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TPS How did the Industrial Revolution lead to European colonization in Africa? Why does it matter? As industrialization grew in Europe they looked to other countries to fuel their industrial production. They competed for new markets for their goods. Many looked to Africa Colonial powers seized vast areas of Africa during the 19th/20th Centuries. The seizure of a country or territory by a stronger country is called imperialism. Throughout most of Africa stronger countries dominated the political, economic, and social life of the weaker countries. Prior to imperialism Africa was a country full of more than 1,000 different languages, ranging from large empires to small independent villages. UP until the late 1800’s Europeans struggled to navigate the difficult rivers of Africa and were kept out by large African armies. Steam powered river boats allowed Europeans to conduct major expeditions into the interior or Africa. Many who did penetrate the interior of Africa were explorers, missionaries, or humanitarians who opposed the European and American slave trade.

American newspaper hired reporter Henry Stanley to find a Christian missionary (David Livingstone) who was presumed lost or dead in Africa. Wanted to trace Congo River which peaked the interest of Belgium King Leopold II. King commissioned Stanley to obtain land in the Congo and between 1879-1882 Stanley signed treaties with local chiefs of the Congo River valley giving them to Belgium. Leopold claimed primary motive in establishing the colony was to abolish the slave trade and promote Christianity. He licensed companies that brutally exploited Africans by forcing them to collect sap from rubber plants. 10 million Congolese died due to the abuses inflicted during Leopold’s rule. This really alarmed humanitarians who demanded change. Soon France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Spain were also claiming parts of Africa.

Europeans scrambled to plant its flag on as much of the world as possible. Europeans also believed that they were better than other peoples. Called racism the belief that one race is superior to others. Charles Darwin's ideas about evolution and natural selection, those who were fittest for survival enjoyed wealth and success and were considered superior to others, called Social Darwinism. Europeans believed they had the right and duty to bring the results of their progress to other countries.

Factors that promoted imperialism in Africa Technological superiority – Maxim gun (first automatic machine gun 1884) $ - money enabled them to control, explore, build rr’s, good communication between the colony and home country Advancement in Medicine – perfection of the drug quinine in 1829 protected Europeans from becoming infected with Malaria Africa's many cultures/languages discouraged unity among them. Europeans learned to play rivals against each other.

Competition so fierce that European countries feared war among themselves. To prevent that 14 nations met at the Berlin conference, to lay down rules for the division of Africa. What is ironic about this? No African leaders were invited to attend and by 1914 only Liberia an Ethiopia remained free from European control W/ a partner, Look at the map on P. 777, answer the 2 questions on bottom. Also Compare the main map and the map showing traditional ethnic boundaries, what do you notice? How might this fact have contributed to some of the problems that resulted from imperialism? Originally Europeans believed Africans would buy European goods. They did not, but what Africa did have was natural resources Copper and tin from the Belgian Congo, Gold and diamonds in South Africa, cash crop plantations of peanuts, palm oil, cocoa, and rubber were built in Africa. Many wars took place, the local Zulu tribe led by their chief , Shaka fought the British invading their land for nearly 100 years. In South Africa the Dutch known as Boers, fought the invading British in the Boer War. Here Africans were in the middle of European struggles, many were placed in concentration camps (14,000 died) until the British won control.

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CH. 27 Section 3 assessment p. 790