Forms of Imperial Control

Forms of ImperialismForms of Imperialism• Direct military intervention total control of the

country• Protectorate - own govt. but “guided” by mother

country• Sphere of influence - imperialist hold exclusive

economic interests• But overall aim was to gain the most at the least

expense

Forms of Colonial ControlForms of

ImperialismCharacteristics African Example

Colony Country governed internally by a foreign power

Somaliland by France

Protectorate Country with its own internal government but under the control of an outside power

Niger River Delta by Britain

Sphere of Influence Area in which an outside power claims exclusive investment or trading privileges

Liberia by the United States

New Patterns of Government

Colonization under Direct RuleColonization under Direct Rule• Direct rule-Direct rule- Under direct rule, Under direct rule, colonies colonies

featured administrative districts headed by featured administrative districts headed by European personnel who assumed European personnel who assumed responsibility for tax collection, labor and responsibility for tax collection, labor and military recruitment, and the maintenance of military recruitment, and the maintenance of law and order.law and order.

• Administrative boundaries Administrative boundaries intentionally cut intentionally cut across existing African political and ethnic across existing African political and ethnic boundariesboundaries in order to divide and weaken in order to divide and weaken potentially powerful indigenous (native) potentially powerful indigenous (native) groups.groups.

Difficulties Under Direct RuleDifficulties Under Direct Rule

• Constant shortage of European personnelConstant shortage of European personnel– Ex. In French West Africa some thirty-six hundred Ex. In French West Africa some thirty-six hundred

Europeans tried to rule over an African population of more Europeans tried to rule over an African population of more than nine million. than nine million.

• The combination of The combination of long distanceslong distances and slow and slow transport limited effective communicationtransport limited effective communication between regional authorities and officials in between regional authorities and officials in remote areasremote areas. .

• An inability to speak local languages and a limited An inability to speak local languages and a limited understanding of local customsunderstanding of local customs among European among European officials further undermined their effective officials further undermined their effective administration.administration.

Colonization under Indirect RuleColonization under Indirect Rule• A British colonial administrator A British colonial administrator Frederick D. Frederick D.

LugardLugard was the driving force behind the was the driving force behind the doctrine of doctrine of indirect ruleindirect rule, which the British , which the British employed in many of its African colonies. employed in many of its African colonies.

• Lugard wrote Lugard wrote The Dual Mandate in British The Dual Mandate in British Tropical AfricaTropical Africa. .

• In this he In this he stressed the moral and financial stressed the moral and financial advantages of exercising control over subject advantages of exercising control over subject populationspopulations through indigenous (native) through indigenous (native) institutions. institutions.

Frederick D. LugardFrederick D. Lugard

Indirect Control• Lugard thought that by using Lugard thought that by using tribaltribal and and

customarycustomary laws Europeans could establish a laws Europeans could establish a strong foundation for colonial rule.strong foundation for colonial rule.

• Forms of indirect rule worked in regions where Forms of indirect rule worked in regions where Africans had already established Africans had already established strong and strong and highly organized stateshighly organized states

• Often this plan was not effective, especially in Often this plan was not effective, especially in the regions that were not well organized under the regions that were not well organized under the control of its colonial leaders.the control of its colonial leaders.

Difficulties Under Indirect Rule Difficulties Under Indirect Rule • Many colonial leaders were confused by the Many colonial leaders were confused by the

complexity of tribal laws and boundariescomplexity of tribal laws and boundaries and and imposed their own idea of what they thought was imposed their own idea of what they thought was tribal boundaries and tribal laws.tribal boundaries and tribal laws.

• This was done with little regard to the differences This was done with little regard to the differences between tribesbetween tribes and these tribes were split up into and these tribes were split up into what Europeans thought was acceptable boundaries. what Europeans thought was acceptable boundaries.

• These colonial boundaries divided ethnic groups or These colonial boundaries divided ethnic groups or grouped traditional enemies. grouped traditional enemies.

• Some groups were even given limited access to Some groups were even given limited access to water in their newly drawn up lines of tribal water in their newly drawn up lines of tribal territories.territories.

Results of Indirect RuleResults of Indirect Rule• As a result of colonial rule with little As a result of colonial rule with little

regard to African’s tribal boundaries and regard to African’s tribal boundaries and practices many African nations today are practices many African nations today are fighting tribal wars fighting tribal wars

• Ex.(Rwandan genocide) and still having Ex.(Rwandan genocide) and still having disputes over land for reasons such as disputes over land for reasons such as ethnic dominance and control over ethnic dominance and control over natural resources. natural resources.

