The Scramble for Africa European Imperialism in Africa

Before European Domination Hundreds of ethnic & language groups Europeans 1st explored Africa in the 1450s Powerful African armies kept them out for 400 years

Missionaries begin to explore Late 1860s David Livingstone, a missionary from Scotland, travelled deep into Africa to promote Christianity Decided to explore rather than be a missionary & became an abolitionist Not heard from for years, presumed dead

Livingstone & Henry Stanley 1871 – Henry Stanley, a newspaper reporter working for American paper, travelled to Africa to find Livingstone Found him in the Congo - “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” This event created a frenzy in the press and sparked interest in exploring and colonizing Africa

Livingstone’s Significance Paved the way for the Scramble for Africa Inspired explorers & missionaries Inspired abolitionists

The Belgian Congo King Leopold II of Belgium hired Stanley to explore the Congo for him in 1876 Leopold said he wanted to end slavery & promote Christianity- created a plan to develop the Congo (he did this privately with a loan from the Belgian govt.) But – he forced Africans to collect sap from rubber plants

The Belgian Congo Instituted a brutal, violent regime Held women hostage to force the men to work rubber plantations, cut off hands of those who did not deliver their quota (even children) At least 10 million Congolese died as a result Journalists uncovered the atrocities Belgian government forced Leopold to turn over the territory to the government in 1908.

Clashes over South Africa South Africa was one of the strongest centralized countries in Africa at this ime The Boers (early Dutch settlers) had settled there & took native Africans’ lands to set up farms in the 1600s But British seized the area in 1843

South Africa In 1879, the Zulus fought off British Despite using spears and shields, they almost won But in July of 1879, they lost the Battle of Ulundi & their kingdom to the British

The Boer War Now British, Dutch & South Africans were fighting over the same land In 1899, the Boers fought the British Brutal war: Boers used guerrilla tactics British burned Boer farms & imprisoned women and children in concentration camps – 14,000 died Britain finally won in 1902

1880 – The Scramble Begins Push for expansion comes from businessmen, missionaries & politicians Economics Politics Religion Exploration Ideology Imperialism in Africa

The Berlin Conference To prevent conflict, 14 nations met at the Berlin Conference in 1884-85 to plan the division of Africa Decision: European countries could claim land in Africa by notifying other nations of their claims & showing they could control the area No African rulers were invited to attend

The Berlin Conference How does this political cartoon represent the Berlin Conference?

Map of the New Africa 1914 Only Ethiopia and Liberia free from European control