconnect directly with women of color who lived under colonialism. They saw similarities between their own experience, as descendants of people who were enslaved and treated as commodities38, and that of other colonized peoples.In 1952 the concept of dualconsciousness was raised again, in a book called Black Skin, White Masksby French Caribbean psychologist Frantz Fanon. In this work Fanon attempted "to discover the various mental attitudes the black man adopts in the face of white civilization." Like DuBois, Fanon recognized that people of color had a divided sense of self. "The black man possesses two dimensions: one with his fellow Blacks, the other with the Whites. A black man behaves differently with a white man than he does with another black man. There is no doubt whatsoever that this fissiparousness39is a direct consequence of the colonial 38Commodities are goods that are bought and sold. 39Fissiparousness means a sense of division or separation.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader169undertaking." The very idea of "blackness," of being black, Fanon argued, was a product of white minds: "Whether he likes it or not, the black man has to wear the livery40the white man has fabricated for him."Fanon's experiences in his home of French Martinique, as a student in Paris, and as a doctor in Algeria while the French violently attempted to end the Algerian independence movement, all contributed to his understanding of race and colonialism. He believed the invented categories of race affected not only black-white relationships but also relationships between different "racial" groups worldwide. He discussed how people of color tried to position themselves along a scale of race, culture, or civilization that was actually invented by dominant groups. Remember DuBois lamenting that a black man measures his "soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity"? This is what Fanon was talking about. He also warned against simplifying the experience of racism and colonialism into one "black" experience, as some figures in the Pan-African or Negritudemovement did, while also writing: "Is there in fact any difference between one racism and another? Don't we encounter the same downfall, the same failure of man?"Together, DuBois, Fanon, and other people of color who spoke out about the effects of racism and colonialism during the era of industrial imperialism help us understand how the experience of oppression "splits" one's consciousness, or one's sense of self. They also help us understand the ways that we ourselves may behave differently in different situations, "performing" an identity for others, and how these performances are affected by power.SourcesBolt, Christine. Sisterhood Questioned? Race, Class, and Internationalism in the American and British Women’s Movements c. 1880s-1970s. New York: Routledge, 2004.Cooper, Anna Julia. “A Voice from the South,” excerpted in Estelle B. Freedman, ed. The Essential Feminist Reader. New York: Modern Library, 2007.DuBois, W.E.B. “The Damnation of Women,” excerpted in Estelle B. Freedman, ed. The Essential Feminist Reader. New York: Modern Library, 2007.DuBois, W.E.B. The Souls of Black Folk. New York: Bantam Classics, 2005.Fanon, Frantz. Black Skin, White Masks. Translated by Richard Philcox. New York: Grove Press, 2008.Gilkes, Cheryl Townsend. “Three Great Revolutions: Black Women and Social Change.” Berkeley Journal of Sociology, January 18, 2016. Accessed November 28, 2018. http://berkeleyjournal.org/2016/01/three-great-revolutions/Slate, Nico. Colored Cosmopolitanism: The Shared Struggle for Freedom in the United States and India. Boston, MA: Harvard University Press, 2012.Tagore, Rabindranath. “The Centre of Indian Culture.” The Complete Works of Rabindranath Tagore. Accessed November 28, 2018. 40Livery means a set of clothing or a costume.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader170http://tagoreweb.in/Render/ShowContent.aspx?ct=Essays&bi=72EE92F5-BE50-40D7-9E6E-0F7410664DA3&ti=72EE92F5-BE50-4FE7-FE6E-0F7410664DA3&ch=cAuthor BioAmy Elizabeth Robinson is a freelance writer, editor, and historian with a PhD in the history of Britain and the British Empire. She has taught at Sonoma State University and Stanford University. Dual Consciousness (1270L)Amy Elizabeth RobinsonWhen apowerful nation politically and economically controls less powerful regions and peoples, this action is called imperialism. Sometimes imperialism involves colonization—settling among and establishing control over the indigenous people—and sometimes it does not. Regardless, the effects of imperialism and colonialism are not just political and economic. Peoples drawn into extensive trade networks or occupied by a colonizing power also experience cultural, emotional, and psychological consequences. As industrialimperialism intensified over the course of the nineteenth century, it relied more and more on the ideology of scientific racism. In other words, many people, even scientists, wrongly believed people of color were inferior because of their race. Soon leading intellectuals of color began to talk about these arguably deeper effects of imperial power, especially as they related to race and racism. One of these intellectuals was W.E.B. DuBois, an African-American scholar. Another was Frantz Fanon, a psychologist from the colony of French Martinique in the Caribbean, who became involved in the Algerian War for Independence.W.E.B. DuBois, racism, and double