Management MethodsIndirect Control Direct Control

Characteristics

-Local officials were used

-Limited self-rule

-Goal to develop future leaders

-Govt’s based on European styles, but may have local rulers

Characteristics

-Foreign officials brought into rule

- No self-rule

-Goal assimilation---adopt the White Way

-Govt’s institutions based only on European styles

Examples

-British colonies such as Nigeria, India, Burma

-U.S. colonies on Pacific Islands

Examples

-French colonies such as Somaliland, Vietnam

-German colonies such as Tanganyika

Forms of ImperialismExamples of Differences Between

French and British• The French used their colonial officials to

govern, spread French culture, and make territories overseas extensions of France

• The British focused strictly on administration and were less apt to convert colonial peoples to British ways

• The British often allowed local rulers to govern territories as their representatives

Berlin Conference

The Division of Africa• Diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) were discovered

in South Africa.• Berlin Conference (1884-85): • 14 European nations agreed to lay down rules for

the division of Africa.• No African ruler was invited to this conference.• Demand of Raw Materials: Africa was rich in

mineral resources like copper and tin in the Congo and gold and diamonds in South Africa.

• Cash crop plantations for peanuts, palm oil, cocoa, and rubber were also developed.

Berlin Conference 1884

GOALS: to promote the three c’s Commerce Christianity civilization

Ensure Free trade Ensure free

navigation on Niger River

Agree to rules to divide up Africa

Also, there was the question of how to divvy up Africa in an

orderly manner…

• Of course, no one asked the native Africans.

• Over time, “warring” tribes would be placed together

• Straight lines in Africa and the Middle East clearly indicate “imperial” meddling.

The Berlin Conference laid down certain rules--

• A European power with holdings on the coast had prior rights

• Occupation must include administrators or troops

• Each power must give notice to the others of what territories it considered its own

• THE REAL SCRAMBLE BEGAN!

African Colonization

• 1884 Berlin Conference: European powers meet and agree on how to divide Africa into colonies.–Only Liberia and Ethiopia remain

independent.

Berlin Conference of 1884-1885

Another point of view?

–England, France, and Germany take the most territory.

–France takes most of the Sahel.

British Colonies in Africa

Why would the British have the largest empire?

Industrial demands, need for navy

British imperialism

Cartoon

Pro-England or

Anti-England?

• 1869, Suez Canal influenced Britain’s interest in Egypt

• Canal linked Mediterranean with Red Sea, shortened trip from Europe to Indian Ocean; no need to sail around southern tip of Africa

• 1882, Egyptian government appeared unstable; British occupied Egypt to protect British interests in Suez Canal; later established partial control as protectorate to ensure British access to canal

• European nations competed aggressively for other territories

• 1884–1885, European leaders met in Berlin to divide African territory

• Tried to prevent conflict between European nations

Division in Africa

• Berlin Conference—for European nation to claim new African territory, it had to prove it could control territory

• No attention paid to ethnic boundaries in dividing Africa

No Regard for Tradition

Suez Canal

BRITISH IN NORTH AFRICA

EUROPEANS IN EGYPT• 1870s – with the Egyptian government

bankrupt, the British and French took over financial control of the country– Egyptian monarchs (technically Ottoman

viceroys) ruled as puppet leaders• 1882 – Egyptian nationalist rebellion

– France withdrew its troops– Great Britain left in control of Egypt

• Lord Cromer introduced reforms– De facto British protectorate

• Made official in 1914• Independence came in 1922

Suez Canal

BRITISH COLONIES IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe)– Named for Cecil Rhodes– North of Union of South Africa

• Bechuanaland (now Botswana)– 1885 – became a British protectorate

• Kenya– 1888 – became a British protectorate

BRITISH IN NORTHERN AFRICA• Sudan

– Area south of Egypt– Under Anglo-Egyptian control– Cotton needed for British textile mills– Entente Cordiale (1904)

• Great Britain controlled Sudan• France controlled Morocco

• Cape-to-Cairo Railroad– Idea of Cecil Rhodes– Would secure Great Britain’s dominance in Africa– Never completed – sections missing through

modern Sudan and Uganda

Cape-to-Cairo Railway: Crossing over Victoria Falls

South AfricaSouth Africa• Cecil Rhodes

Kimberley• Dr Jameson

Jameson Raid, unsuccessful attempt to take over Boer regions.

