The Age of Imperialism
As you just saw, imperialism was not only a political movement. It was justified by the countries that practiced it, to some extent, by the belief that Europe was superior to other parts of the world. Some people believed that they were bringing civilization to the far reaches of the planet.
Some writers supported Europe's "civilizing" mission and created works which inspired many people to believe in this mission. One such writer was Rudyard Kipling, a british writer and poet who was born in India.
In this activity, you'll read one of Kipling's famous poems, "White Man's Burden," first published in 1899 below. Then you will write an editorial in reponse to the poem. In your editoral response, you will need to take a position supporitng or opposing imperialism and refer to the poem at least four times and accurately reference historical examples. Be sure to check the rubric to see how you will be graded. If you need additional assistance writing your editoral, visit the Developmental Module for more information. Once you have completed this assignemnt, please submit your work to the dropbox.
Take up the White Man's burden--
Send forth the best ye breed--
Go bind your sons to exile To serve your captives' need;
To wait in heavy harness,
On fluttered folk and wild--
Your new-caught, sullen peoples,
Half-devil and half-child.
Take up the White Man's burden--
In patience to abide,
To veil the threat of terror
And check the show of pride;
By open speech and simple,
An hundred times made plain
To seek another's profit,
And work another's gain.
Take up the White Man's burden--
The savage wars of peace--
Fill full the mouth of Famine
And bid the sickness cease;
And when your goal is nearest
The end for others sought,
Watch sloth and heathen Folly
Bring all your hopes to nought.
Take up the White Man's burden--
No tawdry rule of kings,
But toil of serf and sweeper--
The tale of common things.
The ports ye shall not enter,
The roads ye shall not tread,
Go mark them with your living,
And mark them with your dead.
Take up the White Man's burden--
And reap his old reward:
The blame of those ye better,
The hate of those ye guard--
The cry of hosts ye humour
(Ah, slowly!) toward the light:--
"Why brought he us from bondage,
Our loved Egyptian night?"
Take up the White Man's burden--
Ye dare not stoop to less--
Nor call too loud on Freedom
To cloke your weariness;
By all ye cry or whisper,
By all ye leave or do,
The silent, sullen peoples
Shall weigh your gods and you.
Take up the White Man's burden--
Have done with childish days--
The lightly proferred laurel,
The easy, ungrudged praise.
Comes now, to search your manhood
Through all the thankless years
Cold, edged with dear-bought wisdom,
The judgment of your peers!
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