consciousnessW.E.B. DuBois was a sociologist, historian, and author, and one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He was born in Massachusetts in 1868, just after the end of the U.S. Civil War. He worked and traveled extensively in both the United States and Europe, and died in Ghana in 1963.In 1905 DuBoispublished a book, The Souls of Black Folk. It had a lasting impact on how people across the world think about the effects of racism. In the introduction to the book he wrote, "I have sought here to sketch, in vague, uncertain outline, the spiritual world in which ten thousand thousand Americans live and strive." The term that he used to discuss this spiritual world of black Americans, many of whom still remembered the experience of enslavement, was "double consciousness."41He sometimes illustrated this concept using the metaphor of a "veil" dividing the world of black Americans from that of white Americans. On one side of the veil (curtain), among themselves, people of color felt comfortable being themselves: dreaming dreams, making music, expressing their full humanity. But on the other side of the veil, confronted with racism, they lived with "a peculiar wrenching of the soul, a peculiar sense of doubt and bewilderment."The long passage below further explains his idea of double consciousness. (In the passage, DuBois uses terms for "racial" or historical groups that were common at the time he wrote. For example, "Egyptian" instead of "Arab," "Teuton" instead of "northern European," "Mongolian" instead of "Asian," "Negro" instead of "African" or "black.")41Double or dual consciousness refers to feeling as though you have two identities housed in one person or mind. It's as if you view yourself one way and then others view you a different way or see you through a different lens.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader171After the Egyptian and the Indian, the Greek and the Roman, the Teuton and the Mongolian, the Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second-sight in this American world, —a world which yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others, of measuring one's soul by thetape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his twoness, —an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings...in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.DuBois discussed in depth the psychology of racism, but he also discussed political issues. He contested the work of another leading black intellectual, Booker T. Washington. Washington stressed job training and "racial uplift," but refused to engage in struggles for civil and political rights. DuBois admitted that Washington's approach was popular in the industrializing society of the American South. But for DuBois, this wasn't true freedom, and it wasn't enough. "It is as though Nature must needs make men narrow," he wrote sadly, "in order to give them force."DuBois developed a sense that the "whole story" of a society or culture could not be told if any part of it was left out. Black Americans, "gifted with second sight" because of their dual consciousness, had much to teach white Americans and the world. He also wrote about the way in which other stories were excluded from history. For example, he openly talked about the exclusion of black women from the nineteenth-and early-twentieth-century women's movement. At that time, speaking out about this topic was unusual. "As I look about me today in this veiled world of mine," he wrote in an article in 1919, "despite the noisier and more spectacular advance of my brothers, I instinctively feel and know that it is the fivemillion women of my race who really count."DuBois's attention to black women's experience might have been influenced by his friendship with Anna Julia Cooper, a leading black woman intellectual who wrote A Voice from the Southin 1892. Just as DuBois setout to show the particular spiritual life of black Americans in a racist political and economic system, Cooper set out to present "an intelligent and sympathetic comprehension of the interests and special needs of the Negro." But, unlike DuBois in Souls of Black Folk, she included "the real and special influence of woman." "'Tis woman's strongest vindication [defense] for speaking," she wrote, "that the world needs to hear her voice." In 1896 Cooper helped to found the National Association of Colored Women, whose motto—"Lift as we climb"—combined the uplift of Washington with the activism of DuBois.Colonialism, culture, and dual consciousnessIn The Souls of Black Folk, DuBois wrote famously that "The problem of the Twentieth Century is the problem of the color line,—the relation of the darker to the lighter races of men in Asia and Africa, in America and the islands of the sea." Indeed, by the early twentieth century, people of color around the world were thinking internationally, and connecting their struggles and their work. DuBois attended the first Pan-African Congress in London in 1900. It attracted participants from Africa, the West Indies, the U.S., and Britain. One attendee was Dadabhai Naoroji, the only British Indian member of Parliament and one of the founders of the Indian National Congress.While many Pan-African Congress participants focused on political and economic rights, they also explored the effects of racism and colonialism on culture and psychology. Indian nationalists, for example, were very interested in reasserting local languages and traditions. In the 1830s the British in India had established a system of education that required instruction in English alone. Indian poets and scholars, such as