• Boer War (1899-1902) British eventually won a war of attrition

Soon after that, the British got involved in the Boer War—The

Germans supported the Boers, while the British were ultimately victorious.

South Africa• By 1880 European nations only controlled 10% of Africa• The British took the Dutch settlement of Cape Town

after the Napoleonic Wars• Boers - Dutch descendents moved northward to avoid

the British. Vortrekkers - The Great Trek created two independent states:Orange Free State and Transvaal

• After 1853 the Boers proclaimed political independence and fought the British

• By 1880 British and Boer settlers controlled much of South Africa

Second Boer War• The Second Boer War was In 1899,

the Boers end up taking up arms against the British.

• This is the first “total war”. The Boers use commando raids and guerilla tactics against the British.

• The British burn Boer farms and imprison women and children in concentration camps.

• The British finally won this war. • In 1910 the Boer Republic joins the

Union of South Africa.

Dead British soldiers lying in trenches after the Battle of Spion Kop, near Ladysmith, Natal

French and German Colonies in Africa

French West Africa

• West Africa, leader of Malinke peoples, Samory Touré, formed army to fight against French rule; fought for 15 years; proclaimed self king of Guinea

• 1898, French defeated Touré, ended resistance to French rule in West Africa

Rebellion Put Down

• To combat Germans, spiritual leader encouraged followers to sprinkle magic water over bodies to protect selves from German bullets; did not work

• Rebellion quickly put down; Germans killed tens of thousands of Africans

German East Africa

• Africans called on gods, ancestors for spiritual guidance in resistance

• 1905, several African peoples united to rebel against Germans’ order to grow cotton for export to Germany

French and Germans

FRENCH IN AFRICA• Algeria

– 1830 – invasion – 1831 – annexation

• Tunis– 1881 – controlled by France

• Led Italy to join the Triple Alliance with Austria-Hungary and Germany

• Morocco – 1881 – large part under French control– 1905 and 1911 – nearly sparked a European war

between France and Germany• 1906 – Algeciras Conference – Germany recognized French

rights in Morocco• 1911 – Agadir Crisis – Germany recognized French protectorate

over Morocco in exchange for part of France’s territory in the Congo

FRENCH IN AFRICA

• Madagascar– 1896 – controlled by France

• Somaliland– 1880s – partly under French control

• West Africa– Late 1800s – largely under French control

• Sudan– 1898 – met Britain’s area of control and

nearly went to war– Entente Cordiale settled British-French

disputes in Africa

FRENCH IN AFRICA

• By World War I – 1914 – France controlled 3,250,000 square miles

in Africa• 14 times the area of France

– France ruled 30,000,000 Africans• 75% of the population of France

GERMANS IN AFRICA• Togoland (now Togo and Ghana)• Cameroons (now Cameroon and

Nigeria)• Southwest Africa (now Namibia)• East Africa (now Burundi, Rwanda, and

Tanzania)

Belgian Colonies in Africa

The Congo"I do not want to risk...losing a fine chance to secure for ourselves a slice of this magnificent African cake.”--Leopold II

Belgian Congo

BELGIANS IN AFRICA• 1908

– Belgium gained control of Congo (Congo Free State) from King Leopold II

– Leopold was infamous for the cruelty of his rule in the Congo

• Congo Free State (today’s Democratic Republic of Congo)– 80 times the size of Belgium– Source of uranium

KING LEOPOLD II OF BELGIUM (1835-1909)

• Took over land in central Africa• Berlin Conference (1885)

– Leopold’s control over Congo Free State recognized by major powers

• Belgian Congo (1908)– Leopold criticized for the cruelty of his rule

in the Congo– Leopold forced to sell Congo Free State to

Belgian government– Renamed Belgian Congo

• Created European race for African colonies – “Scramble for Africa”– Diamonds, foodstuffs, gold, ivory, rubber

The Congo Free State: Leopold’s False Promises

• European countries recognized Leopold’s claim to the territory in 1885 because of:– Stanley’s treaties for Leopold – Leopold’s assurances that he would end slavery– Leopold’s promise that the Congo would remain a free trade area.

The colony The colony “belonged” to “belonged” to Leopold personally.Leopold personally.

Leopold waged a skillful public relations campaign to promote his “Congo Free State” as an effort to stop the Arabs from running a slave trade in Africa. This, of course, was a ruse.

