THE%20SCRAMBLE%20FOR%20%20AFRICA

1

• THE SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA

2

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

3
From 1880 to 1914, European nations used
imperialism to dominate the continent of Africa
4
The arrival of Europeans changed Africa
Before Europeans, Africa was divided into tribal
clans
5
and powerful Islamic kingdoms
6
During the Age of Exploration, Europeans explored
the African coast
7
and brought African slaves to their colonies in
the Americas
8
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
9
The Industrial Revolution led to imperialism in
Africa in the mid-1800s
10
THE EVENT THAT SPARKED EUROPEAN INTEREST IN AFRICA
Dr. Livingstone, I presume?
11
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
12
Reports of large deposits of natural resources
and the rise of nationalism in Europe set off a
race for African colonies
13
Social Darwinism, steamboats, and industrial
weapons encouraged the conquest of Africa
14
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
15
The race for African colonies was so fierce that
Europeans became afraid wars would break out
16
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
17
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
18
These nations used African colonies to gain
diamonds, tin, gold, rubber and built cash-crop
plantations
19
KING LEOPOLD II of BELGIUM ONE OF THE WORST
MASS MURDERERS OF THE 19th CENTURY
20
THE RAPE OF THE CONGO
Under Leopolds orders, the Belgians stripped the
Congo of natural resources, especially rubber
21
Leopold used a private mercenary force, Force
Publique, to make Congolese Africans cut down
rubber trees and give them to the Belgians
22
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
23
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
24
THE RAPE OF THE CONGO
25
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.
26
The most dominant imperial power in Africa was
Great Britain
27
British industry fueled demand for raw materials
28
In 1882, Britain seized control of the Suez
Canal from a French company
29
Britain claimed colonies in Egypt and in East
Africa
Britain seized control of South Africa from the
Dutch
England
Many citizens in England dreamed of a British
colony from Capetown to Cairo
India
Egypt
South Africa
30
The most important empire-builder in Africa was
British businessman, Cecil Rhodes
His DeBeers Company created diamond mines in
South Africa
Rhodes gained new colonies for Britain in
southern Africa
Rhodes used his wealth to build railroads and
telegraph lines in Africa
31
CECIL RHODES THE ULTIMATE IMPERIALIST If I
could, I would claim other planets.
32
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 businessmen
Europeans brought an end to the slave trade
but Africans were paid low wages and exploited
33
What was the impact of European imperialism in
Africa?
Europeans built schools, churches, and hospitals
but Africans were taught European culture
Europeans profited off Africas raw materials and
cheap African labor
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
34
CLASHES IN AFRICA
There were several resistance movements among the
Africans against Europeans
35
CLASHES IN AFRICA
Also, despite the rules set by the Congress of
Berlin, some European nations had conflicts with
each other over African territories
36
Africans rebelled against European rule, but were
defeated due to advanced European weaponry
37
ADVANCED EUROPEAN WEAPONRY
THE MAXIM MACHINE GUN
38
ZULUS VS. BRITISH
The 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 and spears
were beaten by superior weaponry
The Zulu Nation fell to British control in 1887
39
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

40
ONE SUCCESSFUL AFRICAN RESISTANCE

• Ethiopia, led by Emperor Menelik II, was
  successful in resisting the Europeans
• Italy tried to take over, but Menelik had built
  up a huge arsenal by buying weapons from France
  and Russia
• Menelik declared war and defeated the invading
  Italians with modern weapons
• Ethiopia remained independent

41
Africa remained under the control of European
imperialists from the 1880s until the 1950s and
1960s
42
POLITICAL MAP OF AFRICA
ETHNIC/TRIBAL MAP OF AFRICA
HOW DO THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO MAPS CAUSE
A PROBLEM?
43
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

44
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

45
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

46
THE BOTTOM LINE

• For Africans, were
• there more POSITIVE EFFECTS
  or more
• NEGATIVE EFFECTS?

47
How does the cartoonist portray Africans and
Europeans?
48
?
Revamped and redone by Christopher
Jaskowiak Originally created by Brooks Baggett