Imperialism Africa

Without consulting the people of Africa, the nations of Western Europe took control of Africa between 1870 and I.Why? – Reasons for imperializing Africa A. Nationalism: increased power and prestige by winning an overseas empire B. Economics 1. Industry wanted new markets for products and 2. natural resources to use in the making of products **Draw “new markets” and “natural resources” next to “B” ** C. Humanitarian and religious concerns 1. Missionaries wanted to Christianize native peoples 2. Belief in the superiority of the white race. Westerners believed it was the “white man’s burden” to carry the benefits of Western Civilization to other parts of the world

“Why” Continued D. Social Darwinism 1. “It is natural for stronger nations to conquer weak peoples” Which reason for imperializing Africa is reflected in the pictures below? =

II.“How” – The way that imperialism takes hold in Africa A. Explorers make the public aware of economic opportunities in Africa. 1. David Livingstone (1860s): minister from Scotland searching for the source of the Nile River. He was thought to be dead after no one heard from him for a long time. 2. Sir George Goldie (1870s): Went to Africa and established the Niger River trade. His Royal Niger River Company was chartered by the British government giving them political and economic control over part of Nigeria.

Explorers: Sir George Goldie

David Livingstone

“How” Continued 3. Henry Stanley: a reporter hired to go find Livingstone. He did find him, and the result was the famous quote, “Doctor Livingstone, I presume?” resulted. He returned to Africa on behalf of King Leopold II of Belgium and signed treaties with chiefs in the Congo River Valley. Belgium then had control of those areas.

Explorers: Livingstone and Stanley

Stanley meets Livingstone

“How” Continued B. New Technologies 1. Cures/preventions were found for malaria and other diseases (quinine was used to protect people from mosquito-born malaria). This meant that Europeans, who normally got sick, could travel inland.

New Technologies: Quinine and Other Disease Fighters Malaria mosquito

Malaria Distribution: 2003

Red = possible extended distribution by 2050 (suitable climate)

“How” Continued 2. Westerners had military advantage a. Europeans had rifles and maxim guns b. Africans had, at best, muskets musket

New technologies: Europeans carried rifles and had the Maxim gun

“How” Continued 3. Easier travel because of the steam engine (could go upstream to bases of control) C. Internal forces 1. Huge variety of languages and cultures meant a lack of unity. It was easy to play the countries leaders off each other. E.g.: “Hey, that tribal leader over there told me your mama had a face like a horse…” “Really?! I hate him! Let’s attack him!”

“Where” – Places Imperialized in Africa III.“Where” -- Places Imperialized in Africa A. North Africa 1. Egypt a. Muhammad Ali (NOT the boxer) made Egypt into a strong nation 1) more efficient farming 2) irrigation canals built – dry lands could be farmed 3) cash crops – exports 4) he brought in experts to set up shipyards, etc. 5) he invited the French to train his army b. Britain gains control of Egypt, and they justify taking over Egypt because 1) Egypt was in debt to Great Britain – Great Britain said they needed the money 2) Great Britain said they were only protecting the Suez Canal

Egypt

Muhammad Ali

“Where” Continued 2. Sudan a. The Fashoda incident 1) Great Britain and France both began to conquer the Sudan (Great Britain wanted a continuous strip of territory from Cape Town to Cairo, and the French wanted an overland route from the Red Sea to the Atlantic). They met in the town of Fashoda on the Nile in the northern Sudan and faced off. France finally gave up and accepted part of the Sahara as compensation. 2) After the Fashoda Incident, Europeans realized the very real possibility that overseas rivalries could drag them into war – they needed to TALK out the issues

The British arriving in Sudan

Sudan today

“Where” Continued 3. Algeria a. France attacked Algeria b. They attacked because Charles X was in trouble at home and they wanted to divert attention away from what was happening in France (Charles was Louis XVI and Louis XVIII’s brother – he was ruling France and wanted to restore the monarchy to the way it had been before the French Revolution). c. Even though Charles X was kicked off the throne, the French kept Algeria

