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12.1
Imperialism in Africa
Nations Compete
► Imperialism
= control of a country or
territory by a stronger country
► Africa divided by 100s of ethnic groups that
spoke 1000s of languages
► Late 1880s Europe only controls 10% of
Africa
► European travel into central Africa difficult
 Rivers too wild
 Steam powered ships change this
Nations Compete
► Missionaries
and humanitarians only ones
travelling in central Africa
► David Livingstone = missionary
► No word from Livingstone for several years
► Henry Stanley (newspaper reporter) hired to
find him
► Finds Livingstone in 1871 – “Dr.
Livingstone, I presume?”
Nations Compete
► Stanley
continues exploration of Africa
► King Leopold of Belgium hires Stanley to obtain
land through treaties
► Leopold claims land used to abolish slavery and
spread Christianity
► Leopold exploits natives & forces collection of
rubber sap from trees; 10 million-plus die
► Belgian government takes colony away from
Leopold
Nations Compete
► Industrial
Revolution encourages
imperialism
► More land = better country
► European pride = ethnocentric
► Ethnocentrism = belief that your culture is
superior to others
► Ethnocentrism can contribute to racism
Social Darwinism
► Charles
Darwin = scientist with theory of
evolution – all living things evolve from
previous living things
► Social Darwinism = application of natural
selection to society
► Some societies have “evolved” and are
“better”
► “Proof” is that some countries are more
advanced than others
Moving Into Africa
► Factors
allowing Europeans to explore
Africa:
► Maxim gun (1st machine gun)
► Steamship engine, railroads, cables
► Drug quinine protects people from malaria
► Tribal difference lead to conflict between
tribes - prevent unified front against Europe
Divided Africa
► Diamonds
discovered in South Africa
► Berlin Conference divides Africa
 Needed to prove country could control claimed
land
► Africans
not included in decisions
► Boer War between British and Dutch
 Boers = Dutch settlers in South Africa
 Britain wins first “total war”