Slave raids such as this one carried out by the kingdom of Dahomey in return for European muskets and money provided Leopold II with his “humanitarian” excuse for going into the Congo.

• Leopold drove slave traders out and portrayed it as humanitarian act.

• Reality: he did it to gain control of region.• Leopold paid his ‘agents’ in the Congo a

percentage of profits, encouraging them to make the trade more and more profitable.

• Also authorized the use of as much force as was deemed necessary.

The Congo Free StateThe Congo Free State : :“The Profit Imperative”“The Profit Imperative”

The Congo Sparks Interest

• Stanley set out to explore Africa and trace the Congo.

• King Leopold II of Belgium commissioned Stanley to help him obtain land in the Congo.

• Stanley signed treaties with local chiefs who gave Leopold II control over these lands.

Role of Stanley in Congo• Leopold sent the

famous explorer of Africa, Henry Morton Stanley, to negotiate treaties with the natives.

• Native chiefs were offered trinkets or cloth if they would place an X on a document in foreign tongue.

Role of Stanley in Congo

• Henry Stanley was hired to find Dr. Livingstone and he became famous with his saying, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”

• This new fame encouraged King Leopold of Belgium to hire Stanley

• Stanley surveyed the basin of the Upper Congo River and traced the course of the Congo River

• To control land in the Congo, Leopold founded the International Association of the Congo

Role of Stanley in Congo• Stanley began to sign treaties with over 450

native chiefs from the Congo• As a result, Leopold gained rule of these lands

given up by the chiefs• In 1885, after the Berlin Conference, Leopold

was given personal rule over the newly declared Congo Free State

• Leopold had what he wanted because other European powers recognized his hold over Congo

Chiefs of Ngombi & Mafela, in return for "one piece of cloth per month to each of the undersigned chiefs, besides present of cloth in hand," they promised to "freely of their own accord, for themselves and their heirs and successors for ever...give up to the said Association the sovereignty and all sovereign and governing rights to all their territories...and to assist by labour or otherwise, any works, improvements or expeditions which the said Association shall cause at any time to be carried out in any part of these territories....All roads and waterways running through this country, the right of collecting tolls on the same, and all game, fishing, mining and forest rights, are to be the absolute property of the said Association.”--Treaty handing over land to Leopold II

Harvesting Rubber

The Congo Free State :“The Profit Imperative”

• Colony not profitable in first few years.• Soon the idea of free trade was

abandoned; natives could only trade with Leopold’s representatives, with 50% of profits going to Leopold himself.

• Profit required cheap labor (gathering rubber is very labor intensive).

• Belgian soldiers enforcing rubber sap quotas

Leopold’s Abuse of the Congo• Agents ‘encouraged’ young men to work by holding their

wives and children captive until each man’s quota was met.• Many who resisted were killed on the spot.• Others were beaten with whips made from dried hippo hide

with sharp edges.– 20 lashes resulted in unconsciousness– 100 lashes resulted in death.

Women kept hostage to force their husbands to go and gather rubber. Rubber was harvested by climbing the rubber tree, tapping into it and letting the sap run all over the slave’s body, where it would congeal. Later he would peel the rubber off his body, taking any body hair with it. Rubber harvesters were given impossible quotas to fill each month. In addition to enduring the hardships of gathering rubber in the jungle, many of them were killed by wild animals.

Belgian Congo

The chicotte, a particularly vicious type of whip made from rhinoceros hide.

Belgian Congo

"The station chief selects the victims....Trembling, haggard, they lie face down on the ground...two of their companions, sometimes four, seize them by the feet and hands, and remove their cotton drawers....Each time that the torturer lifts up the chicotte, a reddish stripe appears on the skin of the pitiful victims, who, however firmly held, gasp in frightful contortions....At the first blows the unhappy victims let out horrible cries which soon become faint groans....In a refinement of evil, some officers, and I've witnessed this, demand that when the sufferer gets up, panting, he must graciously give the military salute.”-- Stanislas Lefranc, Belgian prosecutor

Punishing “Lazy” Workers

Two victims (l.) who lost their hands, one because his wrists were tied too tightly, the other because company militia cut it off to claim him as killed and get a reward. Below, a father looks at the severed hand and foot of his daughter

Belgian Congo

Mutilated People in the Congo Free State

The men in this photo are holding human hands.sun.menloschool.org

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

Leopold’s Abuse of the Congo• Revolt broke out. Leopold sent troops into villages to

exterminate the young men.• To make sure bullets weren’t wasted, soldiers were expected

to return with the severed right hands of those they killed.• Soldiers who couldn’t meet quotas or spent bullets hunting

would cut hands off of living women and children.

