African Nations Gain Independence Preview Starting Points Map: Africa and the Middle East Main Idea / Reading Focus British and French Colonies Faces of History: Jomo Kenyatta Portuguese and Belgian Colonies South Africa Map: Independence in Africa

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African Nations Gain Independence Main Idea After World War II, almost all countries in Africa gained independence from ruling European powers. Reading Focus What ideas and actions led to independence for British and French colonies? Why did Portuguese and Belgian colonies have difficulty achieving independence? What effect did apartheid have on the lives of black South Africans?

British and French Colonies After 1945 European colonial powers began a process of decolonization—the withdrawal of colonial powers from their colonies and areas of influence. Great Britain and France led the way. British colony of the Gold Coast, West Africa, first to achieve independence African leaders established convention to demand greater participation in government Ghana Goal: to cooperate with British, gain influence peacefully Less cooperative movement also brewing 1947, Kwame Nkrumah became leader of Convention People’s Party (CCP) Two Movements Nkrumah led strikes, demonstrations British jailed him Still transformed CCP into major political party 1951, British pressured into allowing national elections National Elections

CCP swept Gold Coast national elections New Nation CCP swept Gold Coast national elections Nkrumah continued to press for independence 1957, Britain granted Gold Coast full independence Nkrumah became first prime minister of new nation, Ghana

Kenya In the 1950s the Kenyan path to independence did not go as smoothly as it did in Ghana. Ownership of land, possibility of independence led to conflict between white Kenyan farmers, native Kikuyu people Farmers feared independence would cause them to lose large tracts of valuable cash crops in Kenyan highlands Kikuyu wanted these ancestral homelands back Conflict Leader of Kenya’s nationalist movement, Jomo Kenyatta argued for Kikuyu’s right to land, its importance Many Kikuyu farmers formed violent movement, Mau Mau Group terrorized highlands, murdered anyone opposing them, including Africans who cooperated with white settlers Mau Mau

British Regain Control British eventually regained control of colony British murdered, tortured members of Mau Mau movement Late 1950s, British convinced to accept decolonization 1963, Kenya became independent nation Jomo Kenyatta became first prime minister

French Africa Different Path Benefits in Relationship French Community French African colonies followed different path toward independence French goal had been to incorporate colonies into France itself Prime Minister Charles de Gaulle tried to pursue goal after World War II Benefits in Relationship African leaders believed they should have greater opportunities for self-rule However, rejected final break with France because they believed Africans could attain economic, cultural benefits from continued relationship French Community 1958, de Gaulle called for referendum on continued union Most colonies voted to join new organization, known as French Community France granted most colonies of Community independence a few years later

How did Britain grant independence to its African colonies? Find the Main Idea How did Britain grant independence to its African colonies? Answer(s): Britain granted independence to its colonies after they began nationalist movements.

Portuguese and Belgian Colonies Transition to independence for Belgian, Portuguese colonies more difficult than for British, French Belgians, Portuguese held on to colonies longer than any other European nations Violence forced decolonization Transition Difficult After World War II, Belgian government agreed to prepare people of Belgian Congo for self-government 1950s, African nationalists in Congo demanded immediate self-government 1960, Belgians announced complete withdrawal; soon violence toward Belgian settlers, civil war erupted Belgian Congo

Leaders Emerge in Portuguese Colonies Portugal continued to hold on to colonies Meanwhile, African leaders emerged in colonies of Angola, Portuguese Guinea, Mozambique Leaders organized armies to fight for independence Bloody Warfare in Portuguese Colonies Long years of bloody warfare marked last decades of Portuguese rule War, military coup in Portugal drained Portuguese economy; made it impossible to continue support of colonies 1974, Portugal withdrew completely from Africa

How did Africans in the Portuguese colonies achieve independence? Summarize How did Africans in the Portuguese colonies achieve independence? Answer(s): African leaders organized armies to fight for independence; years of bloody warfare ended Portuguese rule.

South Africa Apartheid Racial Separation In the early 1900s South Africa was run by white Afrikaners—descendants of the original Dutch settlers. Even though South Africa had received independence from Great Britain in 1910, nonwhites in South Africa were not free under the Afrikaner government. 1948, racial discrimination heightened when Afrikaner-dominated National Party began to run South African government Instituted policy of apartheid, “apartness” in Afrikaner language Apartheid Apartheid policy divided into four racial groups: White, Black, Colored (mixed ancestry), Asian Attempted to create greater separation between whites, nonwhites, impose harsh controls Racial Separation Apartheid laws banned interracial marriages, and placed further restrictions on African ownership of land and businesses.

Apartheid Laws Laws Harsh on Blacks Citizenship Denied Apartheid laws especially harsh on blacks in South Africa Required to carry passes, identity books Also faced imprisonment if police found them in an area for more than 72 hours without pass Laws Harsh on Blacks Under apartheid, only white South Africans could vote, hold political office Blacks made up nearly 75 percent of population, were denied South African citizenship Restricted to certain occupations, very little pay Citizenship Denied

Homelands Townships Further Segregation Citizenship Aliens Apartheid placed limits on where blacks could live Required to live in impoverished areas of cities called townships Further Segregation Restricted businesses allowed in townships, kept people poor 1950s, created rural “homelands” for tribes, groups Citizenship Did not include good farmland, resources Used homelands as excuse for depriving blacks of citizenship Aliens Men forced to migrate without families to work in mines, factories, farms Homeland policy made millions resident aliens in own country

What was apartheid, and how did it function? Find the Main Idea What was apartheid, and how did it function? Answer(s): policy of separating whites and nonwhites and placing restrictions upon nonwhites; enforced by police, laws