Imperialism and Nationalism Unit Plan

AP World History – H3X

“The conquest of the earth, which mostly

means the taking it away from those who
have a different complexion or slightly flatter
noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing
when you look into it too much.”
-- Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness

Whatever happens
We have got
The Maxim gun
And they have not
-- Hilaire Belloc

Students Will Understand:

The origins and causes of political and economic imperialism
The political, economic, social and cultural effects of imperialism in Asia, Africa and Latin America
Origins and effects of nationalism in Europe: state-building and empire-splitting
Nationalism and anti-imperialism in Asia, Africa and Latin America: the dilemma of non-western elites

Students Will Be Able To:

Analyze effects of imperialism – political, economic, social and cultural change and continuity over time
Compare responses to imperialism among national elites and the lower classes
Compare forms and results of nationalism
Assess points of view on the value and the problems of imperialism
Examine the “special case” of Japan – in what ways was it a “model” for later non-western development?

Date Topics Homework – due the following day

Thursday, Introduction to the Unit: How would you respond to a Nationalism Handout; Answer
Dec. 2 new and imposed way of life? Acceptance and resistance; Questions
Nationalism and westernization
Friday, Forms of Nationalism; Unification of Germany and Italy; Duiker on Ottomans, pp. 528-29,
Dec. 3 the economic development of Germany; Nationalism and 560-61, 660-61 and Egypt Handout.
imperialism Compare German nationalism and
development with that of (1) the
Ottoman Empire and (2)
Muhammad Ali’s Egypt
Monday, Problems of Nationalism and Economic Development: the Duiker, pp. 571-82
Dec. 6 Ottoman Empire, Egypt, the “Eastern Question”
Tuesday, The Spread of Imperialism: Technological developments; Duiker, pp. 582-92; Impact of
Dec. 7 The Congress of Berlin; Social Darwinism and “The imperialism in India, Southeast
White Man’s Burden”; Nationalism, the Enlightenment, Asia and Africa; list similarities
and Empire across all three regions; specific
differences by region
Wednesday, Imperialism in Practice: Change and continuity in India –
Dec. 8 political, economic and social changes; Point of View
exercise
Thursday, Frantz Fanon on the native elites and intelligensia; India
Dec. 9 DBQ exercise; review of Industrial Revolution DBQ Test
Friday, Imperialism in Practice: Belgian Congo, South Africa, Fanon handout and Duiker, pp.
Dec. 10 Egypt – political, economic and social changes 592-97; What was good about
imperialism? Did colonial peoples
“suffer for nothing?” Did
imperialism make nationalism in
Africa and Asia possible?
Monday, Responses to imperialism: Anti-colonialism, Nationalism, Handout: Create a Comparative
Dec. 13 Westernization; India, Vietnam, Ethiopia Graphic Organizer for Philippine
and Cuban responses to American
imperialism; prepare for DBQ quiz
Tuesday, Responses to American imperialism: Cuba and the Duiker, pp. 599-612; It is 1880;
Dec. 14 Philippines: DBQ Graphic Organizer Quiz make suggestions to the Emperor;
what are the strengths and
weaknesses of your suggestions?
Wednesday, Imperialists in China and the fall of the Qing: Opium Duiker, pp. 613-23; Make a list of
Dec. 15 Wars, Taiping and Boxer Rebellions; Spheres of the reasons Japan was able to
Influence and Extraterritoriality; Problems of the Emperor withstand European imperialism.
and the Confucians; the Self-Strengthening Movement
Thursday, Imperialists in Japan and the Meiji Restoration; Economic
Dec. 16 modernization; cultural changes; “Restoration” or
“Revolution”? “Revolution from above”
Friday, Comparing Chinese and Japanese responses to the West; Latin America Handout and
Dec. 17 What are the possibilities and problems of nationalism as Graphic Organizer
a response to imperialism? Japan’s “late-developer”
economic and political model
Monday, Comparing Latin American political and economic Handout w/ questions
Dec. 20 developments w/ Japan; Comparing imperialism in Latin
America w/ Africa
Tuesday, Comparing Russian nationalism, imperialism and
Dec. 21 economic development w/ Japan; Russia, Austria-
Hungary and the Balkan Slavs
Wednesday, Multiple Choice Test
Dec. 22
Thursday, Review of Test
Dec. 23

Have a great Winter Break! Policy Briefing paper due on return – Jan. 3