Between 1895-1908Between 1895-1908 an estimated 8-10 million stimated 8-10 million people died due to people died due to murder, mistreatment and murder, mistreatment and starvation.starvation.

The “Hand” Tax

Hands cut off as proof of killing or punishment: received payment for hands and “proved” that supervisors were not “wasting” bullets on game hunting

Leopold’s men then proceeded to rape the land of its riches, especially ivory and rubber, ruthlessly using forced labor to get the job done.

"It was most interesting, lying in the bush, watching the natives quietly at their day's work. Some women ...were making banana flour by pounding up dried bananas. Men we could see building huts and engaged in other work, boys & girls running about, singing.... I opened the game by shooting one chap through the chest. He fell like a stone....Immediately a volley was poured into the village.”

"Six shots & four deaths were sufficient to quiet the mocking.”--Henry Stanley

The village of Baringa before and after it was burned & converted into a rubber plantation, it being easier to clear a village than a deeply rooted jungle

Belgian Congo

Belgium’s Stranglehold on the Congo

Leopold’s Conscience??

Negative press about what the Belgians were doing in the Congo

The Belgian King Leopold II says to the USA " I'll give you enough rubber to make you an elastic conscience" http://www.flickr.com/photos/41766098@N03/3965951238/

Marlow’s & Conrad’s1889-90 journey into

“Heart of Darkness”

Joseph Conrad(1857-1914)

The First Modern Genocide?

From 1885-1908 the Congolese population declines by one-half to 10 million due to

1) murder2) starvation/exhaustion 3) disease4) low birth rate

An estimated 10 million people died during this time

Effects of Imperialism on Congolese Continued

• They were forced to collect sap from rubber plants by European Companies that King Leopold II issued.

• A near 10 million Congolese died from the brutality of Leopold’s rule.

• Humanitarians all around the world wanted big changes because of the horrible acts of Leopold.

• The Belgium Government took control in 1908, away from the vicious Leopold.

• There was slavery throughout Africa and they were beaten and forced to work but that would soon be over because they were going to gain independence from Belgium soon.

Effect on the Congo: The Human Rights Movement

• Public pressure eventually forced Leopold to sell the Congo Free State to the Belgian government. It became The Belgian Congo in 1908

• The Belgian Government ended the worst of the atrocities, but still controlled the fate of the African natives “For their own good.”

• The African natives were never consulted about their future

Imperial Power Removed In Congo• In 1908 the Congo was surrendered by King

Leopold II to Belgium.• It was renamed the Belgium Congo.• Working conditions were harsh but the

Belgium rule improved them significantly.• People began to demand self rule.• The Belgium government agreed to give their

political power to the people because they were so confident that they would later regain control.

• The Belgium Government was wrong, on June 30,1960, Congo gained their independence.

• Joseph Kasavubu and Patrick Lumumba were the new president and prime minister of the Belgium Congo.

Italian Colonies in Africa

ITALIANS IN AFRICA

• 1882-1896– Eritrea (along the Red Sea)– Somaliland (along the Indian Ocean, part

of today’s Somalia)

• 1896– Defeated in attempt to conquer Abyssinia

(Ethiopia)

• 1912– Won Tripoli from Ottoman Turks

Portuguese Colonies in Africa

PORTUGUESE IN AFRICA

• Under “old imperialism” Portugal gained African territory and led the early trans-Atlantic African slave trade

• Angola

• Mozambique

Portuguese territory in Africa, 1810

Spanish Colonies in Africa

SPANISH IN AFRICA• Spain had

very few possessions in Africa

• Tip of Morocco

• Rio de Oro

• Rio Muni

Modern boundaries, drawn by Europeans

Examples of African Resistance to Imperialism

Primary Source…• Nor is violent physical opposition to abuse and injustice

henceforth possible for the African in any part of Africa. His chances of effective resistance have been steadily dwindling with the increasing perfectibility in the killing power of modern armament. Thus the African is really helpless against the material gods of the white man, as embodied in the trinity of imperialism, capitalistic exploitation and militarism. – Edward Morel, “The Black Man’s Burden”

• According to this statement, do you think the Africans could overcome the challenges of Imperialism?

