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

Before Europeans, Africa was

divided into tribal clans

The arrival of Europeans

changed Africa

…and powerful Islamic

kingdoms

During the Age of

Exploration, Europeans

explored the African coast

…and brought African slaves to their colonies in

the Americas

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

The Industrial Revolution led to imperialism in Africa in the

mid-1800s

THE EVENT THAT SPARKED EUROPEAN INTEREST IN AFRICA“Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”

In the 1870s, the discoveries of a

missionary named David Livingstone

increased European interest

in Africa

The first Europeans to explore the

interior of Africa were missionaries

and explorers

Reports of large deposits

of natural resources and

the rise of nationalism in Europe set off

a race for African

colonies

Social Darwinism,

steamboats, and industrial weapons

encouraged the conquest of

Africa

MOTIVES FOR IMPERIALIZING

AFRICA

Industrial nations wanted: (1) raw

materials (2) natural resources (3) a cheap

labor supply (now with slavery

disappearing) and (4) new marketplaces for manufactured

goods Africa had all of these things

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

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 whipped or

have their hands cut off

Leopold ordered that those who failed to meet

the rubber quotas set by the Belgian

officers were to be whipped or

have their hands cut off

“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

In 1882, Britain seized

control of the Suez

Canal from a French

company

Britain seized control of

South Africa from the

DutchMany citizens

in England dreamed of a British colony

from “Capetown to

Cairo”

England

South Africa

EgyptIndia

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

CLASHES IN AFRICA

Also, despite the rules set

by the Congress of Berlin, some

European nations had

conflicts with 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. BRITISH

In the late 1800s, the Zulus could not keep

out the British invaders

The Zulus resisted, but Zulu shields and spears were beaten

by superior weaponryThe Zulu Nation fell to British control in 1887

The Zulus were a powerful African nation, once led by a great chief named Shaka in

the early 1800s

OTHER EXAMPLES OF FAILED AFRICAN RESISTANCE

Nigerians resisted the British, but were beatenAlgeria and West Africa resisted the French for

yearsEast 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

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

POLITICAL MAP OF AFRICA ETHNIC/TRIBAL MAP OF AFRICA

IMPACT OF COLONIAL RULE IN AFRICANEGATIVE 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

MORE NEGATIVE IMPACTS

Loss of land and independenceMany Africans died from European diseasesThousands died resisting the EuropeansFamines 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 reducedHumanitarian 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

IMPACT OF COLONIAL RULE IN AFRICA

THE BOTTOM LINE…

For Africans, werethere more

POSITIVE EFFECTS or more

NEGATIVE EFFECTS?

How does the cartoonist portray Africans and Europeans?

Revamped and redone by

Christopher Jaskowiak

Originally created byBrooks Baggett