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader172Rabindranath Tagore, insisted this was part of the damage of colonialism. "To break the lamp of any people is to deprive it of its rightful place in the world festival," Tagore said in a 1919 lecture. "He who has no light is unfortunate enough, but utterly miserable is he who, having it, has been deprived of it, or has forgotten all about it."Women of color were also building new global networks. In 1920, black women from the U.S., including Booker T. Washington's widow, Margaret Murray Washington, founded the International Council of Women fromthe Darker Races. They wanted to learn about and connect directly with women of color who lived under colonialism. They saw similarities between their own experience, as descendants of people who were enslaved and treated as commodities42, and that of other colonized peoples.In 1952 the concept of dual consciousness was raised again, in a book called Black Skin, White Masksby French Caribbean psychologist Frantz Fanon. In this work, Fanon attempted "to discover the various mental attitudes the black man adopts in the face of white civilization." Like DuBois, Fanon recognized that people of color had a divided sense of self. "The black man possesses two dimensions: one with his fellow Blacks, the other with the Whites. A black man behaves differently with a white man than he does with another black man. There is no doubt whatsoever that this fissiparousness43is a direct consequence of the colonial undertaking." The very idea of "blackness," of being black, Fanon argued, was a product of white minds: "Whether he likes it or not, the black man has to wear the livery44the white man has fabricated for him."Fanon's lived in French Martinique, was a student in Paris, and worked as a doctor in Algeria. At the time, Algeria was fighting for independence from France, and the French violently attempted to end the Algerian independence movement. All these events contributed to his understanding of race and colonialism. He believed the invented categories of race affected not only black-white relationships but also relationships between different "racial" groups worldwide. Fanon discussed how people of color tried to position themselves along a scale of race, culture, or civilization that was actually invented by dominant groups. Remember DuBois lamenting that a black man measures his "soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity"? This is what Fanon was talking about. He also warned against simplifying the experience of racism and colonialism into one "black" experience, as some figures in the Pan-African or Negritude movement did, while also writing: "Is there in fact any difference between one racism and another? Don't we encounter the same downfall, the same failure of man?"Together, DuBois, Fanon, and other people of color who spoke out about the effects of racism and colonialism during the era of industrial imperialism help us understand how the experience of oppression "splits" one's consciousness, or one's sense of self. They also help us understand the ways that we ourselves may behave differently in different situations, "performing" an identity for others, and how these performances are affected by power.42Commodities are goods that are bought and sold.43Fissiparousness means a sense of division or separation.44Livery means a set of clothing or a costume.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader173Dual Consciousness (1120L)Amy Elizabeth RobinsonImperialism is when a powerful nation politically and economically controls less powerful regions and peoples. Sometimes imperialism involves colonization—settling among and establishing control over the indigenous people. Sometimes it does not. Regardless, the effects of imperialism and colonialism are not just political and economic. Peoples drawn into wide trade networks or occupied by a colonizing power also experience cultural, emotional, and psychological consequences. As industrial imperialism increased over the course of the nineteenth century, it relied more on the ideology of scientific racism. In other words, many people, including scientists, wrongly believed that people of color were inferior because of their biology. Soon leading intellectuals of color began to talk about these arguably deeper effects of imperial power, especially as they related to race and racism. One of these intellectuals was W.E.B. DuBois, an African-American scholar. Another was Frantz Fanon, a psychologist from the colony of French Martinique in the Caribbean. Fanon became involved in the Algerian War for Independence.W.E.B. DuBois, racism, and double consciousnessW.E.B. DuBois was a sociologist, historian, and author. He helped found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). DuBois was born in Massachusetts in 1868, just after the end of the U.S. Civil War. He worked and traveled extensively in both the United States and Europe, and died in Ghana in 1963.In 1905 DuBois published a book, The Souls of Black Folk. It had a lasting impact on how people across the world think about the effects of racism. He said he aimed to outline "the spiritual world in which ten thousand thousand Americans live and strive." The term that he used to discuss this spiritual world of black Americans, many