1. Nineteenth Century Imperialism: Africa

2. Africa Before Imperialism

3. Africa Before Imperialism
Hundreds of ethnic & linguistic groups
Most followed traditional beliefs, while some converted to Christianity & Islam
Politically ranged from large empires to villages

4. Africa Before Imperialism
By late 1880s only 10% of Africa was controlled by Europeans
By 1914 Europeans control 97% of continent

5. Why Africa?

6. Why Africa?
Why were European nations so interested in colonizing Africa in the late 1800s?
New markets
Raw materials & resources
Examples: Diamonds & gold
“Duty” to civilize Africans…

7. Why Africa?
Most Europeans felt that the Africans were savages and forced western culture on conquered peoples
Social Darwinism: social theory of the time; said the fittest for survival enjoyed wealth and success and were superior to others

8. Why Africa? Why was Africa so easy to colonize during the late 1800s?
Europeans had superior technology
Examples: machine gun, steam engine
Disunity among African tribes

9. The Opening of Africa

10. The “Opening” of Africa
Dr. David Livingstone:
Explored the African interior
GOALS:
Abolish the slave trade
Convert natives to Christianity

11. The “Opening” of Africa
Henry Stanley:
Reporter that was hired to search for Livingstone after he had disappeared
After finding Livingstone, Stanley began to explore Africa for himself

12. The “Opening” of Africa
Livingstone & Stanley generated interest in Africa from their travels and explorations

13. The Berlin Conference

14. The Berlin Conference
From European countries carved up Africa, dividing it among themselves
Competition was so fierce Europe feared war would spark

15. The Berlin Conference
To prevent conflict, 14 European countries met a the Berlin Conference to lay down rules for dividing Africa
1) To own a colony, a European country would have to fly its flag, have a treaty with a local leader, establish an administration to govern with a police force to keep order, and to make use of the colony economically. If the colonial power did not do these things, another power could do so and take over the territory. It therefore became important to get leaders to sign a protectorate treaty and to have a presence sufficient to police the area. 2) Any fresh act of taking possession of any portion of the African coast would have to be notified by the power taking possession, or assuming a protectorate, to the other signatory powers.

16. The Berlin Conference
Agreed any European country could claim land by notifying other countries of its claims & showing it could control the area
No African ruler was invited to attend

17. Little thought or interest was given to how the natives felt
Boundaries of present day Africa were largely decided at the Berlin Conference of 1885
Discussion Question: Why might this be a problem??

18. The Belgian Congo

19. The Belgian Congo Leopold II: King of Belgium
Hired Stanley to carve out a Belgian kingdom in the Congo

20. The Belgian Congo
Leopold claimed that he wanted to abolish slavery & spread Christianity in the Belgian Congo
NOT TRUE!

21. The Belgian Congo
Unable to read or write, the Congolese tribal Chiefs, unwittingly sold their tribe members into a lifetime of slavery for pieces of cloth.
In return for "one piece of cloth per month to each of the undersigned chiefs, besides present of cloth in hand, they promised to freely of their own accord, for themselves and their heirs and successors for ever...give up to the said Association [set up by Leopold] the sovereignty and all sovereign and governing rights to all their territories...and to assist by labour or otherwise, any works, improvements or expeditions which the said Association shall cause at any time to be carried out in any part of these territories... All roads and waterways running through this country, the right of collecting tolls on the same, and all game, fishing, mining and forest rights, are to be the absolute property of the said Association."

22. The Belgian Congo
Exploited the natives by forcing them to collect sap from rubber plants
10 million+ Congolese died under Leopold’s rule
Often viewed as the harshest treatment of natives

23. “The savage only ever respects force, power, boldness, and decision
“The savage only ever respects force, power, boldness, and decision.” Stanley, Henry M.
“Everywhere I hear the same news of the Congo Free State – rubber and murder, slavery in its worst form.” E. J. Glave, Congo Free State administrator, Century Magazine (1897).

24. The Belgian Congo
After humanitarians demanded change, the Belgian government took control away from him in 1908

25. South Africa

26. South Africa Boers (Afrikaners):
Dutch farmers who settled at the Southern tip of Africa beginning in 1652
(First Europeans to settle in Africa)

27. South Africa
The Boers gradually took over the Africans’ land, established large farms & enslaved the natives

28. South Africa
In 1815 South Africa was given to Great Britain at the Congress of Vienna
Conflicts between the Boers & the British ensued
Main Issues:
Land and slavery

29. South Africa The British outlawed slavery in the 1830s
Resulted in the Great Trek:
Boers moved slightly north & established 2 new states
Transvaal & Orange Free State

30. South Africa
Eventually gold & diamonds were found in the new Boer states…
People from all over the world flooded Africa in order to make their fortunes

31. South Africa
The Boers attempted to keep these “outsiders” out of Africa
Led to the Anglo-Boer War:
Lasted 3 years & British won

32. South Africa The Results of GB’s Victory:
The unification of South Africa
The establishment of a white-minority controlled society -Apartheid

33. Ethiopia: Successful Resistance!

34. Ethiopia: Successful Resistance
Strong leader: Emperor Menelik II
Built up a large arsenal of modern weapons (purchased from France & Russia)

35. Ethiopia: Successful Resistance
Italians tried to claim Ethiopia as a protectorate
Menelik declared war!

36. Ethiopia: Successful Resistance
Ethiopian forces successfully defeated Italians!
1 of only 2 countries not to fall under control of a European nation during the Age of Imperialism!