1. Independence in Africa
October 28, 2014

2. Europeans in Africa
Up until the years following World War I, Europeans controlled nearly all of the African continent.
Native Africans had few rights, almost no say in their governments, and their cultures were not respected by their European rulers.

3. Beginnings of Nationalism in Africa
Around the end of World War I in 1918, people in Africa began to resent European control.
Many Africans moved to cities
They began organizing workers’ associations and protested unfair treatment by their colonial governments
They developed more pride in their own cultures and histories, which is called nationalism.
These feelings led to demand for self-rule with many colonies calling for independence by the 1930s.

4. African Nationalism
African soldiers fought in the British and French armies during World War II.
They learned about European political systems from the European soldiers
They brought these ideas with them when they returned to their homelands
Some began to protest against racism and political oppression.
These protests were linked to a worldwide movement called Pan-Africanism that began in the 1950s.

5. Pan-Africanism
Started by people of African descent living in the U.S., Great Britain, and the Caribbean Islands.
They wanted cultural unity and equality for all people of African descent.
They fought for two things:
They were seeking to end European control over Africa
They wanted Africa to become a homeland for all people of African descent

6. Independence
Despite the efforts of the Pan-African movement, it took many years for most African colonies to gain independence.
Britain granted independence to its colonies in the 1960s, including Nigeria in 1960 and Kenya in 1964.
France also gave up all of its territory in the 1960s.
Other European countries followed shortly after

7. The Special Case of South Africa
The independent Union of South Africa was created in 1910.
However, it was ruled by descendants of British and Dutch settlers, not Africans
White South Africans enforced a policy called apartheid. This was a system of laws that denied black South Africans any political rights and allowed for legal separation of the races

8. Protesting Apartheid
Many South Africans – both black and white – protested apartheid
Many protests were violent, and many people were killed
Other countries around the world disapproved of the policy
Many countries put an embargo in place against South Africa until apartheid ended

9. The End of Apartheid
In the 1990s, South African president, F.W. de Klerk, finally began ending Apartheid laws
Because of this, in 1994, South Africa held its first elections that were open to all races
Nelson Mandela, a black man, was elected president of South Africa as a result
During his time as president, and up until his death earlier this year, his goal was to get the races to work together and overcome the hatred of the apartheid years

10. Challenges of Independent Africa
Many political leaders of new African countries were inexperienced
Military leaders sometimes took control and created dictatorships that lasted until the early 1990s
Civil wars broke out between ethnic groups and religious groups now forced to live within the same boundaries
Many countries fell into debt
Diseases like malaria and AIDS have killed many people

11. Questions
1. What was life like for native Africans under European rule?
2. When did Africans begin to resent European control?
3. What is nationalism?
4. What did African nationalism lead to in the 1930s?
5. What did African soldiers learn about as they fought in World War II?
6. What did the Pan-African movement fight for?
7. When were Kenya and Nigeria granted independence?
8. What is apartheid?

12. Questions
9. How did countries around the world respond to apartheid in South Africa?
10. Who began ending apartheid laws in the 1990s?
11. Who was elected president of South Africa in 1994?
12. What was Nelson Mandela’s goal?
13. What are 4 challenges that independent Africa still faces today?