THE SCRAMBLE FOR

AFRICA

Essential Question:What was the impact of European imperialism in Africa?

From 1880 to 1914 European nations used imperialism to dominate the continent of Africa

The arrival of Europeans changed Africa

Before Europeans, Africa was divided into tribal clans

…and powerful Islamic kingdoms

During the Age of Exploration, Europeans explored the African coast

…and brought African slaves to their

colonies in the Americas

THE EVENT THAT SPARKED EUROPEAN INTEREST IN AFRICA

Henry Stanley, sponsored by the King of Belgium, explores Africa and sets up treaties with the local chiefs.

Other European nations do the same. They all “scramble” to get a piece of Africa.

“Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”

The arrival of Europeans changed Africa

The Industrial Revolution led to imperialism in Africa in the mid-1800s

The first Europeans to explore the interior of Africa were missionaries and explorers

In the 1870s, the discoveries of a

missionary named David Livingstone

increased European interest in Africa

Reports of large deposits of natural

resources and the rise of nationalism in

Europe set off a race for African coloniesSocial Darwinism, steamboats, and

industrial weapons encouraged the

conquest of Africa

Industrial nations wanted:

■ Raw materials

■ Natural resources

■ A cheap labor supply (now with slavery disappearing)

■ New marketplaces for manufactured goods

AFRICA had all of these things

MOTIVES FOR IMPERIALIZING AFRICA

The race for African colonies was so fierce that Europeans became afraid wars would break out

In 1884, 14 nations met at the Congress of Berlin to “set the rules” for colonizing in Africa

Quick class discussion:What kind of rules do you think they came up with?

Any nation could claim land in Africa by notifying other

nations and showing it could control the area

No African nations were invited to attend. No concern was given to ethnic divisions in Africa

By 1914, Europeans controlled 90% of Africa

France took most of west Africa

Belgium claimed the Congo in central Africa

Germany had many colonies

throughout Africa

These nations used African colonies

to gain diamonds,tin, gold, rubber

and built cash-crop plantations

KING LEOPOLD II of

BELGIUM: ONE OF THE

WORST MASS MURDERERS OF

THE 19th

CENTURY

“THE RAPE OF THE CONGO”Under Leopold’s orders, the Belgians stripped the Congo of natural resources, especially rubber

Leopold used a private mercenary force, Force Publique, to make Congolese Africans cut down rubber trees and give them to the Belgians

Leopold ordered that those who failed to meet the rubber quotas set by the Belgian officers were to be whippedor have their hands cut off

“THE RAPE OF THE CONGO”

“THE RAPE OF THE CONGO”

In the 23 years (1885-1908) Leopold II ruled the Congo he ordered the massacre of 10 million Africans by cutting off their hands and genitals, whipping them to death, starving them, working them to death, and burning entire villages. It was all done simply to make Leopold richer.

The most dominant imperial power in Africa

was Great Britain

British industry fueled demand for raw materials

Britain seized control of South Africa from

the Dutch

In 1882, Britain seized control of

the Suez Canal from a French company

Many citizens in England dreamed of a British colony from “Capetown to Cairo”

England

South Africa

Egypt

India

Britain claimed colonies in Egypt and in East Africa

His DeBeers Company created diamond mines

in South Africa

The most important empire-builder in Africa

was British businessman, Cecil Rhodes

Rhodes gained new colonies for Britain in

southern Africa

Rhodes used his wealth to build railroads and

telegraph lines in Africa

CECIL RHODES:

THE ULTIMATE IMPERIALIST

“If I could, I would claim

other planets.”

What was the impact of European imperialism in Africa?

Europeans introduced new technologies like

railroads, telegraph lines, and steamboats…

…but transportation routes only connected areas that benefited

European businessmenEuropeans brought an

end to the slave trade… …but Africans were paid low wages and exploited

What was the impact of European imperialism in Africa?

Europeans built schools,churches, and hospitals…

…but Africans were taught European culture

Africans were unable to rule themselves,

participate in voting, or learn professional skills

In South Africa, the British segregated society, dividing Whites and Blacks. This system was called apartheid, which

remained in place for over 100 years

Europeans profited off Africa’s raw materials

and cheap African labor

CLASHES IN AFRICA

There were several resistance movements among the Africans against Europeans.

Also, despite the rules set by the Congress of Berlin, some European nations had conflictswith each other over African territories.

Africans rebelled against European rule, but were defeated due to advanced European weaponry

ADVANCED EUROPEAN WEAPONRY

THE MAXIM

MACHINE GUN

ZULUS VS. BRITISHThe Zulus were a powerful African nation, once led by a great chief named Shaka in the early 1800s

In the late 1800s, the Zulus could not keep out the British invaders

The Zulus resisted, but Zulu shields andspears were beaten by superior weaponry

The Zulu Nation fell to British control in 1887.

OTHER EXAMPLES OF FAILED AFRICAN RESISTANCE

➢Nigerians resisted the British, but were beaten

➢Algeria and West Africa resisted the French for years

➢ East Africans put faith in a spiritual defense against the Germans, believing their gods would turn German bullets into water

➢ Resistance fighters armed with spears and magic water were mercilessly slaughtered by German machine guns

➢ The result: 75,000 were killed and the “Magic Water” Rebellion was crushed

ONE SUCCESSFUL AFRICAN RESISTANCE

ὲ Ethiopia, led by Emperor Menelik II, was successful in resisting the Europeans.

ὲ Italy tried to take over, but Menelik had built up a huge arsenal by buying weapons from France and Russia.

ὲ Menelik declared war and defeated the invading Italians with modern weapons

ὲ Ethiopia remained independent.

Africa remained under the control of

European imperialists from the 1880s until the 1950s and 1960s

IMPACT OF COLONIAL RULE IN AFRICA

POLITICAL MAP OF AFRICA ETHNIC/TRIBAL MAP OF AFRICA

HOW DO THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO MAPS CAUSE A PROBLEM?

IMPACT OF COLONIAL RULE IN AFRICA

NEGATIVE IMPACTS➢ARTIFICIAL BOUNDARIES: the colonial powers

divided Africa into roughly 40 nations. The boundaries gave NO consideration for the African people.

➢The boundaries split up many tribes, and also combined tribes that historically DID NOT GET ALONG with each other.

➢This is still a problem today: Africa is plagued by warfare and genocide, partly brought on by these unnatural boundaries.

IMPACT OF COLONIAL RULE IN AFRICA

MORE NEGATIVE IMPACTS➢Loss of land and independence

➢Many Africans died from European diseases

➢Thousands died resisting the Europeans

➢Famines resulted from Europeans forcing the African farmers to grow cash-crops (cocoa, tobacco, rubber) instead of food

➢Traditional culture was broken down

IMPACT OF COLONIAL RULE IN AFRICA

POSITIVE IMPACTS➢Local warfare was temporarily reduced

➢Humanitarian efforts improved schools, hospitals, and sanitation; this resulted in longer life spans and better literacy

➢An infrastructure was put in place: railroads, paved roads, dams, telephones, and telegraphs

THE BOTTOM LINE…

For Africans, were

there more

POSITIVE EFFECTSor more

NEGATIVE EFFECTS?

How does the cartoonist portray Africans and Europeans?