Colonialism in Africa

Global Studies Honors

Mr. Chrismer

Motives Behind Colonization:

National self-interest and the desire for strength and influence around the world.

“mercantilism” - an economic system to unify and increase the power and especially the monetary wealth of a nation by a strict governmental regulation of the entire national economy

Mercantilism

Mercantilism strengthened the government

through the following:

policies designed to secure an accumulation

of bullion

a favorable balance of trade,

the development of agriculture and

manufactures,

the establishment of foreign trading

monopolies

Motives Behind Colonization:

Economic Gain:

New market for goods

Source of raw materials

Cheap labor

The old belief that the possession of gold and

silver meant power.

Motives Behind Colonization:

Religious reasons:

Elimination of other religions

Trade strategy – create a “friendly” space for

trade and commerce

Humanitarian efforts

In the late 19th century - White Man’s Burden

Colonial Powers and Their

Holdings:

Spain – South America, Central America, North

America

Portugal – South America, Persian Gulf coast,

parts of India, parts of Asia and parts of Africa

The Netherlands – Parts of Asia, Indonesia,

North America and Africa

England – North America, the Caribbean, East

Indies, India, Africa and the Middle East

(continued)

France – North America, the Caribbean,

East and West Indies, Africa, the Middle

East

Germany – Africa

Belgium – Interior of Africa

Berlin Conference

14 “Western” nations (Europe and US)

met in Berlin, Germany.

Conference was put together by German

Chancellor Otto Von Bismarck

Nations met to divide Africa for the

Western powers into separate spheres.

Rules from Berlin Conference

Empty resolutions to provide for welfare of Africans.

If any nation is claiming themselves as a

“protectorate” they must notify the signers of the

Berlin Act.

In order to occupy coastal possession, nation must

prove they have sufficient authority (control trade

and transit). Known as “effective occupation.”

Niger and Congo river made free for traffic

Determined to make colonization a less bloody

process

Effects of Conference

Placed boundaries on African groups.

Division of land and people

Africans lost their independence

Treated as inferiors and forced to work for

Europeans

Europeans exploited the mineral

resources (tin, copper, gold, diamonds)

Dutch Colonialism:

England’s Influence - 1900

French Colonialism

Belgian Colonialism

Spain and Portugal

German Colonialism

America’s Sphere of Influence

White Man’s Burden

Pro-imperialists said colonization of

Africa was a civilizing mission.

“Cultural Imperialists”

Africans needed help to be civilized

members of society.

Rudyard Kipling’s “The White Man’s

Burden,” 1899 gives the benefits to

colonization.

White Man’s Burden

The burden is in civilizing the world.

Education, religion, law, rule, technology, cleanliness,

society needs to be instituted.

The native peoples are “half devil, half child” and

“heathen”

Imperialists have a condescending attitude

towards the natives and regard them as inferior.

Imperialists will encounter difficulty in an effort to

end war, famine, and sickness.

European men will die for the burden but the

natives will be ungrateful.

Anti-Imperialist Feelings

Native Africans and

anti-imperialists felt

differently

“The Brown Man’s

Burden”

Brown Man’s Burden

The burden of imperialism is not among

the whites, but it falls on the natives.

The “White Man’s Burden” is hypocritical.

The “burden” makes whites rich through

exploitation of resources and labor. The

natives suffer.

True motivating force behind imperialism

is money (“to satisfy your greed”) and land

(“seize on his ports and pastures”)

Types of Colonies

Settlement Colonies:

Citizens of the colonizing country migrate

and take control of a new area, regardless

of former inhabitants. Settlement occurs

and colonial population grows.

Example: The 13 Colonies of North

America

Dependent Colonies:

Otherwise known as “colonies of exploitation”

Colonies settled by Europeans who came as

planters, administrators or military officers and

established political control over the local

population. Local culture wasn’t

destroyed…instead, the colony becomes

dependant upon the economy of the colonizing

country.

Examples: Nigeria and Ghana

Protectorate Colonies

In this system, the local leader kept his

title, but a specific European country (or

America ) claimed rights to the country.

No other countries were allowed to

interfere politically or economically without

express permission from the colonizing

country.

Example: Puerto Rico

Spheres of Influence:

Otherwise known as informal colonies

When a country interferes with the internal workings of another country but fails to annex it officially. It is an informal agreement that this colony will not be harassed by other would-be colonizing countries.

Example: South American countries following their independence (by America)