The Opium Wars

The British had traded with India. But with India it was more like the British had a lot of control.On the other hand, the way the British traded with China was more like the Chinese was making a lot of money off of the British. The British were tired of this so instead of just buying a lot of materials from the Chinese they decided to buy but also SELL.

This isn't a horrible idea. However, the British decided to sell drugs instead of good materials that the Chinese would've wanted. This drug was opium. Plus this also started because of the modernization that was occurring the East. China was a nation that wanted to be kept alone and isolated. But because of the new technology China had to open up to new ideas. Or be left behind.

It was called the opium war because that was the drug being sold to the Chinese. This drug was probably the first drug to be so addicting. And so destructing.

China was completely changed due to the drugs. Things changed a lot for the way China was run economically, relationships between people, and the government. This had to be stopped so a war started.

Britain won. During the war, Britain used gun powder and things like canons. They obviously beat the Chinese since they were advanced. Due to so many years of isolation, China lost a harsh defeat. While the British had ships doubled the size of the Chinese, their ships were also much stronger and not made of wood.

"The White Man's Burden"

The poem "The White Man's Burden" is by Rudyard Kipling. This poem was written due to the Spanish-American war and the way the Americans took over the Philippines. "The White Man's Burden" means all of the trouble that the Americans had to go through to "save" the Philippines. They believed that everything they were doing was helping the people of the Philippines and that it was up to them to help them. Since the Americans were "superior". They believed that they NEEDED to teach everyone how to be like them.


I think that most people understand what Kipling is trying to stay. But dont agree with him. Maybe some do. But thats probably opinions people can fight back and forth about.

The poem was written in 1899 but i think it still connects with today. Most people believe that we are in Iraq to help. That it is a "burden" to have to take care of the people in Iraq. They also believe that our idea works in their society, just as good. But thats not the way it is. It doesnt have to work like that in every society.

I think "The White Man's Burden" will basically be something Americans feel forever. Even when they are wrong. Even when we should be staying in our own territory. I guess we believe, that we are right even we are totally wrong.

"The Scramble for Africa"

Africa wasn't just invaded by Great Britain. Africa was invaded by many European nations. Which is what the title "The Scramble for Africa" is all about. This title means all of the European nations fighting and racing for a lot of African land. Which led to new divisions in Africa. The divisions we see today on the African map are divisions made by the European nations.

The main Europeans nations involved in the scramble were Britain, Belgium, France, Spain, Germany, Portugal and Italy. Britain conquered most of the South and East parts of Africa. Belgium conquered most of the middle of Africa. France conquered most of the northern parts of Africa. Germany was pretty much spread out in the Mideast of Africa, in the west and the south of Africa. Spain conquered a very small part of Africa in the north to the very west. Portugal conquered in the South. Italy conquered northern and eastern parts of Africa. Like the map all the way on top.

All of these nations wanted resources they couldn't get in another places and that they could get for cheaper prices or no prices at all. Just war. They wanted resources like coal, wood and ivory. They also wanted more land. Especially to spread out imperialism. They especially wanted, like any other nation, land. More land for themselves. Since leaders are so greedy.

They were able to conquer Africa so easily because Europe had many advantages in technology. They were able to have more weapons than the Africans. Africans had things like spears, and old weapons. But Europeans had things like gun powder (rifles), canons and other weapons. Even though these were a lot of advantages, they didn't know Africa like Africa's own people. But there was a problem for the Africans. They were dived into their own groups and in the end the English people hurt them badly because they were so divided.

When the English came they divided Africa into their own places. Spain could have divided land with France how they wanted to. Not how the Africans asked them to. Europeans could care less. As long as they had what they wanted. In the end, all of the different traditions each African group had were changed. It wasn't the same anymore. Now it was what the Europeans wanted.

Film Lesson: "Mountains of the Moon"

(The picture to the left is Lake Victoria in Africa.
The source of the Nile River.)

The movie "Mountains of the Moon" is about Europe taking over Africa. Europe needed more materials and space to expand their industrial revolution. Materials such as ivory, wood, coal, land and more. Since Africa was nearby they were able to conquer easily,as well for other reasons. It wasn't very easy but Europe had many advantages and disadvantages. In the end, Europe won.

The hardships that Europeans faced would have scared me not to ever go back. Europe might have been technologically advanced but they had to understand they didn't have the benefit of knowing the land memorized and easily. Its always best to fight in you own territory. Its always best because you know who's around you and you don't have to worry about whats on the other side of the mountain. You can also have allies when your "home". Which makes everything easier.In new territory, you are an enemy to everyone that doesn't recognize you.

In the movie, Richard Burten gets a spear thrown at his face. The spear pierces a hole from cheek to cheek. Making holes in both cheeks. John Speak has two sticks stabbed into both his legs. Not only that but a bug also crawls into his ear. The tactics to help these two man with their problems looked more painful then the problems they went through.To get the bug out of Speak's ear they had to put something like candle wax in his ear.But that was so painful that Speak decided to stab his ear.

Europeans had to deal with Africans traditions.If they got into trouble their African friends had weird ways to help them out.They had to get use to it. They also didn't have that many Africans allies, the Europeans had more enemies than allies. Which made them fight for themselves when Africans invaded their territory.

It isn't strange, that there is an African river named after an British Queen. Well at least if you know enough about history you wouldn't find it strange. Its like asking, "Isn't it a coincidence that there's a place in England called 'York' and a place in America called 'New York'?"It isn't a coincidence, its just when the English took over they named a place in America after a place in England. Just like when Britain invaded Africa they decided to name a river after they "discovered" it, well at least to the Europeans they did.

The advancement in technology helped a lot. This gave the Europeans advantages in a big thing, WEAPONS. The Africans had their spears and things like that. But Europeans had things like gun powder and canons. For transportation they had things like ships. Europeans were decades ahead of Africans. This helped a lot. Not just with the people of Africa but also with the animals of the jungles.

In the end, Britain was able to conquer easily because of their technology. They also spread diseases. Europe wasn't just one nation. It was a lot of nations against Africa. they were able to divide land easily, by hurting those that didn't want to be divided. When the Africans were divided it made it easier for the English to conquer them since they didn't have each other anymore. The Africans were probably scared to trust anyone, since they were probably with different people. From different African groups, with different African traditions.