IMPERIALISTS DIVIDE AFRICA

Chapter 27 Section 1

Africa Before Imperialism• Divided into hundreds of ethnic & linguistic groups

• The traditional religions were followed as well as Islam & Christianity

• Largest empire was in West Africa

• Europeans only controlled coastal regions

• 400 years powerful African armies kept Europeans out

• Invention of Steamboat allowed Europeans to move more inland

• The large # of Africa trade networks keep Europeans out as Africa could be self-reliant for goods.

Nations Compete for Overseas Empires

Europeans who made it into the interior of Africa were explorers, humanitarians & missionaries

INTRO:

Congo Sparks Interest:• 1860’s David Livingstone (Scottish minister) was

searching for the source of the Nile River & disappeared.

• 1871 American newspaper reporter Henry Stanley found Livingstone on the shores of lake Tanganyika

• The Story made headlines around the world

• 1879 Stanley returned to Africa & signed treaties w/ local Congo chiefs

• These treaties gave Leopold II of Belgium control of Congo

Congo Sparks Interest (Cont’d)

• Leopold II brutally exploited the people by forcing them to work getting sap from valuable rubber trees

• He also abused them by imposing taxes, and other forced labor

• 1908 Belgian Government took over the colony

• Soon other European countries started claiming other parts of Africa (Britain, Germany, Italy, Portugal & Spain)

Motives Driving Imperialism• Imperialism: the take over of a country or a territory

by a stronger nation with the intent of dominating the political, economic & social life of the native people.

• Motives:1. Industrial Revolution created the need for lands, new

resources & raw materials, as well as new markets.2. National pride for each country3. Economic Competition4. Social Darwinism: idea that those w/ superior

technologies were also socially superior to less developed peoples

5. Missionaries spreading Christianity & Western Culture

External Forces Enabling Imperialism

• Technologically Superior-(1889 1st automatic Machine gun invented)

• Steam Engine

• Rail Road, telegraph cables, steamboats- allowed communication

• Quinine- prevents malaria

Internal Factors Enabling Imperialism: Problems with Africa

• No African Unity

• Africans technology & weapons were inferior

• Many different ethnic groups fighting each other

• Different cultures & languages

Berlin Conference (1884-1885)

• 14 European Nations & the United States of America agreed on division of Africa

• NO AFRICANS INVITED OR ALLOWED!!

• 1914- Only Liberia (US) and Ethiopia remained free

European Colonies

• 1867- Diamonds discovered

• 1880- Europeans start large scale expansion into Africa

• 1886- Gold in discovered in the country of South Africa

Demand for Product Shapes Colonies

• Europeans expected Africans to buy their goods but it didn’t happen

• European Businesses needed raw materials & cash crops• Peanuts, palm oil, cocoa, rubber

• Farmers grew less food

• Minerals main source of wealth• Copper & tin in the Belgian Congo• Gold & Diamonds in S. Africa

South African Groups Clash• Zulu:

• Late 1700’s - 1800’s local wars

• 1816 Chief Shaka created large Centralized state (warriors – military)

• 1887 British took over with superior weapons

• Boers: • 1652 Dutch used Cape of Good Hope service ships• Boers: farmers who took large tracts of native land• Disagreed with British over land and slave policies• 1830’s: Great Trek – moved N. to escape British• Fought w/ Zulus & others in new land

• British:• 1800’s took over the Cape Colony & clashed w/

Boers

Boer War

Boer War• 1860’s & 1880’s gold & diamonds discovered

• Boers tried to keep new comers from having political rights

• 1899 Boers fought British

• 1st Modern “total” war• Boer Commando raids & guerilla tactics

• British burned land & put women/ children in concentration camps

• 1902 – Boer republics had limited self-government under British rule

Colonial Control

• 4 Main Forms of Colonies1. Colony - governed internally by foreign power

(European rulers in the area)

2. Protectorate - area has own internal government but under control of Europeans

3. Sphere of Influence- European powers claim exclusive investment or trading privileges

4. Economic Imperialism - independent natives controlled by private businesses, not the other governments

Imperial Management: (day to day)

• Indirect control – British & US/ local leaders

• Direct control – France & rest of Europe• Paternalism – meet needs but don’t give rights (people

could not handle affairs)

• Assimilation – local people would be absorbed into French culture (abandoned idea)

Nigeria - British• 1807 Britain outlawed slave trade

• Played enemies against each other to gain land

• 1914 claimed Nigeria as colony

• Many groups, hard to govern but 3 main groups

1. Hausa & Fuloni: North: Muslim & used strong government

2. Yoruba: S. West: local chiefs or councils rulers

3. Igbo: S. East: local chiefs & councils

• Hausa & Yoruba were traditional enemies

• Britain ruled indirectly through chiefs who had no real powers, creating problems governing

African Resistance• People resisted all across Africa but were powerless

against European guns

• Unsuccessful Movements:

• Algerians fought for 50 years against the French

• West Africa- Samori Toure fought French 16 years

• German East Africa – 1905 Maji Maji Rebellion where over 26,000 Africans were killed & 50,000 starved later• Believed magic water would turn German bullets to

water

Ethiopia Successful (only one)

• Victory because of 1 man – Menelik II (became emperor 1889)

• Played Italians, French & British against each other

• Bought modern weapons from France & Russia- large arsenal

• Declared war on Italians after they tried to trick him

• 1896 – Battle of Adowa: greatest battle in African History. Ethiopians defeated Italians

Impact of Colonial Rule:Forever changed African lives

• Positive Impact• Reduced local warfare

• Better sanitation, hospitals, and schools

• Life spans increased & literacy rates increased

• Economic growth- products valued an international market

• Railroads, dams, telephone & telegraph lines

• Most of these benefitted European businesses more than the lives of Africans

• Negative Impact• Africans lost their land & independence

• Died of new diseases (small pox)

• Thousands died trying to resist the Europeans

• Famines due to growing cash crops not food

• Breakdown of traditional cultures

• Men left villages for work (European mines, farms, etc.)

• Identity problems- admired European life

• Worst problem was the physical divorce of the continent• Artificial boundaries separated same groups & forced rivals into the

same country

• Most boundaries follow lines of latitude & longitude

• STILL CAUSES PROBLEMS TODAY!

Impact of Colonial Rule