Decolonization

Add to your glossary Decolonization: The end of colonization, where a nation establishes its freedom to control its own territory free from a colonial power. Apartheid: A formal system in South Africa of racial segregation After World War II many Africans began demanding freedom from their colonial masters. Why? Discuss in your group

Reasons Africans wanted decolonization: Europe was weak, busy and poor after fighting World War II…Africans realized this was the perfect moment to start demanding freedom from European countries Colonies had supported European countries in the war and now wanted more respect and freedom Atlantic Charter – a document signed by Allied powers after the war stating that all people had the right to control their own destinies…Africans argued that this right should be theirs as well After the war USA and USSR (not European countries) were the most powerful nations, and both were against colonialism Education had led to potential leaders in Africa who developed and shared ideas about self- rule with other Africans

History of Decolonization in Africa: African CountryColonizerYear of Independence South AfricaBritain1910 EgyptBritain1922 EthiopiaItaly1942 LibyaBritain/France1951 MoroccoFrance/Spain CongoBelgium1960 Yay! Now we’re free BUT…. What problems do you think newly independent African countries might experience??

Problems after independence: Race: White and black. Who will stay in power? What to do about unfair racial divisions? Ethnic Groups: New countries made up of different ethnic groups, some of whom were favored by colonizers. Possible conflicts and civil wars?? Economy: Little investment by colonizers in the countries. Whole economy built on resource extraction. Very poor (for blacks anyway…) Community/culture: Culture often destroyed i.e. language, traditions Poor housing, schools, hospitals Infrastructure (roads, airports, electrical and water distribution) basic and planned to help colonial powers extract resources, not to help the local people Example: South Africa Watch BrainPop video ‘Apartheid’

Example of issues a country can face after decolonization: South Africa Watch BrainPop video ‘Apartheid’

to parents (cc Ms. Clarke): - Fill out your semester 2 tracking sheet with your grades for learning goals 4.1 and 4.2 (see the I sent you) CC ME *If you haven’t submitted all parts of your project you didn’t get an -Write a note to your parents: * Tell them what the is about (these are my grades so far in social studies…) * Tell them something you found interesting or learned about in the slavery unit * Tell them about what we are studying now and will be studying (colonialism now and world religions next) WORK TODAY: 1. Redo work cited if you didn’t get an MG – new version to me 2. Finish and submit assignment 4 (watch BrainPop ‘Apartheid’ again if you need to) 3. Finish paragraph for assignment 3 (print just the paragraph when you are finished) 4. Start assignment 5 *For next class: Assignments 1, 2 and 4 submitted on Moodle, map handed in, paragraph handed in, test reflection handed in. corrected work cited.