Imperialism: European, American, and Japanese

The documents in this chapter have been selected to explain why the “new imperialism” of the late 19th century occurred, how it transpired, and what consequences followed both in the imperial nations and in the annexed territories. The expansion of industrial nations will be compared to earlier imperial growth around the globe, and to empire building after World War I. Sources include traditional print materials, such as government documents, books, and articles, as well as less typically utilized records, for instance political cartoons, documentary videos, and paintings. These will be drawn from imperial, colonial and other archives in order to provide a fuller picture of what happened, which will enable the reader to make a more informed judgment about the causes and consequences of imperialism. The case of China will be used to illustrate the issues.