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Industrial Revolution
A period of time when many countries made technological and scientific advancements. Before this time, people would make things by hand one at a time, but during things would be manufactured and mass produced. -
Opium War
The British had a trade imbalance with China. The British started to trade them opium, an addictive drug from the poppy plant. It weakened China drastically, and the drug was outlawed. China began to force foreign merchants to sign pledges of good conduct, which eventually caused war between China and Britain. British weapons were far superior to China's, causing them to win. This marked the beginning to the exploration of China. (1839-1842) -
Treaty of Nanjing
Was signed at the end of the first Opium War, and was one of the first of many unequal treaties. The treaty stated that Britain gained control over Hong Kong, Chinese cities were forced to trade with the British, China had to pay them 21M oz of silver, British citizens gained extraterritoriality, the British would have exclusive rights such as, the “spheres of influence", which was another country has the power to affect what happens in another country. -
Suez Canal Construction
The Suez Canal was built between 1859 and 1869. It was the first canal to connect the Mediterranean and Red Seas, allowing ships to travel directly between the two bodies of water. -
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Meiji Restoration
A political event in Japan that began in 1868 and restored imperial rule. It was a period of rapid change that lead to Japan becoming modern, industrialized, and democratic. -
Boer War
A series of wars between Britain and the Boers due to valuable natural resources such as diamonds and gold in the Boer lands. The British won, and took the land along with the natural resources. -
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Scramble for Africa
A period of the colonization of Africa by European powers including Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and England. By the end of it, 90% of Africa was controlled by the powers. -
Berlin Conference
A meeting to discuss the competition for control over Africa who was organized by Otto von Bismarck. The purpose of this conference was to regulate European colonization and trade in Africa, so to do this they had restrictions on who would be allowed to control each part of Africa. -
Fashoda Incident
A confrontation between France and Britain that occurred in Sudan. It was the result of a series of territorial disputes between the two countries over their colonial possessions in Africa. -
Russo-Japanese War
A war between Russia and Japan. Fought over the control of Manchuria, the Korean Peninsula, and the Yellow Sea. (1904-1905)