Imperialism in Africa: 19Imperialism in Africa: 19thth – 20 – 20thth C.C.

I. Imperialism in the 19th Century: “New Imperialism”

A. Prior to 1850, W. European conquest of land overseas led to colonization & settlement

People of European ancestry made up large % of pop. in U.S., Canada, Latin Am., Australia

B. After 1850, a new kind of European expansion: Not marked by widespread settlement New objective: to control territories for economic

reasons & national prestige Nations competed for empires in the new “Age of

Imperialism” (1880s – 1914)

C. Exploration of the Interior:C. Exploration of the Interior:Led by Scottish minister, Dr. David Livingstone, 1860s whose Led by Scottish minister, Dr. David Livingstone, 1860s whose

goals were to bring Christianity, Commerce, and Civilization to goals were to bring Christianity, Commerce, and Civilization to the continentthe continent

II. The Scramble for Africa, 1880s - 19141. Euro. had ties in N. Africa & along coasts since set up

trading posts in 15th C.2. Large interior of continent unknown until 1880s (Livingstone

& Stanley)3. 1800 – 1875 exploration of interior

Resources: oil, gold, rubber, tin… Geo. features: waterways, rivers People: over 700 ethnic groups, each w/ own language &

culture (divisive) Trade brought limited contact w/ Arabs & Eur., therefore no

way for sub-Saharan Africans to predict conquests4. 1880 – 1900 tone & tempo of Afro-Euro contact changed…

WHY? …Gold, Glory, and God

A. Economic motive (“Gold”) GB leading ind. nation until 1860s (France, Germany, and

U.S. caught up) Promoted “free trade” policy: had cheapest goods, largest

quantity & largest merchant marine to ship to Africa 1870s saturation of goods in W. Eur. led to need for new

markets: Africa Nations now established protectorates, colonies that other

Eur. nations could be excluded from or taxed Eur. believed interior had huge quantities of raw materials

1. Gold: Economic Motive

Raw Materials:

Markets:

Gold, diamonds, rubber, copper, tin, oil, cocoa, groundnuts, etc.

European believed Africans would buy European goods in great quantities.

2. “Glory”: National Pride Europeans viewed empire as a measure of

national superiority; possession of a colony in Africa meant national prestige in Europe“Belgium is a small country, with a small people” and

needed a colony to boost its image…King Leopold

They wanted to plant their flag on as much of the world as possible.

Colonies in Africa & Asia were desired to make European nations great.

3. “God”: The Missionary Factor Europeans wanted to Christianize as much

of the world as possible. They believed European rule was the best

way to end the Arab slave trade. They wanted to “civilize” the “savages” and

“barbarians”

B. Social Darwinism Nations did not question the right to conquer

lands & people They saw industrial might as “progress” & were

bringing “civilization” to other people (the “White Man’s Burden” to do so)

Advances in W. technology led to a belief in superiority of W. civilization

Convinced Europeans it was in the best interests of Africans to be introduced to W. civilization

Social Darwinism Cecil Rhodes was the

driving force behind British Imperialism in South Africa

He believed Europeans had the right & duty to bring progress to other countries: Social Darwinism

“The White Man’s Burden” (1899) Rudyard Kipling (1865 –

1936) English poet Justification for European

imperialism was the idea that the “more advanced” peoples had the moral responsibility to raise “ignorant” native peoples to a “higher level of civilization”

Poem addressed to the United States

III. How Were Europeans Able to Conquer?

A. European Advantages:1. Maxim gun (1889) made

it easier for Europeans to put down resistance movements.

2. Steam engine made it possible explore & colonize deep within the interior of the continent.

3. The cure for malaria provided Europeans with a longer life span to stay and conquer.

B. African Disadvantages:1. Diversity of population

made it difficult to unite to fight against Europeans

2. Low level of technology made it difficult to resist advanced weaponry.

Military Technology

Hiram Maxim, an American, invented the “Maxim Gun” Invented in 1889 World’s 1st automatic machine gun.

The Steam Engine Railroads and steamboats

allowed Europeans to advance into the interior of Africa.