Algeria: Charles X of France

Women of Algeria

“Where” Continued 4. Ethiopia – RESISTENCE! (remained independent) a. Menelik II made Ethiopia strong enough to resist Italian invasion. 1) Improved education 2) Played European powers off each other (Italians, French, and British) 3) Let inaccurate maps and false information go to the Italians 4) Bought modern weapons and trained his army well 5) Successfully defeated the Italians

Ethiopia: Emperor Menelik II

“Where” Continued 5. Morocco a. European nations used Morocco as a pawn in their political maneuverings b. Great Britain and France had an agreement: Britain got Egypt and France got Morocco. The Germans object, and get land in central Africa as compensation. The Spanish and French divided Morocco into protectorates…. Morocco doesn’t get its independence until ** Off to the side in your notes, write all the European countries that wanted power in Africa **

Destruction of Morocco by Great Britain and France: cartoon drawn 1896

“Where” Continued B. West Africa and the Slave Trade 1. Some African became slaves to other African people because… a. Prisoners of war became slaves b. Some people sold themselves into slavery for food and shelter during a famine c. Some societies took slaves to increase the population 2. The Transatlantic Slave trade was different a. Some African sold slaves to Europeans – they traded for guns, ammunition, and manufactured goods. This was called the slave-gun cycle 3. After slavery was outlawed, patrol ships took some slaves to Freetown in the colony of Sierra Leone to free them 4. Former slaves from the United States emigrated to Liberia

Transatlantic Slave Trade

Africans at a time were transported on a slave ship. Approximate total of slaves : 12,521,336

Imperialism Part II – Where? I.West and Central Africa A. The Congo 1. Stanley convinced King Leopold of Belgium to begin settlements along the Congo River. 2. What resources were European companies allowed to exploit in the Congo? ivory, rubber, copper, minerals 3. Three ways the people of the Congo free State were exploited: * Forced to work long hours * If they failed to produce enough, hands and ears were cut off * Wives imprisoned

The Congo and Belgium

The Congo Continued 4. The population decreased by half in the Congo Free State between 1885 and There was one group of people who spoke up against the exploitation and forced the gov’t. to investigate: missionaries 6. The name of the country changed from the Congo Free State to Belgium Congo

B. African Resistance 1. Europeans got African rulers to give them power by persuasion, force, bribery 2. After agreements were signed, the Europeans largely ignored them. If African rulers resisted, troops were sent in to crush them 3. Samouri Toure of what is today Senegal resisted for 7 years 4. King Benhanzin of Dahomey (Ghana) also resisted Samouri Toure

II.Southern Africa A. The Zulu 1. The Zulu Empire was northeast of the Orange River 2. The ruler of the Zulus was King Shaka, and he had a strong military. Europeans were surprised to see 80,000 Zulus forming into regiments. Why were they surprised? They could not imagine that “savages” could be so disciplined. 3. King Shaka improved Zulu fighting methods by replacing long spears with short, stabbing swords

Southern Africa – King Shaka “Strike an enemy once and for all. Let him cease to exist as a tribe or he will live to fly in your throat again.”

B. The Boer War 1. The Boers were descendents of the Dutch 2. In 1806, the British controlled an area called Cape Colony. 3. The Boers and the British didn’t get along. The Boers felt the British threatened their way of life: English was the official language; they abolished slavery (the Boers thought slavery was ordained by God) 4. In response to British rule, the Boers headed north in a vast migration. This migration was called the Great Trek

Boer fighting men and diplomats

5. When the Boers tried to take Zulu lands, neither side won. The British got involved. 6. In the late 1800s, the British became interested in two Boer republics. Why? Gold and diamonds had been discovered there 7. The British decided they needed to control all of South Africa. Why? There was a sea route to India 8. The Boers and the British fight, and the British win 9. Eventually, the Boers regained control of South Africa through a majority vote. However, a British suggestion was overruled by the Boers. What was this decision? British wanted to give Africans the right to vote.

British artillery being moved into position during the Boer Wars