African Resistance

• Many Africans attempted to resist European imperialism

• It was difficult for Africans to resist because– Europeans had superior weapons– More organized armies– Unlimited money

Aim: What challenges did Africans face in an attempt to resist European

imperialism?Do Now: Matching

Even without modern weapons, other Africans still fiercely resisted European powers.

Africans did not passively accept European claims to rule over them. As European troops advanced on African territory, they met stiff resistance.

• Zulu people resisted colonialization more than 50 years

• Zulu leader Shaka built strong kingdom by subduing several neighboring peoples

• 1879, British invaded Zulu territory, annexed kingdom as colony

The Zulu

African Resistance

• Only nation to retain independence by matching European firepower

• 1889, emperor Menelik II modernized nation, army

• 1895, Italian forces invaded over treaty dispute

• Menelik’s forces defeated Italians

Ethiopia

Ethiopia: Successful Resistance

• Only African nation that was successful in resisting the Europeans

• Menelik II, leader, played the Italians, French and British against each other.– He built a large arsnal of weapons– Learned that treaties were not always correct

• Defeated the Italians in the Battle of Adowa

Aim: What challenges did Africans face in an attempt to resist European

imperialism?Do Now: Matching

Menelik II

Aim: What challenges did Africans face in an attempt to resist European

imperialism?Do Now: Matching

Shaka Zulu (1785 – 1828)

Three Groups Clash over South Africa

• Zulus Fight the British– Around 1816, Shaka, used

highly disciplined warriors and good military organization to create a large centralized Zulu state.

Shaka’s Military Innovations• Short spear was the principal weapon requiring close

combat. Large shield was introduced.• Warriors went bare foot so that the soles of the feet

would be toughened.• Constant drilling to keep warriors physically fit.• Boys six and over were apprentice warriors who

carried rations. They were highly organized.• Regiments were given various tasks based on the age

range of the men making up the regiment.• “Buffalo horn formation” is credited to Shaka.

Boers Clash With the Xhosa Tribes

Boer Farmer

Who Were The Boers?

– The first Europeans to settle South Africa were the Dutch. They later became known as the Boers (also called Afrikaners).

– British control of South Africa caused a clash between the Boers and British.

– Boers move north on the Great Trek, but clash with Zulus.

The Great Trek, 1836-38

Afrikaners

Anglo-Zulu War

– Shaka’s successors could not keep power against superior British arms.

– In 1879 the Anglo-Zulu War broke out.

vs.Army of the United Kingdom

rifle

technology

Army of the Zulu Kingdom

shield and spear

close combat

Anglo-Zulu War• On January 22,1879, Zulu King

Cetshwayo (pictured right) attacked the British at the Battle of Isandlwana with an army of 20,000 Zulus against 850 British soldiers and 450 Africans in British service.

• Only 50 enlisted British soldiers and 5 officers escaped.

Battle of Isandlwana

Rorke’s Drift

• The Battle of Rorke’s Drift mission station occurred the same day and the next (22-23 Jan 1879), immediately following the British defeat at Isandlwana.

• However, 139 British soldiers successfully defended their garrison against a force of 5,000 Zulus.

• The 1964 film Zulu is a depiction of this battle.

Artists depiction of the Battle of Rorke’s Drift, 22-23 January 1879.

Effects of Imperialism

Effects of Imperialism• Positive

– Reduced Local Warfare– The introduction of modern of transportation and

communication systems, such as telegraphs, railroads and telephones.

– Improved Sanitation– Introduction of medicine increased population– Life Span and Literacy Rates Increased

• Negative– Loss of land and independence– Breakdown of traditional culture– Division of Continent

Effects of Imperialism• Positive For Europe: The imperialists profited from

the colonies by digging mines, starting plantations, and building factories and ports

• Negative for Africans: • Africans were used as cheap labor and abused in

many colonies.• Europeans divided Africa and ignored the tribal,

ethnic, and cultural boundaries of the African people.

• This has led to tribal conflicts in many African nations that continue to this day.

Effects of Imperialism• Positive/Negative Effects for Africa:• Schools set up by Europeans taught Africans that

European ways were best• A western-educated elite had emerged in many

European colonies in Africa• These elite condemned imperialism • They founded nationalist groups to push for self-rule• By the end of the 20th Century Africa’s peoples had

won their political independence from European rule