Technology allowed Europeans to maintain close communications within a colony as well as b/w the colony & the mother country

Current Geographic Malaria Current Geographic Malaria LocalesLocales

Effects of Malaria

IV. Berlin West Africa Conference 1884-5 Divides Africa

1. Convened by Germany’s Bismarck to set rules for annexing African territory

2. Purpose: to prevent war amongst Eur.3. 14 Eur. nations attended; no African rulers present4. Outcome: annexation of African terr. only recognized when

“effective occupation” demonstrated5. By 1914 only Liberia & Ethiopia remained independent6. Conference successful in avoiding Eur. war w/ 1 major

exception: South Africa

A. The CongoA. The Congo Henry Stanley, an Henry Stanley, an

American journalist, American journalist, found David found David Livingstone in Africa in Livingstone in Africa in 1871.1871.

Stanley returned to Stanley returned to Africa in 1879 & by Africa in 1879 & by 1882 signed treaties 1882 signed treaties with local chiefs of the with local chiefs of the Congo River Valley Congo River Valley giving King Leopold II of giving King Leopold II of Belgium personal Belgium personal control over the region.control over the region.

Belgian Congo King Leopold II Used forced labor to

collect sap from rubber plants

Leopold willed his colony to Belgium upon his death in 1908.

Rubber PlantationsRubber Plantations Small slits are cut by Small slits are cut by

hand into trunks of hand into trunks of rubber trees. rubber trees.

White latex is collected White latex is collected into small bowls.into small bowls.

It is later collected into It is later collected into large vats, then large vats, then dripped onto a rotating dripped onto a rotating mass of rubber being mass of rubber being cooked over a slow, cooked over a slow, smoky fire.smoky fire.

B. Britain: The Sun Never Sets on the British Empire

1. Queen Victoria of England (r. 1837 – 1901)

2. Ruled over the largest colonial empire, including African colonies in Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, among others.

3. India was her “crown jewel” of the empire.

British Imperialism: 19British Imperialism: 19thth-20-20thth C.C.

1. Case Study: Nigeriaa. British gained control b/w 1892-1902

b. Used African soldiers in front lines under British officers

c. Well trained, well-equipped professional soldiers

d. Culturally diverse; disunity allowed for conquest

e. 3 main groups: 1) North: Hausa (Muslim), 2) SW: Yoruba (enemies of Hausa) 3) SE: Igbo

f. Main Export: Palm Oil & Cocoa

g. Trade economy led to need for workers in mines & on plantations often by use of forced labor, sometimes by independent workers

h. Colonial demands for taxes to pay for administration & infrastructure (RR, roads, bridges, canals, communications…) caused Africans to move away from food production to produce cash crops, leading to famine

Nigeria“One effect of colonial rule, which lasted from 1903 to 1960, was the breaking of Nigeria into three major regions marked by different cultural and political backgrounds: the northern Hausa-speaking area, which was largely Muslim; the Christian and Muslim Yoruba region in the southwest; and the region in the east dominated by the Ibo, who were overwhelmingly Christian. Despite occasional conflicts, the boundaries between the peoples have been quite fluid. Nigeria is a country of enormous cultural diversity, and it is estimated that there are at least 250 different languages spoken in the country. English is the official language of administration and education.”

British Nigeria

2. British Egypt2. British Egypt

a.a. The main reason for The main reason for the British the British protectorateprotectorate in Egypt in Egypt was to control access was to control access to the Suez Canal.to the Suez Canal.

b.b. Built with French Built with French money & Egyptian money & Egyptian labor, the canal labor, the canal opened in 1869.opened in 1869.

c.c. With Egypt in debt, the With Egypt in debt, the canal was turned over canal was turned over to the British in 1882.to the British in 1882.

3. The Suez Canal3. The Suez Canal

a.a. Called the “Lifeline of the Empire”Called the “Lifeline of the Empire”

b.b. Allowed the British much faster access to its Asian & Allowed the British much faster access to its Asian & African colonies, especially its crown jewel, India.African colonies, especially its crown jewel, India.

c.c. Connecting Med. Sea & Red Sea, it saved 4,000 miles and Connecting Med. Sea & Red Sea, it saved 4,000 miles and 2 weeks in travel.2 weeks in travel.

