1. THE SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA

2. Essential Question: What was the impact of European imperialism in Africa?

3. From 1880 to 1914, European nations used imperialism to dominate the continent of Africa

4. The arrival of Europeans changed Africa
Before Europeans, Africa was divided into tribal clans

5. …and powerful Islamic kingdoms

6. During the Age of Exploration, Europeans explored the African coast

7. …and brought African slaves to their colonies in the Americas

8. Henry Stanley, sponsored by the King of Belgium, explores Africa and sets up treaties with the local chiefs
Other European nations do the same; they all “scramble” to get a piece of Africa

9. The Industrial Revolution led to imperialism in Africa in the mid-1800s

10. THE EVENT THAT SPARKED EUROPEAN INTEREST IN AFRICA
“Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”

11. The first Europeans to explore the interior of Africa were missionaries and explorers
In the 1870s, the discoveries of a missionary named David Livingstone increased European interest in Africa

12. Reports of large deposits of natural resources and the rise of nationalism in Europe set off a race for African colonies

13. Social Darwinism, steamboats, and industrial weapons encouraged the conquest of Africa

14. MOTIVES FOR IMPERIALIZING AFRICA
Industrial nations wanted: (1) raw materials (2) natural resources (3) a cheap labor supply (now with slavery disappearing) and (4) new marketplaces for manufactured goods
Africa had all of these things

15. The race for African colonies was so fierce that Europeans became afraid wars would break out

16. In 1884, 14 nations met at the Congress of Berlin to “set the rules” for colonizing in Africa
Any nation could claim land in Africa by notifying other nations and showing it could control the area
No African nations were invited to attend; no concern was given to ethnic divisions in Africa

17. By 1914, Europeans controlled 90% of Africa
France took most of west Africa
Belgium claimed the Congo in central Africa
Germany had many colonies throughout Africa

18. These nations used African colonies to gain diamonds, tin, gold, rubber and built cash-crop plantations

19. KING LEOPOLD II of BELGIUM: ONE OF THE WORST MASS MURDERERS OF THE 19th CENTURY

20. “THE RAPE OF THE CONGO”
Under Leopold’s orders, the Belgians stripped the Congo of natural resources, especially rubber

21. Leopold used a private mercenary force, Force Publique, to make Congolese Africans cut down rubber trees and give them to the Belgians

22. Leopold ordered that those who failed to meet the rubber quotas set by the Belgian officers were to be whipped or have their hands cut off

23. Leopold ordered that those who failed to meet the rubber quotas set by the Belgian officers were to be whipped or have their hands cut off

24. “THE RAPE OF THE CONGO”

25. In the 23 years ( ) Leopold II ruled the Congo he ordered the massacre of 10 million Africans by cutting off their hands and genitals, whipping them to death, starving them, working them to death, and burning entire villages. It was all done simply to make Leopold richer.

26. The most dominant imperial power in Africa was Great Britain

27. British industry fueled demand for raw materials

28. In 1882, Britain seized control of the Suez Canal from a French company

29. Britain claimed colonies in Egypt and in East Africa
Britain seized control of South Africa from the Dutch
England
Many citizens in England dreamed of a British colony from “Capetown to Cairo”
India
Egypt
South Africa

30. His DeBeers Company created diamond mines in South Africa
The most important empire-builder in Africa was British businessman, Cecil Rhodes
His DeBeers Company created diamond mines in South Africa
Rhodes gained new colonies for Britain in southern Africa
Rhodes used his wealth to build railroads and telegraph lines in Africa

31. THE ULTIMATE IMPERIALIST “If I could, I would claim other planets.”
CECIL RHODES:
THE ULTIMATE IMPERIALIST
“If I could, I would claim other planets.”

32. What was the impact of European imperialism in Africa?
Europeans introduced new technologies like railroads, telegraph lines, and steamboats…
…but transportation routes only connected areas that benefited European businessmen
Europeans brought an end to the slave trade…
…but Africans were paid low wages and exploited

33. What was the impact of European imperialism in Africa?
Europeans built schools, churches, and hospitals…
…but Africans were taught European culture
Europeans profited off Africa’s raw materials and cheap African labor
Africans were unable to rule themselves, participate in voting, or learn professional skills
In South Africa, the British segregated society, dividing Whites and Blacks; this system was called apartheid, which remained in place for over 100 years

34. CLASHES IN AFRICA
There were several resistance movements among the Africans against Europeans

35. CLASHES IN AFRICA
Also, despite the rules set by the Congress of Berlin, some European nations had conflicts with each other over African territories

36. Africans rebelled against European rule, but were defeated due to advanced European weaponry

37. ADVANCED EUROPEAN WEAPONRY
THE MAXIM MACHINE GUN
Changes in weaponry gave European countries an advantage over native populations. In 1885, the Maxim gun was invented; it could fire 500 rounds per minute. The British army began using the guns in 1889.
S37

38. ZULUS VS. BRITISH
The Zulus were a powerful African nation, once led by a great chief named Shaka in the early 1800s
In the late 1800s, the Zulus could not keep out the British invaders
The Zulus resisted, but Zulu shields and spears were beaten by superior weaponry
The Zulu Nation fell to British control in 1887

39. OTHER EXAMPLES OF FAILED AFRICAN RESISTANCE
Nigerians resisted the British, but were beaten
Algeria and West Africa resisted the French for years
East Africans put faith in a spiritual defense against the Germans, believing their gods would turn German bullets into water
Resistance fighters armed with spears and magic water were mercilessly slaughtered by German machine guns
The result: 75,000 were killed and the “Magic Water” Rebellion was crushed

40. ONE SUCCESSFUL AFRICAN RESISTANCE
Ethiopia, led by Emperor Menelik II, was successful in resisting the Europeans
Italy tried to take over, but Menelik had built up a huge arsenal by buying weapons from France and Russia
Menelik declared war and defeated the invading Italians with modern weapons
Ethiopia remained independent

41. Africa remained under the control of European imperialists from the 1880s until the 1950s and 1960s

42. HOW DO THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO MAPS CAUSE A PROBLEM?
POLITICAL MAP OF AFRICA
ETHNIC/TRIBAL MAP OF AFRICA
HOW DO THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO MAPS CAUSE A PROBLEM?

43. IMPACT OF COLONIAL RULE IN AFRICA
NEGATIVE IMPACTS
ARTIFICIAL BOUNDARIES: the colonial powers divided Africa into roughly 40 nations; the boundaries gave NO consideration for the African people
The boundaries split up many tribes, and also combined tribes that historically DID NOT GET ALONG with each other
This is still a problem today: Africa is plagued by warfare and genocide, partly brought on by these unnatural boundaries

44. IMPACT OF COLONIAL RULE IN AFRICA
MORE NEGATIVE IMPACTS
Loss of land and independence
Many Africans died from European diseases
Thousands died resisting the Europeans
Famines resulted from Europeans forcing the African farmers to grow cash-crops (cocoa, tobacco, rubber) instead of food
Traditional culture was broken down

45. IMPACT OF COLONIAL RULE IN AFRICA
POSITIVE IMPACTS
Local warfare was temporarily reduced
Humanitarian efforts improved schools, hospitals, and sanitation; this resulted in longer life spans and better literacy
An infrastructure was put in place: railroads, paved roads, dams, telephones, and telegraphs

46. there more POSITIVE EFFECTS or more
THE BOTTOM LINE…
For Africans, were
there more POSITIVE EFFECTS or more
NEGATIVE EFFECTS?

47. How does the cartoonist portray Africans and Europeans?

48.  Brooks Baggett Revamped and redone by Christopher Jaskowiak
Originally created by
Brooks Baggett