IMPERIALISM

Imperialism: The desire to build overseas empires

The takeover of a country or territory by a stronger nation with the intent of dominating the political, economic, and social life of the people of that nation.• Following the Industrial Revolution,

European nations wanted to control lands that had raw materials they needed for their industrial economies. They wanted to open up markets for the goods they made. Nationalism fed the drive for the empires as well.

Pre-colonial Africa

1. Hundreds of ethnic/linguistic groups (1000 + languages)2. Traditional beliefs- polytheistic3. Nomadic tribes4. Strong tradition of oral history

Pre-colonial Africa

As of 1880, Europe only controlled 10% of the land1. Travel was virtually impossible before steam powered river boats2. African Armies and trade networks kept Europeans out**Only explorers, missionaries, and humanitarians made it into the interior

Reasons for imperialism

EconomicIndustrial Revolution creates demand for raw

materials and markets to sell industrial products

Nationalismcolonialism equals measure of national

greatnessRacism

Social Darwinism – survival of the fittest applied to social change

- fittest have wealth and power superiority- non-Europeans lacked technology due to

inferiority- White Man’s Burden-- it is their right and duty to

bring “progress” to other countriesSpread Christianity--missionaries must “civilize”

and Westernize non-Christians

Factors that allowed Europeans to take over:

1. TECHNOLOGY– Steam engines, Rail Road, Telegraphs– Machine Guns– Discovery of quinine gave doctors a

weapon against malaria (diseases)

2. AFRICA LACKED STRONG UNITY- many distinct tribes couldn’t unite to fight against Europeans

Berlin Conference: “Scramble for Africa”

Berlin Conference—14 European powers met in

Berlin between 1884-1885

- No Africans were present

They decided that…--a nation could claim a territory as long as they told the people and showed that they had control.

Results of Berlin Conference

• Divides continent without consideration of African cultural distribution

• Transforms African ways of life

-- By 1914 only Liberia and Ethiopia remained free.

Colonial Control Took Many Forms

• Colony—a country or region was governed by a foreign power

• Protectorate—the people were allowed their own government, but the government was under the control of the foreign power.

• Sphere of influence—an area in which an outside power claims exclusive investment or trading privileges

• Economic Imperialism—controlled by a large company or corporation

Methods of Imperial ControlImperialist powers used 2 main approaches to

run a colony • Indirect Control

– Local rulers had power over day to day matters. There were also Councils of native peoples and government officials. The goal was to develop future leaders

•Direct Control– Feeling that native

peoples could not handle the complex business of running a country, the European power governed directly.

African Resistance• There was broad

resistance to imperialism, but Europeans had superior weapons and usually crushed rebellion.

• There were unsuccessful movements in Algeria, West Africa, and German East Africa, which resulted in about 75,000 deaths and famine.

Ethiopia: A Successful Resistance

• Menelik II, -- emperor of Ethiopia in 1889, successfully resisted Europeans

• He played Europeans against each other

• stockpiled arsenal of modern weapons

• defeated Italy, and remained independent

African Independence

• It wasn’t until the years following World War II that most African nations gained their independence.

• Independence brought many new conflicts and challenges to the “new” African countries.

The Effects of Colonial Rule:Benefits from Colonial

Rule:a. technology, medicine,

railroads, roads, damsb. Reduced local conflict

• Negative Effects from colonial rule:

a. Traditional African society was destroyed.

b. Political boundaries paid no attention to ethnic divisions.

c. Many Africans lost lives and independence

The Division of Africa created problems that

continue today...