IMPERIALISM IN AFRICA

Imperialism is

a policy of conquering and ruling

other lands

A – African imperialism begins with-

• King Leopold II of Belgium signs treaties with local chiefs of the Congo River Valley becomes known as Belgian Congo

• Leopold ruled Congo like his own

private estate. Natives worked in rubber fields & those that did not supply enough rubber had their hands cut off.

5-8 Million Victims! (50% of Popul.)

It is blood-curdling to see them (the soldiers) returning with the hands of the slain, and to find the hands of young children amongst the bigger ones evidencing their bravery...The rubber from this district has cost hundreds of lives, and the scenes I have witnessed, while unable to help the oppressed, have been almost enough to make me wish I were dead... This rubber traffic is steeped in blood, and if the natives were to rise and sweep every white person on the Upper Congo into eternity, there would still be left a fearful balance to their credit. -- Belgian Official

F – Fighting for Africa•Soon after Belgium- European powers engaged in a “Scramble for Africa” starting in the 1870s. •By 1890, most of Africa came under European control.•Boer War between British & Boers (Dutch farmers) 1st modern total war; looking for diamonds/gold

The major European powers to acquireAfrican territories were Great Britain,France, Germany, Belgium, Portugal,

& Italy.By 1914, only Liberia & Ethiopia remained

independent

F – Fighting for Africa

R – Riches in Africa

•The discovery of diamonds and gold in South Africa increased European interest.

• This caused European powers to come in conflict with one another.

I – Imperial powers meet at Berlin Conference (1884-1885)

• Disputes among the imperial powers were worked out at the conference

• At the Berlin Conference, rules were laid out as how to divide Africa. Any European country must notify others when land is claimed.

• No African natives were invited to the conference.

C– Colonization by European imperialists had both positive and negative effects on Africa

Positive Negative

Positive Effect:Introduction of modern

transportation & communication systems, such as telegraphs, railroads,

& telephones.

Positive Effect:Introduction of

European medicine & improved nutrition;led to population increases.

Negative Effect:African peoples were treated

as inferior (lesser peoples) to Europeans.

Negative Effect:Europeans divided Africa & ignoredtribal, ethnic, & cultural boundaries

of African people led totribal conflicts in many African nations

that continue to this day.

A – African Imperialism Motives

IndustrialRevolutionIndustrialRevolution

Source forRawMaterials

Source forRawMaterials

Markets forFinishedGoods

Markets forFinishedGoods

EuropeanNationalismEuropeanNationalism

MissionaryActivityMissionaryActivity

Military& NavalBases

Military& NavalBases

EuropeanMotivesFor Colonization

EuropeanMotivesFor Colonization

Places toDumpUnwanted/Excess Popul.

Places toDumpUnwanted/Excess Popul.

Soc. & Eco.OpportunitiesSoc. & Eco.Opportunities

HumanitarianReasonsHumanitarianReasons

EuropeanRacismEuropeanRacism

“WhiteMan’sBurden”

“WhiteMan’sBurden”

SocialDarwinismSocialDarwinism

African Trade [15c-17c]