Global ECONOMIC Changes from 1750-1900 [AP World History Review—Unit 6 Topic 4]

Summary

This video discusses the economic effects of the second wave of imperialism, focusing on how industrialized powers restructured colonial economies to extract raw materials and support their industrial needs. Colonies shifted from subsistence farming to producing cash crops like cotton, sugar, and coffee, or extracting resources such as palm oil and guano. These changes led to urbanization and a growing demand for food and manufactured goods. The video highlights the economic dependence of colonial peoples on imperial powers, with profits from exports used to purchase finished goods, reinforcing the economic control of the colonizers over the colonies.

Takeaways

• 😀 Imperial powers sought to colonize the world to gain access to raw materials for industrial factories.
• 😀 Colonies were transformed into export economies focused on raw materials or industrial crops for distant markets.
• 😀 Before colonization, many regions had subsistence farming, but imperial powers reorganized them to focus on a limited number of cash crops or raw materials.
• 😀 Example: Imperial powers forced farmers in colonies to switch from growing diverse food crops to producing cash crops like cotton.
• 😀 The need for raw materials, such as cotton for textile factories, was a primary driver for colonial economic changes.
• 😀 The British shifted to sourcing cotton from Egypt and India after the U.S. Civil War disrupted their cotton supply.
• 😀 Palm oil, crucial for factory lubrication and soap production, was extracted using enslaved labor in West Africa.
• 😀 Guano (bird poop) from Pacific and Atlantic islands became a vital fertilizer for industrial crop operations.
• 😀 Industrialization led to urbanization, which created a need for food imports to feed growing urban populations.
• 😀 Cash crops like sugar, coffee, and meat were cultivated to meet the demand from urban centers and industrial nations.
• 😀 Colonial exports funded the purchase of finished manufactured goods, leading to a cycle where colonies became dependent on imperial powers for survival and goods.

Q & A

What was the main goal of industrialized imperial powers during the second wave of imperialism?

The main goal was to acquire raw materials for their factories, which were essential for industrial production and economic growth.

How did imperial powers transform colonial economies?

Imperial powers restructured colonial economies to focus on the export of one or two key resources, such as raw materials or industrial crops, instead of diverse local subsistence farming.

Why were some colonies required to grow only one specific crop or resource?

Imperial powers identified specific crops or resources that were in high demand for industrial production, such as cotton for textiles or palm oil for soap, and forced colonies to focus on those to maximize exports.

Can you give an example of how Britain reorganized colonial economies during the second wave of imperialism?

Britain transformed the economies of Egypt and India to produce cotton, which was essential for Britain's textile industry, especially after the disruption caused by the American Civil War.

How did the need for food in growing urban centers influence colonial economies?

As industrialization led to urbanization, cities grew in population and needed more food, prompting imperial powers to organize colonial economies to produce cash crops like sugar, coffee, and meat for export.

What role did enslaved labor play in colonial economies?

Enslaved labor was often used to harvest or extract valuable resources, such as palm oil in West Africa, which was essential for industrial production in imperial powers.

What was the significance of guano in the global economy during this period?

Guano, or bird droppings, was highly valued as a fertilizer for industrial crop operations, and its extraction from Pacific and Atlantic islands was crucial to supporting global agricultural production.

How did imperial powers benefit from the profits of exports in their colonies?

The profits generated from the export of raw materials and resources were used to purchase finished manufactured goods from imperial powers, creating a closed market for these goods in the colonies.

What were the long-term effects of colonial economic restructuring on indigenous populations?

Colonial economic restructuring created a dependency on imperial powers, with indigenous peoples becoming reliant on imported goods for survival, which further entrenched their economic and political subjugation.

How did the economic relationship between colonies and imperial powers contribute to global economic dependence?

The economic relationship reinforced a dependency of colonies on imperial powers, as the colonies' economies were focused on exporting raw materials while relying on finished goods from the imperial powers, deepening the global imbalance of trade and power.