Download Imperialism in Africa

IMPERIALISM IN
AFRICA
BELLRINGER:
1/20 AND 1/23
• 1. Pick up the papers by the door.
• 2. Update your ToC:
– 97: Notes – Imperialism in Africa
– 98: Project: Imperialism in Africa – Then and Now
• 3. Write down your HW:
– Work on your project research (if your group deems it
necessary)
AGENDA:
1/20 AND 1/23
• 1. Bellringer
• 2. Notes: Imperialism in Africa
• 3. Begin Project: Imperialism in Africa – Then and Now
INTRODUCTION: IMPERIALISM IN AFRICA
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJe1
W_HIWmA
AFRICA TO EUROPEANS:
THE “DARK” CONTINENT
• “Europe called Africa the “Dark Continent” – racist terminology referred to
2 things regarding Africa:
– 1. The people of Africa – literal reason for term
– 2. Their alleged inferiority/ignorance in comparison to Europeans (“White
Man’s Burden”) – metaphorical reason for term
• In reality, Africa = always had diverse groups of people w/ their own
unique cultures
– Civilizations (Mansa Musa, Great Zimbabwe, Nile River Valley
– Languages (Swahili, Bantu, Zulu, Berber, etc.)
• Africa = actually home to the most diverse group of languages in the
world
– Religions (animism, ancestor worship, eventually Christianity and Islam)
HISTORY OF FOREIGN
INVOLVEMENT IN
AFRICA
• Long history of outside groups involving themselves in Africa:
– Greeks: Controlled Egypt after conquest by Alexander the Great
– Romans: Ruled all areas along the Mediterranean coastline, including
northern Africa
• Mediterranean – sometimes called a “Roman lake”
– Arab traders: Converted many Africans to Islam starting in 7th century CE
– Europeans in general: Africa = source of slaves for the Americas from
the 17th century
• BUT: little foreign interest in the interior of sub-Saharan Africa (until the
Age of Imperialism, that is!)
AGE OF IMPERIALISM
IN AFRICA BEGINS
• When does it start? Mid-1800s
• Why: Nationalism, Religion, Social
Darwinism, Nationalism, Industrialization
1. DAVID LIVINGSTONE
(1813-1873)
• Scottish missionary
• Lived in central Africa for 30 years in mid-1800s
– Explored Africa
– Converted many Africans to Christianity
– Became a source of information for Europeans on
Africa
• Wrote books on Africa which piqued foreign interest
• 1871: Livingstone reported “lost”
– “Found” by Henry Stanley
– “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”
2. HENRY STANLEY
(1841-1904)
• Worked as a Welsh-American reporter
• Why does he matter?
– “Found” Dr. Livingstone in Africa (“Dr.
Livingstone, I presume?”)
– Explored Africa (Congo River, Lake
Tanganyika, Lake Victoria)
– Worked with Belgium’s King Leopold II
and his African colonization company
WHO KICK-STARTS
AFRICAN
IMPERIALISM?
• 3. King Leopold of Belgium
– Took over land in central Africa
– Leading role at Berlin Conference (1885)
• Leopold’s control over Congo Free State recognized
by major powers
– Eventually forced to give CFS to the Belgian gov’t
• Why? Because of claims of his cruelty,
mistreatment of people in the Congo Free
State
• Created European race for African colonies – “Scramble for
Africa”
– Diamonds, foodstuffs, gold, ivory, rubber
THE CONFERENCE
OF BERLIN
• When: 1884-85
• Why: European leaders met here to
determine how to divide up Africa
amongst different European
countries
• Result: Sets off a massive “scramble”
for Africa
– European countries want to take as
much land as possible to strengthen
their own power and to weaken
other European nations
MOTIVES OF THE
“SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA”
1. Economic
• Europeans need
markets outside of
Europe to sell their
goods to
• Need for (cheap) raw
materials to supply
industrialization
• Use of slave labor (at
least initially)
2. Political
3. Ideological
• European countries want to
gain more territory for
several reasons
- Grow their own power
- Weaken other nations
• “White Man’s
Burden” – it’s the job
of the “superior”
European/white man
to bring the
“uncivilized” natives
to civilization
• Motivated by nationalism
• More converts to
Christianity
3 PHASES OF THE
BERLIN CONFERENCE
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
• Signing of ambiguous
• European and African • European powers go
treaties between
countries sign
against the treaties
Europeans and
agreements essentially
and/or agreements
Africans (almost
giving Europeans some
signed during Stages 1
always organized to
degree of
&2
benefit the European
power/influence over • Start to take over and
countries, but this fact
African nations
colonize the people
is often
and lands of Africa
disguised/hidden from
the Africans actually
signing them)
IMPERIALISM IN
SOUTH AFRICA
THE BRITISH IN
SOUTH AFRICA
• Cape Colony had been under the control of the Boers
– Who are the Boers? Farmers of Dutch origin living in Africa (speak
Afrikaans)
• 1815: British took Cape Colony from the Dutch
– Boers moved north to Transvaal and the Orange Free State (called
the “Great Trek”)
• Problem with this?
