Glossary
Apartheid
A system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination enforced in South Africa from 1948 until 1994, deeply linked to the control of resources and labor.
Example:
The legacy of resource exploitation and racial control in South Africa eventually led to the oppressive system of Apartheid, which legally enforced racial separation.
Cash crops
Crops grown for sale on the market rather than for consumption by the farmers themselves, often displacing local food production.
Example:
The shift to growing Cash crops like cotton or rubber in colonies often meant that local populations had less land available for subsistence farming, leading to food insecurity.
Cecil Rhodes
A British businessman and politician who played a dominant role in southern Africa, known for his expansion of British imperial interests and development of infrastructure.
Example:
Cecil Rhodes's vision of a 'Cape to Cairo' railway exemplified the imperial ambition to connect vast colonial territories through advanced infrastructure.
Colonialism
The policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.
Example:
European powers engaged in extensive Colonialism in Africa and Asia, establishing control over vast territories to secure raw materials and markets for their industrial output.
Commercial extraction
The large-scale removal of natural resources from the earth for profit, often by large companies.
Example:
Companies like De Beers engaged in massive Commercial extraction of diamonds in South Africa, creating vast wealth for owners but often exploiting local labor.
Copper and Tin
Metals essential for manufacturing, particularly for electrical wiring, alloys like bronze, and various industrial components.
Example:
The increased production of Copper and Tin in places like Chile and Malaya fueled the growth of new industries, from telegraph lines to canning.
Cotton
A soft, white fibrous substance that surrounds the seeds of a tropical and subtropical plant, which became a primary raw material for the textile industry during industrialization.
Example:
The immense demand for Cotton from British textile mills led to the expansion of plantations in the American South and India, often relying on coerced labor.
Deforestation and soil erosion
Environmental consequences resulting from the clearing of forests and the loss of topsoil, often caused by intensive agriculture, resource extraction, and industrial expansion.
Example:
The expansion of cash crop plantations and mining operations contributed significantly to Deforestation and soil erosion in many colonial territories.
Enclosure Movement
A process in Britain where common lands were privatized and consolidated into larger, individually owned farms, leading to more commercial agriculture.
Example:
The Enclosure Movement displaced many small farmers, forcing them to seek work in burgeoning industrial cities.
Export Economies
Economic systems in which a country or region specializes in producing and selling a particular good or raw material to other countries.
Example:
Many Latin American nations developed Export Economies focused on products like coffee or bananas, making them dependent on global market prices.
Global Trade
The exchange of goods and services across international borders, which significantly expanded during the 1750-1900 period due to new technologies and economic systems.
Example:
The demand for raw materials like cotton and rubber fueled an unprecedented expansion of Global Trade, connecting distant continents through new shipping routes.
Industrial Revolution
A period of rapid technological innovation and economic transformation beginning in Britain in the late 1700s, characterized by the shift from agrarian and handicraft economies to industrial and machine-manufacturing ones.
Example:
The invention of the steam engine during the Industrial Revolution revolutionized textile production and transportation, leading to the growth of factories.
Infrastructure (Agricultural)
The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g., roads, canals, irrigation systems) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, specifically in support of farming.
Example:
Improved Infrastructure like canals and roads allowed agricultural products to be transported more efficiently from farms to urban markets and ports.
Ivory, Minerals, and Diamonds
Valuable natural resources extracted for decorative, industrial, and luxury purposes, often leading to significant environmental and social impacts.
Example:
The extraction of Ivory, Minerals, and Diamonds in Africa, particularly in regions like the Congo and South Africa, was a major driver of European colonial expansion.
Mechanization (Agricultural)
The process of replacing human and animal labor with machines in agriculture, leading to increased productivity and efficiency.
Example:
The introduction of mechanical reapers and threshers led to significant Mechanization in American agriculture, allowing fewer farmers to produce more food.
New Crop Varieties
The development and introduction of improved or different types of crops, often leading to higher yields or suitability for new environments.
Example:
The spread of New Crop Varieties like the potato from the Americas to Europe significantly boosted food supplies and supported population growth.
Overexploitation
The excessive use of natural resources, leading to their depletion or degradation beyond the point of recovery.
Example:
The insatiable industrial demand for raw materials led to the Overexploitation of forests for timber and guano for fertilizer, causing widespread environmental damage.
Palm Oil
An edible vegetable oil derived from the fruit of the oil palm, widely used in industrial lubricants, soaps, and candles during the 19th century.
Example:
West African communities became significant producers of Palm Oil, integrating into the global economy to meet European industrial demands.
Railroads
A form of land transportation using trains on tracks, which dramatically improved the speed and capacity for moving goods and people during the Industrial Revolution.
Example:
The construction of Railroads across continents, such as the Trans-Siberian Railway, facilitated the movement of raw materials to factories and finished goods to markets.
Rubber
A tough elastic substance made from the latex of a tropical plant, essential for industrial products like tires and seals, primarily sourced from South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Example:
The global demand for Rubber for bicycle and automobile tires led to brutal exploitation of labor in the Congo Free State under King Leopold II.
Social hierarchy
A system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or authority.
Example:
Industrialization often reinforced existing Social hierarchy or created new ones, with factory owners and wealthy merchants at the top and industrial laborers at the bottom.
Steamships
Ships powered by steam engines, which revolutionized maritime transport by making voyages faster, more reliable, and less dependent on wind.
Example:
Steamships drastically reduced travel times across oceans, making intercontinental trade and migration much more feasible.
Telegraph
A system for transmitting messages over long distances using electrical signals, enabling near-instantaneous communication.
Example:
The invention of the Telegraph allowed merchants to coordinate global trade more efficiently, receiving real-time updates on commodity prices and shipping movements.