English Imperial Expansion- Christianity
Imperial expansion is the act of enlarging the authority of a nation, by it acquiring territories or by the establishment of political and economic dominion over other nations. Imperialism often involves the use of control. Due to this, it is considered a form of force, where states are forced to do certain things. Theorists such as Anderson have argued that imperialism is the warranted result of the natural struggle for results among peoples. Others claim it is essential in order to ensure national security. Another validation for imperialism offered by Ayers et al, suggests that it is a means of liberating people from dictatorial rule or giving them the blessings of a higher way of life. Generally, some European powers did not take the conversion into Christianity as a major strategy for colonization.
European development into territorial imperialism had a lot to do with the immense political and economic advantage through not only gathering resources from colonies but assuming control as well. American Imperialism was a division of a much bigger international contention in the last decades of the nineteenth century. Britain, France, Russia, Germany, Japan and France were all competing for influence in Asia and Africa for expansion. Due to this competition, it was necessary to come up with a strategy. According to Ayers et al, every European nation that involved themselves in colonization of Americans claimed that one of its main objectives was the conversion of the native population into Christianity.
Christianity is a religion established on the existence and teachings of Jesus. American imperialism and Christianity have a long history of shared collaboration. According to Anderson, (87) after the 2nd world war, America intentionally set out to endorse Christianity as a strategy to get hold of power[1]. Americans came up with Christian groups which they promoted by giving generous funding. These Christian groups were used to promote world leadership. According to them, missionary work was simply a means to organize social movements and come up with programs favorable to US politics and economic priorities. The American powers however, used these Christian groups as loopholes to accomplish their mission.
Christianity was therefore used as a strategy to access the Africans. For slaves particularly, Christianity was a matter more of seduction than of conquest, more of wish than of teaching. Underneath Christianity, lay the secret of successful transplantation of imperial values. It was agreed that Christianity could not be taught without teaching the grand regulations of social life, and in this way they used these as a strategy to get closer to achieving their mission. Christianity provided a compelling logic for slaves to be excellent servants just as it gave the base for their becoming good people and British subjects within a colonial structure[2].
However, some European nation that took part in slave trade did not view Christianity as a major strategy for achieving their goals. As much as it had worked tremendously in other areas, it was not absorbed as much by some European nations in India. According to Anderson Virginia, in his book, ‘How Domestic Animals Transformed Early America’, represents colonial American history as a story of a three-way communication among Indians, English colonists and domestic animals. He situates home animals at the centre of the colonizing system in the 17th century New England and Chesapeake region.
Apparently, during that time, the Chesapeake colonists had little labor to spare for livestock husbandry because the tobacco crop consumed their time and energy. Due to the warm weather, the animals could endure freely and this lead them to allow the animals graze freely. New England by contrast, lacked a cash yield that could be compared to tobacco. This led them to concentrate more on animals and therefore they built more barns, gathered more feed, and raised more fences than their southern counterparts. They concentrated more on pigs and thou pigs did not dominate their economy, they provoked legal and political controversy between the settlers and the Indians. Pigs however, ran wild and a crisis erupted between them.
The sequence of violence increased as more Indians took up livestock husbandry more successfully. This happened, ironically thou, despite the long-held frequently professed belief that keeping animals was an inherent feature of consideration. For decades, colonial advocates had debated that once Indians started to care for domestic animals, the practice would promote Christianity among them, making them more peaceful and more English. They also had the idea that by Indians keeping cows, they would become Christian, for they would be required to keep the regular schedule of milking them. These Indians however, only preferred to eat the cow instead[3].
They, however, failed to anticipate that their animals would generate friction with Indians as native people constantly encountered free-ranging animals trespassing in their corn fields. The style of human husbandry adapted required more space, which resulted to even more friction between them. Thus, the colonists eventually had no other option but to displace the Indians and take up their land. This therefore, shows that the agents of colonialism in this case, were not just Christianity as was the normal strategy used. This time round animals played a vital role. Thou they cannot be blamed they certainly shaped the course of events. The colonists eventually captured the land, which resulted to several war episodes[4].
In contrast also, the story of Olauda Equiano is also illustrated to show how the expectations of English imperial expansion led to contrary outcomes. Equiano, being a citizen of Benin, was captured by African kinsmen and sold to native slave holders. Hands were changed a few times, and he was then transported with other imprisoned Africans to the British colony of Virginia, the Atlantic Ocean. During this time, Equiano and other slaves were treated so cruelly. First, on his arrival, he was given a new name, ‘Gustavvas’, which he refused but later was forced to accept after several beatings.
During this time, Equiano was trained on many tactics and styles of war, but his main duty was to pull gunpowder to the rifle decks. At this time, he decided to convert into Christianity. He was even baptized in a church in Westminster. He had been going over the scriptures and examining his own faith for quiet a period of time, but it was on his voyage to Spain that he tells us that he saw ‘the bright beams of heavenly light’ and was ‘born again’. According to him, this was the ‘key moment of his life’. The British fought and worn the war. As agreed however, he did not receive his share of money and this did not please him at all. Other sailors were awarded nevertheless. He was later sold many times until king Robert promised him that for 40 pounds, he would earn his freedom[5].
