Online Document Assignment 24

CECIL RHODES

The “Greatness” of an Imperialist

During his lifetime, Cecil Rhodes was lionized by imperialists for his energy, ambition, and determination, all qualities they believed set Europeans apart from other races. Opponents of imperialism were equally convinced that Rhodes embodied the ruthlessness and greed they saw at the heart of European expansion. In short, for supporters and opponents alike, Rhodes was imperialism; he was an outsized figure whose life both shaped and reflected the most important developments of his day. Rhodes himself was convinced of his own greatness, of the monumental importance of his own contributions to British power and to Britain’s future.

The documents and images included here offer a variety of perspectives on Rhodes’s legacy. Some are laudatory or, in the case of Rhodes’s own writing, self-congratulatory. Others are eviscerating. All agree on the magnitude of Rhodes’s impact on the history of Africa. As you explore them, reflect on the “great man” theory of history. Is history made through the actions of extraordinary individuals or by the workings of impersonal forces? Or by both? What light does the life of Cecil Rhodes shed on these questions?

TO PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THIS DOCUMENT ASSIGNMENT: