Warm Up How do you think Africa’s countries got their shapes?

Scramble for Africa SS7H1a: Explain how the European partitioning across Africa contributed to conflict, civil war, and artificial political boundaries

Africa Faces Imperialism From the 1870s to 1900 Africa faced imperialist hostility, political pressure, military invasion and then conquest and colonization by Europe. By the early 1900s all of Africa, except Ethiopia and Liberia were colonized by European countries. Europe wanted African land for raw materials, and markets for their manufactured goods.

The One Who Has Territory, Has Power Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Portugal and Spain were competing for power in Europe. The main way to gain political power is to have territories around the world.

Berlin Conference of 1884 The desire to have lands in Africa was so strong that there was a fear of war. German chancellor Otto von Bismark called the Berlin Conference of 1884 to set some ground rule in Africa.

Berlin Act Slave trade was forbidden by land or sea. Countries had to notify others when adding additional territories. Congo Basin was free to trade on Congo and Niger River would remain neutral and free for trade. Countries could not have a colony in name only. Free State of Congo would remain open to all European investments

Borders were drawn up to benefit the European powers and without participation of African leaders. This division was disastrous as the new boundary lines divided ethnic groups and in most cases forced rival ethnic groups to live together

IN 1878, MUCH OF AFRICA WAS NOT COLONIZED BY EUROPE …BUT BY 1885, OVER 90% OF AFRICA WOULD BE UNDER THE CONTROL OF EUROPEAN EMPIRES, PARTICULARLY THE BRITISH AND THE FRENCH IN 1878, MUCH OF AFRICA WAS NOT COLONIZED BY EUROPE

The Negatives of Colonialism Rival ethnic groups forced to live together causing conflicts and wars. Lost many resources without equal return. Lost their freedom to govern themselves. Africans were forced to work on plantations and in mines for very little money. Children as young as 10 are recruited for civil wars in Africa

Positives of Colonialism Improved roads and railroads Improved medical centers Improved schools Improved economies –jobs and technology Democracies allow freedom for many people (except in countries where corruption leads to dictatorships) Hospitals in South Africa are heavily burdened by HIV- infected children—a leading health issue in Africa.

Conflict between native Africans and Europeans during colonization Conflicts in Africa because of artificial political boundaries created by Europeans during the Berlin Conference of 1884-85 Conflict between native Africans and Europeans during colonization Conflict between ethnic groups Conflict over who should have political power AFTER Africans gained independence from Europe

Genocide in Rwanda SS7H1a: Explain how the European partitioning across Africa contributed to conflict, civil war, and artificial political boundaries.

Civil War Created by European Colonization In 1994 the Hutu majority organized and carried out a mass killing of the Tutsi minority in Rwanda. WHY??

1894 – Germany colonized Rwanda BACKGROUND HISTORY 1894 – Germany colonized Rwanda 1918 – After WW I, Belgium took over the colony.

BEFORE EUROPEANS Hutu ethnic group (traditionally farmers) made up the largest part of the population. Tutsi ethnic group (herdsmen from North Africa) also settled in the area. The two shared a language and culture living among each other peacefully. Tutsis were usually the landowners and the Hutu worked the land.

THEN COMES THE EUROPEANS Europeans chose the Tutsi to become the leading group because they were landowners, tall and more noble looking. The Tutsi began to act like upper-class (leading group) which make the Hutu feel like peasants.

EUROPEAN INFLUENCE Europeans has brought modern weapons and modern ways of waging war. Missionaries began to teach the Hutu to see themselves as oppressed and inspired them to revolt. By 1956, the Hutu gained power and took Tutsi land.

CIVIL WAR Many Tutsi went into exile and formed the RPF – Rwandan Patriotic Front. In 1990 civil war began between the Hutu and the Tutsi. A cease fire was achieved in 1993. There was a push for a multi party constitution but the Hutu leaders wanted NO Tutsi involvement.

RWANDA’S PRESIDENT KILLED 1994, President of Rwanda was killed when his plane was shot down. This triggered the “Final Solution” by the Hutu. Hutu citizens were told by radio and by mouth “it was their duty to wipe out the Tutsi ethnic group” Up to 1 million people were killed – Genocide.

How could this have been prevented?