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9th grade · Social Studies · Unit 5 of 13

The Age of Imperialism

Empires in Africa and Asia, and resistance

What your child practices

The motives and ideas behind late nineteenth century imperialism, the Berlin Conference and the Scramble for Africa, spheres of influence in China, and resistance such as Adwa, the Indian Rebellion and the Boxer Rebellion.

Alabama Course of Study content standard: 9.6 · how imperialism transformed Africa, Asia and the world

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Imperial powers wanted colonies for raw materials, markets and power. The Berlin Conference set off the Scramble for Africa.
  2. In a sphere of influence, a foreign power controls trade and investment, as in China. The British East India Company took political control in India.
  3. People resisted: Ethiopia beat Italy at Adwa (1896); the Indian Rebellion and the Boxer Rebellion.

Example: Ethiopia defeated Italy in 1896 at which battle? Ethiopia kept its independence. The battle was at Adwa. Answer: Adwa

The Age of Imperialism in Alabama

In the Alabama Course of Study, this is unit 5 of 13 in 9th grade Social Studies, after Nationalism, 1848–1914 and before World War I.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    A sphere of influence is an area where…

    • the people vote on everything
    • a foreign power controls trade and investment
    • no one trades
    • a war is always fought

  2. Question 2

    The Suez Canal, opened in 1869, connected the Mediterranean Sea and the…

    • Black Sea
    • Baltic Sea
    • Red Sea
    • Atlantic Ocean

  3. Question 3

    Many colonized peoples resisted imperialism through…

    • doing nothing
    • armed revolts and political movements
    • inviting more empires
    • closing schools

  4. Question 4

    The Anglo-Zulu War (1879) was fought in…

    • India
    • China
    • Egypt
    • southern Africa

  5. Question 5

    The rush of European powers to claim African land is called the…

    • Silk Road
    • Columbian Exchange
    • Great Migration
    • Scramble for Africa

  6. Question 6

    Why did borders drawn at the Berlin Conference cause problems later?

    • They followed every language exactly
    • They ignored where African peoples actually lived
    • Africans drew them
    • They were never used

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