Colonialism and Imperialism European Influence

Outcomes identify the colonial and imperial systems causing slavery

Colonialism in Africa (From 3:20)

What’s the difference? Colonialism A system where a mother country takes the natural resources of another place for their own benefit The mother country will provide a basic government and political system – with or without consent Imperialism The policy that extends the rule of a mother country over her colonies

Colonialism as an Economic System Resources go back to mother country Mother country rules colony to make sure the resources don’t stop G! G! G! Power wants more power! Money ultimately generated keeps the system going – need a navy and an army to keep and defend your colonies

Colonialism - Advantages Provision of political system Provision of infrastructure Transportation networks strengthened and built Law enforcement and security provided and formalized

Colonialism - Disadvantages Political system imposed over the wishes of the people The colonies often controlled violently Natural resources stolen without later recompense Power taken from local group or traditional system Local populations made dependent on the colonial government Boundaries for control often drawn without consideration of local considerations such as geography or ethic group of the people

The Human Cost of African Colonialism People forced to live with the imposed colonial systems Results of violent control are often catastrophic (genocide, mass killings, divested economies) Disease (Caused by colonizers as well as through starvation and lack of medical treatment) Lack of power to deal with the future implications of the political and social arrangements

How does the taking of humans enter into the equation? Humans were another natural resource to be taken as the European population saw fit… Slavery – the condition where people are treated as objects/tools to complete labour intensive jobs

Foundations of a Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Code of Hammurabi 1760 BC described slavery as a natural condition of debt or criminal actions which hurt another Portugal the first European power to engage in slave trade from Africa Followed by the British, Spanish, Dutch, and French Americans followed when they declared Independence in 1776

Basic Workings Slaves expected to work in mines, agriculture, plantations, on the oceans, and in the construction industry Would enlist local Africans as slave middle men to collect potential slaves then sell them to the ship captains who would then sell them to slave traders who would then sell them to farmers, mine owners and plantations

If more slaves went to other places - Why did the slave migration to other places in South America and the Caribbean not make more impact?

POWER! To marginalize a group of people would keep the system going – the American economy and indeed to an extent the European economy was organized on slavery.

Responsibilities of the Slave Owner Provide food Provide clothing Provide shelter Provide “spiritual care” Provide basic medical care

Responsibilities of the Slave Work Study the bible Follow the commands of the slave owner Reproduce within marriage Be docile Not run away Report run aways

Slavery makes economic sense… There was a great deal of money to be made and kept on the backs of others…

But… if each had responsibilities – why was it so wrong? Humans can never be objects! A human can feel! A plough cannot!