He later goes to Caribbean and engages himself in a project to form a colony. A contrast comes in when he does this. First, he is converted into Christianity, becomes a missionary and hopes to bring Christianity to native Africans. . Then, he goes, and is the chief player as he and others are involved in buying slaves to work on the plantation. He however, makes it clear that he was not as happy with this act himself. He says, he did ‘everything I could to comfort the poor creatures, and render the condition easy’. The Christianity of Equiano thus, according to critics, was a way to situate himself ‘at the heart of Englishness’. The question still, remained whether one could be assimilated into a church controlled into a colonizing nation[6].
Equiano, according to his book The Interesting Narrative, realizes that slavery is inhumane. He is calling for its abolition. He finds himself in a situation whereby, he is cheated once again about his money. He is strung up several times and only manages to escape in a canoe. So he eventually decides to go back to London. At this time, there are a number of Africans found begging in the avenues in London. He is therefore given a job to buy food and supply to the hungry Africans in there colonies. In the midst of all this, however, he realizes that the other officials are corrupt. They channel most of the money meant for the project in to their pockets. His efforts to convince the government to intervene are rendered futile instead because of the issue of race. This again leaves him a very disillusioned man [7].
According to the above therefore, it is observed that not only Christianity was used as a strategy for imperialism. In Anderson’s book, ‘The Interesting Narrative’, the Indians rejected Christianity that the Americans thought and anticipated so much that they would embrace. Anderson talks about the Native Americans exceptional nature, the use of land, the use of property and domestication of animals belonging to the settlers, which provided the basis for the conflicts. Anderson narrates, in a lively way how the conflicts began, first with the domestication of other animals, and later the pigs which were the main cause of the conflict. Readers are thus able to relate and conceptualize in their minds the actual conflict and how it erupted resulting into imperialism.
This thus, explains why many Indians therefore did not embrace Christianity as expected. This was brought about by the inability of the newcomers to co-exist with the Indians. He explains this in a form of tragedy that climaxes at the point where there is too much tension that results into war. Anderson, in a unique way manages to distinguish that which was inevitable from that which seemed avoidable. That the conflict could easily be avoided if it were not for them bringing in the animals. It was however not inevitable as a result of the tensions that were brought about.
Olauda Equiano on the other hand, had a lot of experiences in his period of slavery. He is tortured, denied his money twice, and later discovers that that was not the kind of life he was to live. In the midst of all this, he converts into Christianity, claiming that he has come face to face with light. He is ‘born again’, and claims that that is when he became really ‘free’. This freedom however, is of the spiritual other than of the physical. He however turns against Christianity again when he is involved in a mission that he finds himself engaged in slavery again. This time round however, he is not the slave but the master.
Equiano succeeds in narrating his experiences. His engages the readers in a state where they tend to sympathize with him. He uses words that appeal to the emotions of the readers who tend to identify with him when he says, for example, he did ‘everything I could to comfort the poor creatures, and render the condition easy’. He creates a paradox where the same Christian convert is again seen to embrace Englishness, and participates in the said inhumane act of slave trade. He thus, in a way deserted Christianity and joined hands with the English. Christianity, thus, is seen not to be the only way for imperialism despite the popular belief[8].
Therefore, despite Christianity being a major strategy for colonization, most Indians of New England did not embrace it as such. Apart from that, the historical circumstances in which Olauda Equiano found himself in also led him to convert into Christianity, later however, opposing it and embracing Englishness.
Work cited
Anderson, V. Creatures of Empire: How Domestic Animals Transformed Early America. USA: Oxford University Press 2000 .pg 45, 87,179.
Ayers, E et al. American passages: A History of the United States. USA: Cengage Learning 2008 ,pg 10, 11, 46, 154, 158
Norton, M et al. A People & a Nation: A History of the United States. USA: Cengage Learning 2008 ,pg126.
Korieh, C. Olauda Equiano and the Igbo world. London: Africa World Press, 2009 .pg320
Equiano, O. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olauda Equiano. New York: Kessinger Publishing, 2004 ,pg 15, 2, 3, 60.
[1] Anderson, V. Creatures of Empire: How Domestic Animals Transformed Early America. USA: Oxford University Press 2000 .pg 45, 87,179.
[2] Anderson, V. Creatures of Empire: How Domestic Animals Transformed Early America. USA: Oxford University Press 2000 .pg 45, 87,179.
[3] Anderson, V. Creatures of Empire: How Domestic Animals Transformed Early America. USA: Oxford University Press 2000 .pg 87
[4] Anderson, V. Creatures of Empire: How Domestic Animals Transformed Early America. USA: Oxford University Press 2000 .p179.
[5] Equiano, O. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olauda Equiano. New York: Kessinger Publishing, 2004 ,pg 15, 2, 3, 60.
[6] Norton, M et al. A People & a Nation: A History of the United States. USA: Cengage Learning 2008 ,pg126.
[7] Equiano, O. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olauda Equiano. New York: Kessinger Publishing, 2004 ,pg 15, 2, 3, 60.
[8] Korieh, C. Olauda Equiano and the Igbo world. London: Africa World Press, 2009 .pg320