of whom still remembered the experience of enslavement, was "double consciousness."45He sometimes illustrated this concept using the metaphor of a "veil." This veil divided the world of black Americans from that of white Americans. On one side of the veil (curtain), among themselves, people of color felt comfortable being themselves: dreaming dreams, making music, expressing their full humanity. But on the other side of the veil, confronted with racism, they lived with "a peculiar wrenching of the soul, a peculiar sense of doubt and bewilderment."The long passage below further explains his idea of double consciousness. (In the passage, DuBois uses terms for "racial" or historical groups that were common at the time he wrote. For example, "Egyptian" instead of "Arab," "Teuton" instead of "northern European," "Mongolian" instead of "Asian," "Negro" instead of "African" or "black.")After the Egyptian and the Indian, the Greek and the Roman, the Teuton and the Mongolian, the Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second-sight in this American world—a world which yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others, of measuring one's soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his twoness, —an 45Double or dual consciousness refers to feeling as though you have two identities housed in one person or mind. It's as if you view yourself one way and then others view you a different way or see you through a different lens.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader174American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings...in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.DuBois discussed in depth the psychology of racism. He also discussed political issues. He argued against the work of another leading black intellectual, Booker T. Washington. Washington stressed job training and "racial uplift" for people of color. However, Washington refused to engage in struggles for civil and political rights. DuBois admitted that Washington's approach was popular in the industrializing society of the American South. But for DuBois, this wasn't true freedom, and it wasn't enough. "It is as though Nature must needs make men narrow," he wrote sadly, "in order to give them force."DuBois developed a sense that the "whole story" of a society or culture could not be told if any part of it was left out. Black Americans, he said, were "gifted with second sight" because of their dual consciousness. So, they had much to teach white Americans and the world. He also wrote about the way in which other stories were excluded from history. For example, he openly talked about how black women were excluded from the nineteenth-and early-twentieth-century women's movement. At that time, speaking out about this topic was unusual. "As I look about me today in this veiled world of mine," he wrote in an article in 1919, "despite the noisier and more spectacular advance of my brothers, I instinctively feel and know that it is the five million women of my race who really count."DuBois's attention to black women's experience might have been influenced by his friendship with Anna Julia Cooper. She was a leading black woman intellectual who wrote A Voice from the Southin 1892. DuBois set out to show the particular spiritual life of black Americans in a racist political and economic system. Similarly, Cooper set out to present "an intelligent and sympathetic comprehension of the interests and special needs of the Negro." But, unlike DuBois in Souls of Black Folk, she included "the real and special influence of women." "'Tis woman's strongest vindication [defense] for speaking," she wrote, "that the world needs to hear her voice." In 1896 Cooper helped to found the National Association of Colored Women. Its motto—"Lift as we climb"—combined the uplift of Washington with the activism of DuBois.Colonialism, culture, and dual consciousnessIn The Souls of Black Folk, DuBois wrote famously that "The problem of the Twentieth Century is the problem of the color line,—the relation of the darker to the lighter races of men in Asia and Africa, in America and the islands of the sea." Indeed, by the early twentieth century, people of color around the world were thinking internationally. They connected their struggles and their work. DuBois attended the first Pan-African Congress in London in 1900. It attracted participants from Africa, the West Indies, the U.S., and Britain. One attendee was Dadabhai Naoroji. He was the only British Indian member of Parliament and one of the founders of the Indian National Congress.Many Pan-African Congress participants focused on political and economic rights. However, they also explored the effects of racism and colonialism on culture and psychology. Indian nationalists, for example, were very interested in reasserting local languages and traditions. In the 1830s the British in India had established a system of education that required instruction in English alone. Indian scholars such as Rabindranath Tagore insisted this was part of the damage of colonialism. "To break the lamp of any people is to deprive it of its rightful place in the world festival," Tagore said in a 1919 speech. "He who has no light is unfortunate enough, but utterly miserable is he who, having it, has been deprived of it, or has forgotten all about it."
