A-Level International History — Core Concepts

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New Imperialism

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The sudden expansion of European colonialism into Africa and Asia between 1870 and 1914, driven by economic needs for raw materials, national prestige, and strategic military advantages.

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The Scramble for Africa

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The rapid invasion, occupation, colonization, and annexation of African territories by European powers during the New Imperialism period (c. 1881–1914), notably triggered by King Leopold II of Belgium.

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Berlin Conference (1884–1885)

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A meeting where European powers formalized the rules for the partition of Africa without any African representation. It established the principle of effective occupation to claim territory.

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Meiji Restoration

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The political event in 1868 that restored practical imperial rule to the Empire of Japan under Emperor Meiji, triggering rapid industrialization and modernization that transformed Japan into a world power.

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Treaty of Shimonoseki (1895)

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The treaty ending the First Sino-Japanese War, in which China recognized the independence of Korea and ceded Taiwan, Liaodong, and the Penghu islands to Japan, signaling Japan's rise as a colonial power.