Imperialism in Africa Case Studies of South Africa and the Congo

Stages in the History of South Africa

Stage 1: Pre-Imperialism South Africa is settled by diverse tribes such as the Khoisan, Sothos, Ndebeles, and the Zulus. These groups form kingdoms based on agriculture and trade By 1700s the Zulus, led by Shaka Zulu, are the most powerful tribe

Stage 2: Two Waves of Imperialism – the Dutch and the British By 1700s Dutch Boers (farmers) settle South Africa and push Zulus off their land By 1800s gold and diamonds are discovered in South Africa and the British get involved In 1830s, to escape British, the Boers begin the Great Trek to gain more land

Stage 3: The Boer War ( ) Zulus, Boers, and the British all begin to fight over land Zulus are quickly defeated British and Boers fight the first “total war” Brits are victorious, but Boers still retain influence in S.A. as “Afrikaners” In 1910 Britain grants S.A. Self-Rule but it remains allied with the British Empire.

Stages in the History of the Congo

Stage 1: Pre-Imperialism 500 BCE – Bantu speaking peoples migrate from West Africa to Central and East Africa Late 1300s -- Establishment of Kongo Kingdom along Congo River and west coast of Africa.

Stage 2: Portuguese Exploration and the Slave Trade 1480s -- First contact with Europeans with arrival of Portuguese explorers. Over next four centuries links with Europe steadily increase as missionaries and traders move even further into Central Africa – King Afonso takes the throne and converts to Christianity.

1514 – The Atlantic Slave Trade becomes a major part of many European mercantile economies, weakening the kingdoms of West and Central Africa – King Afonso petitions the Portuguese king about the disruptive nature of the slave trade in Africa. Stage 2: Portuguese Exploration and the Slave Trade

Stage 3 – Belgian Imperialism in the Congo British explorer Henry Stanley explores length of Congo River, returning to Europe with reports of vast untapped wealth King Leopold II of Belgium forms consortium of bankers to finance exploration and colonization of region. Stanley employed to travel up Congo and sign favorable treaties with local rulers. Stanley stays in Africa until 1887, obtaining 450 treaties.

Stage 3 – Belgian Imperialism in the Congo Major European powers carve up Africa at Berlin conference, which approves creating Congo Free State (CFS) under the direct personal rule of Leopold II s - The Congo Free State becomes one of most brutal and exploitative of all African colonial regimes. The Congolese people are forced to collect rubber from vines deep within the Congo River Basin. King Leopold creates the Force Publique to deal with revolts and manage the Congo Free State frontiers.

Stage 3 – Belgian Imperialism in the Congo 1890 – 1896 – Humanitarian organizations and missionaries begin to speak out against the atrocities and urge world leaders to investigate the stories that filter out of the Congo – Public outrage at the treatment of native Africans leads Belgian parliament to annex Congo Free State and rename it Belgian Congo.

Stage 3 – Belgian Imperialism in the Congo 1908 – 1950s - Over the next 50 years, the Belgian government maintains imperial control of the Congo, promoting western culture while building railways, ports, roads, mines, plantations, industrial areas, schools, and hospitals.

Imperialism in Africa Effects

Which view of Imperialism is more realistic? There are some who say we have no right in Africa at all, that “it belongs to the natives.”… While thus serving our own interests as a nation, we may, by selecting men of the right stamp for the control of new territories, bring at the same time many advantages to Africa. Nor do we deprive the natives of their birthright of freedom to place them under a foreign yoke. It has ever been the key-note of British colonial method to rule through and by the natives, and it is this method, in contrast to the arbitrary and uncompromising rule of Germany France, Portugal and Spain, which has been the secret of our success as a colonizing nation, and has made us welcomed by tribes and peoples in Africa, who ever rose in revolt against the other nations named. In Africa, moreover, there is among the people a natural inclination to submit to a higher authority. That intense detestation of control which animates our Teutonic [Germanic] races does not exist among the tribes of Africa, and if there is any authority that we replace, it is the authority of the Slavers and Arabs, or the intolerable tyranny of the “dominant tribe.” Frederick D. Lugard, The Rise of our East African Empire, London, 1893.

Effects of Imperialism in Africa: Positive or Negative? Short-Term Effects Initial African Resistance All of Africa colonized except for Liberia and Ethiopia European industries installed in Africa – Owners=Europeans – Workers=Africa Very little conflict between European nations (except for Boer war) Long-Term Effects Spread of European Technology and Culture – Assimilation/Loss of Traditional African Culture Continued African Resistance Colonies lump diverse racial, religious, and tribal groups in one nation Non-whites are often restricted from suffrage, non-vocational education, land ownership Global gap between rich and poor nations widens Increased conflict between European nations – Berlin Conf. = 1888 – World War I = 1914

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