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader175Women of color were also building new global networks. In 1920, black women from the U.S. founded the International Council of Women from the Darker Races. They wanted to learn about and connect directly with women of color who lived under colonialism. They saw similarities between their own experience, as descendants of people who were enslaved and treated as commodities46, and that of other colonized peoples.In 1952 the concept of dual consciousness was raised again, in a book called Black Skin, White Masksby Frantz Fanon. He attempted "to discover the various mental attitudes the black man adopts in the face of white civilization." Like DuBois, Fanon recognized that people of color had a divided sense of self. "The black man possesses two dimensions: one with his fellow Blacks, the other with the Whites. A black man behaves differently with a white man than he does with another black man. There is no doubt whatsoever that this fissiparousness47is a direct consequence of the colonial undertaking." The very idea of "blackness," of being black, Fanon argued, was a product of white minds: "Whether he likes it or not, the black man has to wear the livery48the white man has fabricated for him."Fanon's experiences all contributed to his understanding of race and colonialism. He had lived in French Martinique, was a student in Paris, and was a doctor in Algeria, which was trying to get its independence from France. The French violently attempted to end the Algerian independence movement. Fanon believed the invented categories of race didn't affect only black-white relationships. They also affected relationships between different "racial" groups worldwide. Fanon discussed how people of color tried to position themselves along a scale of race, culture, or civilization that was actually invented by dominant groups. Remember DuBois lamenting that a black man measures his "soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity"? This is what Fanon was talking about. He also warned against simplifying the experience of racism and colonialism into one "black" experience; some figures in the Pan-African or Negritude movement had done this. He also wrote: "Is there in fact any difference between one racism and another? Don't we encounter the same downfall, the same failure of man?"Together, DuBois, Fanon, and other people of color spokeout about the effects of racism and colonialism during the era of industrial imperialism. They helped us understand how the experience of oppression "splits" one's consciousness, or one's sense of self. They also help us understand the ways that we ourselves might behave differently in different situations, "performing" an identity for others. They taught how these performances are affected by power.Dual Consciousness (970L)Amy Elizabeth RobinsonImperialism is when a less powerful region or group is controlled politically and economically by a powerful nation. Sometimes imperialism involves colonization: the settling among and establishing control over the indigenous people. Sometimes it does not. Regardless, the effects of imperialism and colonialism are not just political and economic. Peoples drawn into wide trade networks or occupied by a colonizing power also experience cultural, emotional, and psychological consequences. Industrial imperialism increased over the course of the nineteenth century. Soon it relied more on the belief system of scientific racism. In other 46Commodities are goods that are bought and sold.47Fissiparousness means a sense of division or separation.48Livery means a set of clothing or a costume.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader176words, many people, including scientists, wrongly believed that people of color were inferior because of their biology. Soon leading thinkers of color began to talk about these arguably deeper effects of imperial power. They especially discussed it as they related to race and racism. One of these intellectuals was W.E.B. DuBois, an African-American scholar. Another was Frantz Fanon, a psychologist from the colony of French Martinique in the Caribbean. Fanon became involved in the Algerian War for Independence.W.E.B. DuBois, racism, and double consciousnessW.E.B. DuBois was a sociologist, historian, and author. He was born in Massachusetts in 1868. The U.S. Civil War had just ended. He helped found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He worked and traveled in both the United States and Europe, and died in Ghana in 1963.In 1905 DuBois published a book, The Souls of Black Folk. It had a lasting effect on how people across the world think about the effects of racism. In the introduction to the book, he wrote that he hoped to outline "the spiritual world in which ten thousand thousand Americans live and strive." Black Americans, he said, had a "double consciousness."49Many of them still remembered the experience of enslavement. He sometimes illustrated this concept using the metaphor of a "veil." This veil divided the world of black Americans from that of white Americans. On one side of the veil (curtain), among themselves, people of color felt comfortable being themselves: dreaming dreams, making music, expressing their full humanity. But on the other side of the veil, confronted with racism, they lived with a strange "wrenching of the soul" and "sense of doubt" and confusion.The long passage below further explains his idea of double consciousness. (In the passage, DuBois uses terms for "racial" or historical groups that were common at the time he wrote. For