Post on 26-Dec-2015
European Claims in European Claims in Sub-Saharan AfricaSub-Saharan Africa
Chapter 17 Section 3Chapter 17 Section 3
Competition for West Africa
• In the past: major center of slave trade.• Now: used for trading things like
palm oil, feathers, ivory, rubber…etc.• West Africans – strongly resisted
imperialist nations.
Early 1900’s
• France, Great Britain, Germany, Spain, and Portugal own most of West Africa.• Liberia – only independent colony in
West Africa–U.S. helped them stay independent.
Livingstone and Stanley
• Dr. David Livingstone – Scottish medical missionary.–Missing in Central Africa for 5 years.
• Henry Stanley – American journalist–Hired by New York Herald to find
Livingstone
Livingstone and Stanley (cont.)
• In 1871, Stanley found Livingstone–Uttered greeting that became famous
around the world, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”•Wrote about search and good land to
explore.
The Congo
• King Leopold II of Belgium listened to Stanley–Private colony ~1 million sq. miles–Treated them very poorly• Slave labor for rubber production
–OUTRAGE from other countries – led to Belgian Congo 1908
East African Colonization
• Drought led to famine• Imported cattle brought illness to
African cattle, by 1890 most of the cattle had died• Africans were too weak to resist
Southern Africa
• Cape Colony – South Africa–Used by Dutch as supply station
• Early 1800’s seized by British–14,000 farmers, resent the British –
Known as the Boers (ancestors of Dutch settlers)
Berlin Conference
• 1884 – European leaders met–Resolve conflicts over African
colonies–Africans have no say–Divided colonies amongst
themselves
Berlin Conference
• 1884 – 1885: 12 European nations, U.S. and Ottoman Empire meet (no African reps)–Decisions:• Free trade on Congo & Niger Rivers•Had to gain control of colony before
claiming it•No arms sales to Africans
Effects of Imperialism on Africa
• Paternalism – treated colonies like “children”–Believed Africans could not rule themselves,
controlled all aspects of their lives.
• New crops, inventions, techniques, medicine, roads, communication.
• Assimilation never happened; passive resistance instead.