– 1886: Dutch find Gold/diamonds in Transvaal and OFS 
British moved in to try and take control of these resources
– 1881-1895: British attempted to take Transvaal from the Boers
THE BOER WAR(S)
• Boer War 1: 1880-81
– Fought over diamonds/gold in
Transvaal/OFS
– Initially successful for Boers = they
(temporarily) keep the British out of
the Transvaal and OFS
• Boer War 2: 1899-1902
– “Total” warfare used by British
against Dutch Boers
– Result? British win the Boer War,
Part 2
• Take control of most of South
Africa after this (including
Transvaal and OFS)
BRITISH COLONIES IN
SOUTHERN AFRICA
Rhodesia
• Became British
protectorate in
1898
• Now Zimbabwe
• Named for Cecil
Rhodes (one of the
leading supporters
of imperialism)
Bechuanaland
• Becomes British
protectorate in
1885 after Berlin
Conference
Kenya
• Becomes British
protectorate in
1888
IMPERIALISM IN
NORTH AFRICA
BRITISH IN NORTH
AFRICA
EGYPT
• Technically part of the Ottoman Empire
• BUT: Europe has a real interest in Egypt because of
the Suez Canal
- Originally controlled by the French and British,
who both helped finance the canal construction
- Eventually Britain bought out all the shares in the
canal and comes to control the canal
THE FRENCH IN
NORTH AFRICA
Algeria
Tunis
Morocco
West
Africa
• French colony in 1830
• Controlled by France in 1881
• Under French control in 1881
• France’s control of Morocco causes problems between
France and Germany before WWI
• Largely under French control by 1880s
ISN’T THERE ANY
COUNTRY STILL
FREE IN AFRICA?
INDEPENDENT
STATES IN AFRICA:
1.Liberia
• Slave trade = outlawed in U.S. 
Monroe decides to send slaves
back to Africa to settle a free
country there
• This country  Liberia
- The capital = Monrovia
(after Monroe)
2. Ethiopia
• Ruled by a dynasty since 13th
century
• Majority practiced Coptic
Christianity
• Fought back successfully against
Italian forces to maintain its
independence during the
“Scramble for Africa”
IMPACTS OF
IMPERIALISM:
Borders and boundaries
are disrupted
Africans and military
technology
• New borders drawn by Europeans = cut through
families, clans, and ethnic groups
• This = weakens and divides preexisting societies in
Africa
• Africans are denied access to new military
advancements
European favoritism of
certain groups/tribes
within Africa
• Causes disagreements between Africans that did
not exist before the arrival of Europeans
Who has control of the
natural resources?
• Not the Africans
• Europeans control access to raw/natural materials
Creation of unfair social, • Example: Apartheid system in South Africa
political, economic
systems throughout Africa
COUNTRY ASSIGNMENTS:
South
Africa
Erin
Rita
Elizabeth
Nathan L.
Nathan M.
Kenya
Jacob
Kelly
Zeenath
Matthew
Algeria
Olivia
Sebastian
Sumeya
Jordan
Conner
Congo
Kelton
Lauren
Devin
Eswar
Sudan
Cory
Conrad
Sade
Danielle
Egypt
Nathan W.
Chey
Jagman
Dehlila
Jessica