example, "Egyptian" instead of "Arab," and "Teuton"instead of "northern European." He also used "Mongolian" instead of "Asian," and "Negro" instead of "African" or "black.")"After the Egyptian and the Indian, the Greek and the Roman, the Teuton and the Mongolian, the Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second-sight in this American world," DuBois said. This world "yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others, of measuring one's soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his twoness, —an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciledstrivings...in one dark body" whose persistent "strength alone keeps it from being torn" apart.DuBois discussed in depth how racism affects the mind. He also discussed political issues. He argued against the work of another leading black intellectual, Booker T. Washington. Washington stressed job training and "racial uplift." However, Washington refused to engage in struggles for civil and political rights. DuBois admitted that Washington's approach was popular in the American South. The area was quickly becoming industrial, with business booming. But for DuBois, this wasn't true freedom, and it wasn't enough. DuBois developed a sense that the "whole story" of a society or culture could not be told if any part of it was left out. Black Americans, he said, were "gifted with second sight" because of their dual consciousness. So, they had much to teach white Americans and the world. He also wrote about the way in which other stories 49Double or dual consciousness refers to feeling as though you have two identities housed in one person or mind. It's as if you view yourself one way and then others view you a different way or see you through adifferent lens.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader177were excluded from history. For example, he openly talked about how black womenwere left out of the nineteenth-and early-twentieth-century women's movement. At that time, speaking out about this topic was unusual. DuBois was friends with Anna Julia Cooper. She was a leading black woman intellectual who wrote A Voice from the Southin 1892. She might have influenced his attention to black women's experience. DuBois set out to show the particular spiritual life of black Americans in a racist political and economic system. Similarly, Cooper set out to present "an intelligent and sympathetic" understanding "of the interests and special needs of the Negro." But, unlike DuBois in Souls of Black Folk, she included "the real and special influence of woman." "'Tis woman's strongest vindication [defense] for speaking," she wrote, "that the world needs to hear her voice." In 1896 Cooper helped to found the National Association of Colored Women. Its motto was "Lift as we climb." This combined the uplift of Washington with the activism of DuBois.Colonialism, culture, and dual consciousnessIn The Souls of Black Folk, DuBois wrote famously that "The problem of the Twentieth Century is the problem of the color line." He explained this as "the relation of the darker to the lighter races of men in Asia and Africa, in America and the islands of the sea." Indeed, by the early twentieth century, people of color around the world were thinking internationally. They connected their struggles and their work. DuBois attended the first Pan-African Congress in London in 1900. It attracted participants from Africa, the West Indies, the U.S., and Britain. One attendee was Dadabhai Naoroji. He was the only British Indian member of Parliament and one of the founders of the Indian National Congress.Many Pan-African Congress participants focused on political and economic rights. However, they also explored the effects of racism and colonialism on culture and psychology. Indian nationalists, for example, were very interested in focusing on local languages and traditions. In the 1830s the British in India had established a system of education that required instruction in English alone. Indian scholars such as Rabindranath Tagore insisted this was part of the damage of colonialism. "To break the lamp of any people is to deprive it of its rightful place in the world festival," Tagore said in a 1919 speech. "He who has no light is unfortunate enough, but utterly miserable is he who, having it, has been deprived of it, or has forgotten all about it." This lamp's "light" was a nation's original language and culture.Women of color were also building new global networks. In 1920, black women from the U.S. founded the International Council of Women from the Darker Races. They wanted to learn about and connect directly with women of color who lived under colonialism. The women were descendants of people who were enslaved and treated as commodities50. They saw similarities between their own experience and that of other colonized peoples.In 1952 Frantz Fanon released a book called Black Skin, White Masks. He again brought up the idea of dual consciousness. Fanon tried "to discover the various mental attitudes the black man adopts in the face of white civilization." Like DuBois, Fanon recognized that people of color had a divided sense of self. "The black man possesses two dimensions: one with his fellow Blacks, the other with the Whites. A black man behaves differently with a white man than he does with another black man. There is no doubt whatsoever that this 50Commodities are goods that are bought and sold.