Imperialism in Libya!

JasonMatt

Megan

Motivation for Imperialism• The Italians invaded

Libya October 3, 1911, attacking Tripoli, a province in Libya.

• They claimed to be liberating Libya from the Ottoman Empire.

• Libya, consisted of two provinces under the Ottoman Empire: Tripolitania and Cyrenaica.

• The battle lasted from September 29, 1911 to October 18,1912

Italian Soldiers looking over dead Libyan soldiers.

How Did They Gain Control?

• Despite the face that the Libyans were revolting against the Italians, the Ottoman Empire gave up Libya.

• The Ottoman Sultan handed over Libya by signing the 1912 Treaty of Lausanne.

• From 1912 to 1927, territory known as Italian North Africa. In 1927-1934, the territory was split into two colonies;

• Italian Cyrenaica and Italian Tripolitania. They were run by Italian governors.

A Libyan fighter being arrested by fascists.

The Extent of Their Control• In 1934, they adopted the

name Libya. • During their control,

Tripoli was under control by 1914, however two other regions (Cyrenaica and Fezzan) were home to rebellions led by the Senussis.

• The Senussi (Sanussi) is a Muslim political-religious order in Libya and other places, founded in Mecca in 1837.

The Positive Effects of Imperialism on Libyans• Improved

infrastructure• Cultivated new farm

lands from the deserts

• 400 km of railroads• 4,000 km of new

roads• Italy is now paying

Libya 5 billion dollars for occupying the Libyan’s lands

The Negative Effects of Imperialism on Libyans• Death of nearly half

of all the Libyans• Forced to live in

concentration camps• Italy ignored world

war treaties while fighting for control over Libya

Libya gains Independence

• After Italy was defeated in World War II, Libya was taken by both Britain and France in 1943

• Italy renounces its claim on Libya in 1947

• Libya’s goal was to become independent before the start of 1952

• After 8 years of ruling from Britain and France, Libya declares it’s independence on December 24th, 1951 Omar Mukhtar – The leader of the

rebels against Italy until he was executed in 1931

Libya Today

• Today, Libya is has a jamahiriya government, or “a republic ruled by the masses”

• The Libyan economy survives mostly on the export of oil which is one-fourth of its GDP (gross domestic product)

• Libya offers free education to all citizens, many of which study at the high school level

• The dominant religion in Libya in Islam with 97% of citizens being Islamic

Benghazi Campus, the first university of Libya