Multiple Choice Questions: Imperialism

Multiple Choice Questions: Imperialism

1. In the past, European nations have conquered other lands, made them into colonies, and controlled their economies

This statement describes a situation that resulted from the

1. Industrialization of Europe and the need for raw materials
2. Desire of Europeans to spread communism throughout the world
3. European belief in human rights for all people
4. Requests of developing nations for modern machines and technology

2. One factor that motivated imperialism during the late 19th and early 20th centuries was the

1. Development of closer political ties with European nations
2. Closing of China to all foreign trade
3. Support of international peacekeeping operations
4. Acquisition of new markets and sources of raw materials

3. In the 19th century, European countries claimed that the conquest of Africa would bring the benefits of Western civilization to that continent.

From the perspective of African peoples, the effect was

1. Loss of political independence
2. Fewer agricultural products for foreign trade
3. New national boundaries based on ethnic and cultural similarities
4. Global appreciation for African cultures and encouragement of their development

4. All of these factors contributed to the weakening of the Ottoman Empire except

1. A series of weak sultans
2. Corruption that led to financial losses
3. Waves of disease
4. Increasing inflation

5. British control over South Africa, French control over Indochina, and Spanish control over Mexico are examples of

1. Isolationism
2. Appeasement
3. Nonalignment
4. imperialism

6. “Compared to other peoples of the world we have the greatest (largest) population and our civilization is four thousand years old…Today we are the poorest and weakest nation in the world and occupy the lowest position in international affairs. Other men are the carving knife and serving dish, we are the fish and the meat. As a consequence…we are being transformed everywhere into a colony of the foreign powers.”

Which events formed the basis for the ideas expressed in this early 1900s passage?

1. Opium War and Boxer Rebellion
2. Mau Mau uprising and the adoption of apartheid
3. Sepoy Mutiny and the Salt March
4. Haitian Revolution and Cortes’ march on Mexico City

7. How did the political systems in Africa change as a result of European colonialism in the 19th century?

1. Opportunities for self-rule increased
2. Administrative units were set up along ethnic lines
3. Traditional forms of tribal authority were weakened
4. Administrative units became smaller for better control

8. What aspect of the Ottoman Empire appealed to most world powers?

1. Its access to the Atlantic sea trade
2. Its growing population
3. Its strong military defenses
4. Its advanced technological development

9. One result of British colonialism was that India

1. Adopted a parliamentary system of government
2. Developed religious unity
3. Supported Western foreign policies in the United Nations
4. Created programs to increase its population

10. The “Great Game” refers to

1. The debate that took place at the Berlin Conference
2. The contest between Britain and Russia over Muslim lands in Central Asia
3. The Boer War over South Africa
4. The military strategies Russia used to protect Afghanistan from Great Britain

11. Which of the following best reflects the ideas behind the concept of the “White Man’s Burden”?

1. Asians and Africans were equal to Europeans
2. Asians and Africans would be grateful for European help
3. Most Europeans opposed imperialism as a practice
4. Europeans felt a responsibility to improve the lives of Asians and Africans

12. In the past, European nations have conquered other lands, made them into colonies and controlled their economies. Which term refers to the situation described in this statement?

1. Socialism
2. Isolationism
3. Imperialism
4. Monotheism
   

13. During the 1840s, China signed “unequal treaties” with Western nations mainly because

1. China had won the Opium War
2. Western nations had superior military technology
3. Leaders in China favored expansion
4. China had requested economic assistance from the West

14. The leader of Egypt who began reforms to modernize its military and economy was

1. Isma’il
2. Nasir al-Din
3. Muhammad Ali
4. Selim II

15. Which of the following best describes the reasons for imperialism?

1. Living space was needed for excess populations in Europe
2. European leaders believed imperialism was an effective method of reducing war
3. European nations would benefit from some aspects of the conquering nations’ culture
4. Imperialism would benefit the economies of the colonial powers

16. Throughout the 1800s, an increased need for both raw materials and new markets for manufactured goods led various European nations to pursue policies of

1. Imperialism
2. Socialism
3. Isolationism
4. Communism

17. “The Ashanti and Ijebu…strongly resisted missionary incursion (interference)- for a time at least…Both groups grudgingly (reluctantly)accepted missionaries and their schools only after military defeat by imperial forces.”

-Edward Berman

A valid conclusion based on this quotation would be that some Africans

1. Opposed giving up their religious and cultural heritage
2. Returned to the worship of their traditional gods after the defeat of the missionaries
3. Cooperated with the missionaries for economic gain
4. Feared that missionaries would refuse to teach their children

18. Africa was rich in natural resources. For that reason, the continent was very attractive to European colonizers. How did the colonizers view their mining of natural resources in Africa?

1. It was their right to take what they wanted.
2. It was a necessity for their countries to survive.
3. It was a way to preserve traditional African economies.
4. It was a way to protect Africans from the Industrial Revolution.

19. Japan resisted modernization for most of its history. What motivated Japan to modernize beginning in the 1800s?

1. The Japanese people developed a previously unknown desire for Western goods.
2. China threatened to attack Japan, so modern weapons were required for defense.
3. The Japanese leadership feared that if it did not modernize, it might be controlled by Western nations like China had been.
4. Japanese military leaders admired the design of Commodore Perry’s fleet of steamships.

20. Which of the following is a major reason why European nations colonized other nations?

1. Need for raw materials
2. Fear of Asian dominance
3. Surplus of manufactured goods
4. Desire to learn about other cultures

21. During the 18th and 19th centuries, increased contact between European and the continents of Africa, Asia, and South America resulted in

1. Closer cultural cooperation between Europe and these continents
2. The exploitation of the labor and resources of these continents
3. A return to the political and economic systems of feudal Europe
4. Preservation of the rights of the indigenous people

22. In 19th-century China, the Opium War resulted in

1. The control of Hong Kong being returned to China
2. The removal of all British naval forces from China
3. An increase in European spheres of influence in China
4. The rejection of Buddhism by the Chinese people

23. In 1853, Commodore Matthew Perry led a fleet of U.S. ships to Japan. A major effect of this action was that Japan

1. Experienced civil wars as its people competed against each other for power
2. Changed to a feudal system, in which a powerful ruler distributed land rights in exchange for loyalty and military support
3. Closed its borders to almost all foreigners, and those who were admitted were kept from learning about the country’s customs.
4. Ended its isolation from the world and began to modernize by improving its educational system and technology

24. European colonial actions sometimes resulted in tribal conflict among native Africans. Which colonial practice most frequently resulted in such conflict?

1. Europeans created artificial borders in Africa
2. Europeans let Africans remain in power
3. Europeans converted Africans to Christianity
4. Europeans spread democracy in their colonies.

25. How was European imperialism in Africa different from European imperialism in China?

1. Europeans established formal colonies in Africa
2. Europeans generally agreed on one another’s land claims in Africa
3. Europeans meant only to sell products in Africa, not take raw materials.
4. Europeans accepted the American Open Door Policy for African trade.

26. During the nineteenth century, European powers pursued a policy of imperialism in many global regions. One of these regions was Africa. What was an important effect of European imperialism in Africa?

1. The exploitation of African natural resources by colonial powers
2. Improved working conditions for the peoples of Africa
3. African dependence on the export of manufactured goods
4. A belief in the superiority of African culture

27. “Take up the White Man’s burden-

Send forth the best ye breed

Go bind your sons to exile

To serve your captives’need;

To wait, in heavy harness,

On fluttered folk and wild-

Your new-caught, sullen peoples, Half-devil and half-child.”

-Rudyard Kipling, “The White Man’s Burden”

The phrase “White Man’s burden” in this excerpt refers to the

1. Negative attitude of Europeans toward peoples of the non-Western world
2. Advantages Europeans would gain by colonizing Africa, Asia, and Latin America
3. Positive role of the Roman Catholic Church in Africa and Asia
4. Challenges non-Europeans faced when trading with the Europeans

28. Which of the following statements summarizes an EFFECT of imperialism?

1. Colonial markets were closed to manufactured goods form the colonizing power
2. Land was distributed equally among the main social classes
3. Colonial economies became devoted to manufacturing finished goods for the colonizing power
4. The wealth of the colonizing powers often increased at the expense of their colonies

29. The borders that were established for many African nations during the late 1800’s were based primarily on

1. Natural geographic barriers
2. Easy access to natural resources
3. Territorial claims of colonial rulers
4. Cultural differences between ethnic groups

30. The Crimean War was fought between

1. Russia and Crimea
2. Russia and the Ottoman Empire
3. Crimea and the Ottoman Empire
4. Britain and Russia

31. An analysis of the Russo-Japanese War and the Boer War shows that one reason nations go to war is to

1. Assist oppressed people
2. Spread religious beliefs
3. Satisfy imperialist goals
4. Honor provisions of a treaty

32. Both the French and British were interested in controlling Egypt in the mid-19th century because Egypt had

1. Control of the spice trade
2. An industrial-based economy
3. Vital mineral resources
4. A strategic location

33. What was a major factor that allowed imperialist powers to dominate large parts of Asia and Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries?

1. Their technological and military superiority
2. The desire of Asians and Africans to convert to Christianity
3. The willingness of imperialists to respect local traditions and customs
4. The spread of nationalism among native peoples in colonial areas

34. Which of the following provides evidence that imperialism left a lasting impact on many colonial territories?

1. Many African and Asian nations are based on former colonial boundaries
2. Many former colonies are still ruled by European governments
3. Local languages are often used in many African and Asian nations
4. Most African and Asian nations use European currencies

35. What was an important motive behind the European desire to obtain colonies in Africa in the late 1800s?

1. Africa’s valuable minerals like gold and diamonds
2. Africa’s tea, silk, and other luxury goods
3. Africa’s free labor for the Americas
4. Africa’s advanced manufacturing technologies

36. An interest in or taking of land for its strategic location or products is called

1. Assimilation
2. Internationalism
3. The race for empire
4. Geopolitics

37. During the late 19th century, the countries of Europe wanted colonies so that

1. They could provide the colonies with raw materials
2. They could get manufactured goods from the colonies
3. They could become a market for products from the colonies
4. They could get raw materials from the colonies

38. A political cause of imperialism was that the European countries believed that

1. Colonies would provide them with markets for their raw materials
2. Colonies were important for their defense by adding territories
3. Colonies would help them become more friendly with other European countries
4. Colonies would provide them with more manufactured goods

39. During the late 19th century the European countries obtained colonies in

1. Africa, the Middle East, and the Far East
2. Africa, South America, and the Far East
3. The Middle East, The Far East, and South America
4. Africa, North America, and the Middle East

40. Which is an accurate statement about the partitioning of Africa by European imperialist nations during the 1800s?

1. New nations were based on old tribal boundaries
2. The cultural and ethnic diversity of the African people was disregarded
3. The continent was divided equally among the colonial powers
4. African unity was encouraged

41. Which European country in the late 19th century controlled so many colonies around the world that it was said “the sun never set” on its flag?

1. France
2. Germany
3. Great Britain
4. Italy

42. Which was not a cost of British rule in India?

a. Destroyed local industries

b. Degraded even elite Indian citizens

c. Shipped food from Burma, causing livestock to starve

d. Started producing cotton, which led to food shortages

43. Which of the following was an indirect impact of imperialism?

1. All castes of people in India prospered under British rule
2. Japan became a more modern country
3. China entered a period of tranquility
4. Modern technology was introduced into Persia

44. The Chinese leader is holding up his arms because

1. He wants to stop the colonizing process
2. He wants to appear important
3. He wants quiet so the leaders can work
4. He wants to ensure the process is not stopped

45. After 1880, European nations sought colonies in Africa primarily because the Europeans were

1. In need of land for their surplus populations
2. Competing for raw materials and markets
3. Determined to bring Christianity to the Muslim world
4. Interested in completing their geographic knowledge of the world

46. The Age of Imperialism refers to

1. The colonization of Europe
2. The late 19th and early 20th centuries
3. The early colonization of North America
4. The effect of naval forces in the early 1900s

47. Imperialism affected almost the entire continent of

1. Africa
2. Europe
3. Australia
4. North America

48. The Sepoy Mutiny in India, the Boxer Rebellion in China, and the Islamic Revolution in Iran were similar in that they

1. Restored power to the hereditary monarchies
2. Attempted to reject the traditional cultures in these countries
3. Resisted foreign influence in these countries
4. Reestablished the power of religious leaders

49. Two objectives of imperialism were

1. Missionary work and trade
2. To maintain the area’s culture and traditions
3. Trade and provide well-paying jobs for the native people
4. Stabilize the government and maintain religious practices

50. The Suez Canal connected

1. The Nile River with the Red Sea
2. The Black Sea and the Caspian Sea
3. Mediterranean Sea with the Black Sea
4. The Red Sea and the Mediterranean

51. In ______imperialism, countries would be content to set up a few trading posts in colonized countries but did not control the country completely.

a. New

b. New elite

c. Old school

d. Old

52. During the 18th and 19th centuries, Europeans improved roads and bridges and built railroads in their colonies primarily to

1. Provide jobs for the colonists
2. Obtain raw materials needed for industrialization
3. Impress the colonists with their technological knowledge
4. Help missionaries spread Christianity

53. A primary purpose for building the Suez Canal was to

1. Encourage Jewish settlement in nearby Palestine
2. Increase trade between the Middle East, Europe, and Asia
3. Reduce the time needed for travel between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea
4. Allow Indian merchants to reach the east coast of Africa

54. This individual led the call for independence in India and stressed non-violent resistance to British rule.

a. Henry Stanley

b. Gandhi

c. Sepoy

d. Leopold II

55. “Yesterday, your ambassador petitioned my ministers regarding your trade with China…our Celestial Empire possesses all things in great abundance and lacks no product within its own borders. There is, therefore, no need to import any product manufactured by outside barbarians in exchange for our own goods.”

-Emperor Ch’ien Lung of China to King George III of Britain, 1793

In the view of the Emperor, which foreign policy action was in the best interest of China in 1793?

1. Maintaining economic isolation
2. Expanding foreign trade
3. Increasing international interdependence
4. Developing into a colonial power

“…you, Africa, suffered like a beast

Your ashes strewn to the wind that roams

the desert,

Your tyrants built the lustrous, magic temples

To preserve your soul, preserve your

suffering.

Barbaric right of fist and the white right

To whip,

You had the right to die, you could also

weep.

-Patrice Lumumba, “Dawn in the Heart of Africa”

56. This African poem is discussing the evils of

1. Imperialism
2. Communism
3. Nationalism
4. Regionalism

57. The results of the Opium War (1839-1842) indicate that China was

1. still a major military power
2. not strong enough to resist Western demands
3. rapidly building a modern industrial economy
4. accepting Western nations as equal trading partners

58. During the 19th century, Europeans were able to divide China into Spheres of Influence mainly because the

1. Chinese were eager to adopt western culture
2. Europeans had technologically superior military forces
3. Europeans were willing to adopt Chinese customs
4. Chinese lacked raw materials and resources

59. Persia’s granting concessions to Western businesses there led to