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader178fissiparousness51is a direct consequence of the colonial undertaking." The very idea of "blackness," of being black, Fanon argued, was a product of white minds—a "livery"52.Fanon's experiences all contributed to his understanding of race and colonialism. He had lived in French Martinique and was a student in Paris. Fanon was also a doctor in Algeria while the country was trying to gain its independence from France. The French violently attempted to end the Algerian independence movement. Fanon believed the invented categories of race didn't affect only black-white relationships. They also affected relationships between different "racial" groups worldwide. Dominant groups all over had invented a scale of race, culture, or civilization. Fanon discussed how people of color tried to position themselves in a made-up ranking system. DuBois had discussed this, too. Fanon also warned against simplifying the experience of racism and colonialism into one "black" experience. Some figures in the Pan-African or Negritude movement had done this. He also wrote: "Is there in fact any difference between one racism and another? Don't we encounter the same downfall, the same failure of man?"Together, DuBois, Fanon, and other people of color helped us understand how the experience of oppression "splits" one's consciousness, or one's sense of self. They also help us understand the ways that we ourselves might behave differently in different situations. People can "perform" an identity for others. These thinkers taught how these performances are affected by power.Dual Consciousness (780L)Amy Elizabeth RobinsonThe idea of imperialism has to do with one nation controlling another group or region. The powerful nation often has more money or political power. Sometimes imperialism involves colonization. It is the settling among and establishing control over a land's native people. Still, the effects of imperialism and colonialism are not just political and economic. Peoples drawn into wide trade networks or taken over by a colonizing power also experience cultural and emotional consequences. Industrial imperialism increased throughout the 1800s. Soon it relied more on the belief system of scientific racism. Many people at the time wrongly believed that people of color were lesser because of their biology. Soon leading thinkers of color began to talk about these arguably deeper effects of imperial power. They especially discussed it as they related to race and racism. One of these thinkers was W.E.B. DuBois, an African-American scholar. Another was Frantz Fanon. He was a psychologist from the colony of FrenchMartinique in the Caribbean. Fanon became involved in the Algerian War for Independence.W.E.B. DuBois, racism, and double consciousnessW.E.B. DuBois was a sociologist, historian, and author. DuBois was born in Massachusetts in 1868. The U.S. Civil War had just ended. He helped create the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He worked and traveled in the United States and Europe. DuBois died in Ghana in 1963.In 1905 DuBois published a book, The Souls of Black Folk. It greatly affected how people worldwide think about the effects of racism. He hoped to outline "the spiritual world in which ten thousand thousand 51Fissiparousness means a sense of division or separation.52Livery means a set of clothing or a costume.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader179Americans live and strive." Black Americans, he said, had a "double consciousness."53Many of them still remembered the experience of enslavement. He sometimes illustrated this idea using the metaphor of a "veil." This veil divided the world of black Americans from that of white Americans. On one side of the veil (curtain), people of colorwere among themselves. On this side, they were comfortable being themselves. They had dreams. They made music, and could express their full humanity. But on the other side of the veil, people of color faced racism. So they lived with a strange "wrenching of the soul." DuBois said they carried a "sense of doubt" and confusion.The passage below further explains his idea of double consciousness. (In the passage, DuBois uses terms for historical groups that were common at the time he wrote. For example, "Egyptian" instead of "Arab." "Teuton" was a word for northern Europeans. He also used "Mongolian" instead of "Asian," and "Negro" instead of "African" or "black.")"After the Egyptian and the Indian, the Greek and the Roman, the Teuton and the Mongolian, the Negro is a sort of seventh son," DuBois said. That seventh son was "born with a veil, and gifted with second-sight in this American world." It was strange, he noted, "this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others. A person is always "measuring one's soul by the tape of a world that looks on" with pity and hate. "One ever feels his twoness, —an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings... in one dark body." Only their strength "keeps it from being torn" apart.DuBois discussed how racism affects the mind. He also discussed political issues. He argued against the work of another leading black thinker, Booker T. Washington. Washington stressed job training and "racial uplift." However, Washington refused to helpfight for civil and political rights. DuBois admitted that Washington's approach was popular in the American South. Businesses were booming there. But for DuBois, this wasn't true freedom. It wasn't enough. "It is as