4. British South Africa 4. British South Africa

Cecil Rhodes

The Zulu Nation: Then & The Zulu Nation: Then & NowNow

Zulus fought the Boers in the 1830s when the Dutch settlersMoved into Zulu land to escape from the British during whatBecame known as “The Great Trek”

Zulu land became a part of British-controlled land in 1887.

5. Boer War, 1899-1902

a. Sparked by discovery of gold & diamonds in Boer (Dutch settlers) state of Transvaal

Clashes b/w Afrikaners and British miners led to attempt by Rhodes to annex Transvaal

b. British (led by Cecil Rhodes) fought the Boers

c. 1st modern war: use of concentration camps, which housed Dutch women & children; British burnt crops

d. 1902: British won & created the Union of S. Africa

British gov. allowed only Afrikaners to vote to appease Dutch

C. French Colonies1. The French colonized much

of North & West Africa, including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and French W. Africa.

2. The majority of the population living there were Arab Muslims.

3. The French used direct control over their colonies, and used a policy of paternalism in ruling.

4. The French wanted colonial peoples to assimilate to French culture.

Eugene Delacroix: Mid-19Eugene Delacroix: Mid-19thth century North African century North African travels produced series of paintings reflecting travels produced series of paintings reflecting

French attitudes towards African peoples.French attitudes towards African peoples.

Sultan of Morocco & His Entourage,1845

Algerian Women in their Apartments, 1834

Delacroix (1766 – 1863) believed beauty existed in the fierceness of nature; especiallyAnimals, which he painted in scenes of violent & exotic tiger hunts. Romantic idealsOf Africa appealed to the Europeans, and encouraged exploration and, later, colonization.

Tiger Hunt, 1854.

V. Types of Rule:1. Colony: region governed internally by a foreign

power (ex. French Indochina)2. Protectorate: country self-governing, but under

control of outside power (ex. British Nigeria)3. Sphere of Influence: area where an outside

power claims exclusive trading rights (ex. China, Liberia)

4. Economic Imperialism: independent, but less developed nations controlled by private business, not government (ex. Hawaii, Latin America)

Types of Control:A. Indirect Rule: (Britain & U.S.)

1. Cheap & effective in ruling large populations

2. Traditional chiefs used to carry out basic functions: Judged local disputes, but not allowed to try serious

crimes or disputes involving Europeans

3. Use of customary law lessened impact on people

4. Belief: in time, the local pop. would govern itself

B. Direct Rule: (France)1. Policy of “assimilation” to turn subjects into French2. Full legal & political rts., all schools, gov. offices modeled

after French system (forced to abandon traditional culture)3. Growth of the Empire made policy unworkable: 15mn. people

became “sujets” w/ no legal or pol. rts.4. African chiefs who spoke French allowed to act in local gov

Tax collection, recruit labor, put down rebellion

5. Destroyed African customary law6. French believed Africans were child-like & could not run their

own country “paternalism” (provided for needs, but gave no rights)

VI. African Resistance VI. African Resistance Movements: EthiopiaMovements: Ethiopia

Europeans encouraged “tribalism” to fuelrivalries & limited education (used Indians, Arabs, and Chinese for skilled labor)

Menelik II of Ethiopia was the onlysuccessful African to defeat the Europeans.He defeated the Italians in 1896. He used modern military technology supplied byThe French & Russians to defeat the Imperialists.

By 1914, only Ethiopia and Liberia Were the only two countries in Africa that remained independent.

VII. Impact of Colonial RuleA. Positive:1. Reduced local warfare2. Improved sanitation, built hospitals,

schools3. Built infrastructure: RR, dams,

communication lines, roads…4. Life spans & literacy rates improved5. Economic growth

B. Negative:1. Loss of independence2. New diseases (smallpox)3. Thousands died in resistance movements4. Famines due to cash crops5. Loss of traditional culture6. Europeans drew boundaries w/o thought to

combining or dividing groups leading to continuing conflict