though Nature must needs make men narrow," he wrote sadly, "in order to give them force."DuBois spoke of the "whole story" of a society or culture. The story could not be told if any part of it was left out, he said. Black Americans, he said, were "gifted with second sight." They had double consciousness. So, they had much to teach white Americans and the world. He also wrote about the way in which other stories were left out of history. For example, he openly talked about the nineteenth-and early-twentieth-century women's movement. Black women were left out of it, he said. At that time, speaking out about this topic was unusual. He noted the "spectacular advance" of black men. "As I look about me today in this veiled world of mine," he wrote in an article in 1919, he felt "that it is the fivemillion women of my race who really count."DuBois was friends with Anna Julia Cooper. She was a leading black woman thinker. Cooper wrote A Voice from the South. She might have influenced his attention to black women's experience. DuBois set out to show the particular spiritual life of black Americans. Specifically, he saw a racist political and system of business. Similarly, Cooper set out to present "an intelligent and sympathetic" understanding "of the interests and special needs of the Negro." But, unlike DuBois in Souls of Black Folk, she included "the real and special influence of woman." "The world needs to hear" the woman's voice, she said. In 1896 Cooper 53Double or dual consciousness refers to feeling as though you have two identities housed in one person or mind. It's as if you view yourself one way and then others view you a different way or see you through a different lens.
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / ERA 6-THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLDText Reader180helped to found the National Association of Colored Women. Its motto was "Lift as we climb." This combined the uplift of Washington with the activism of DuBois.Colonialism, culture, and dual consciousnessIn The Souls of Black Folk, DuBois wrote famously that "The problem of the Twentieth Century is the problem of the color line." He explained this as "the relation of the darker to the lighter races of men in Asia and Africa, in America and the islands of the sea." Indeed, by the early 1900s, people of color around the world were thinking internationally. They connected their struggles and their work. DuBois attended the first Pan-African Congress in London in 1900. The event attracted participants from Africa, the West Indies, the U.S., and Britain. Dadabhai Naoroji attended, too. He was the only British Indian member of Parliament. Naoroji helped found the Indian National Congress.Many Pan-African Congress participants focused on gaining civil rights. However, they also explored how racism and colonialism affected culture and the mind. Indian nationalists, for example, were very interested in maintaining local languages and traditions. In the 1830s the British in India had established a system of education. It forced students to learn English alone. Indian scholars like Rabindranath Tagore believed this was damaging. "To break the lamp of any people" is to take away "its rightful place in the world festival," Tagore said in 1919. This lamp's "light" was a nation's original language and culture.Women of color were also building new global networks. In 1920, black American women founded the International Council of Women from the Darker Races. They wanted to connect directly with women of color who lived under colonialism. The women were descendants of people who were enslaved. They were treated as commodities54. The women saw similarities between their own experience and that of other colonized peoples.In 1952 Frantz Fanon released a book. It was called Black Skin, White Masks. He again brought up the idea of dual consciousness. Fanon tried "to discover the various mental attitudes the black man adopts in the face of white civilization." Like DuBois, Fanon recognized that people of color had a divided sense of self. "The black man possesses two dimensions: one with his fellow Blacks, the other with the Whites. A black man behaves differently with a white man than he does with another black man. There is no doubt whatsoever that this fissiparousness55is a direct consequence of the colonial undertaking." The very idea of "blackness," of being black, Fanon argued, was a product of white minds. He called it a "livery"56.Fanon's experiences all went into his understanding of race and colonialism. He had lived in French Martinique. He was a student in Paris. Fanon was also a doctor in Algeria. At that time, Algerians were trying to gain independence from France. The French violently tried to end the movement. Fanon believed the invented categories of race didn't affect only black-white relationships. They also affected relationships between different "racial" groups worldwide. Powerful groups all over had invented a scale ofrace, culture, or civilization. Fanon discussed how people of color tried to get ahead in a made-up ranking system. He also warned against simplifying the experience of racism and colonialism. There was no single "black" experience. Some figures in the Pan-African or Negritude movement had done this. He also wrote: "Is there in fact any 54Commodities are goods that are bought and sold.55Fissiparousness means a sense of division or separation.56Livery means a set of clothing or a costume.