1. Imperialism/Nationalism in Africa

2. An ABC for Baby Patriots

12. The White Man’s Burden Rudyard Kipling, 1899
Take up the White Man’s burden
Send forth the best ye breed—
Go bind your sons to exile
To serve your captives’ need;
To wait in heavy harness,
On fluttered folk and wild—
Your new-caught, sullen peoples,
Half-devil and half-child.
Take up the White Man’s burden—
The savage wars of peace—
Fill full the mouth of Famine
And bid the sickness cease;
And when your goal is nearest
The end for others sought,
Watch sloth and heathen Folly
Bring all your hopes to nought.

13. Early European Involvement
Prior to mid-1800s Europe’s involvement was mostly slave-trading missions
Zero-sum game:
What is it?
Social Darwinism:
Ironic—elimination of slave trade brought in imperial/colonial ventures that will have more disastrous consequences than slaving for Africa

14. Prior to 1850 only major attempts to take African territory was in S
Prior to 1850 only major attempts to take African territory was in S. Africa and Algeria
Between the rest of Africa was colonized (minus Liberia/Ethiopia)

15. What made this possible?
Superior weapons
Technological expertise

16. 3 Paths of European Imperialism
1=Colony (direct rule)
2=Protectorate (had own government but policies “influenced” by foreign power)
3=Sphere of Influence (region of country which imperial power had exclusive investments or trade rights)

17. Case Study: Egypt Egypt gained independence from Ottomans in 1805
French constructed Suez Canal to link trade from Med. to Red Seas
Egypt held some interest in the canal, but b/c of debts sold parts to GB
GB wanted complete control of the Suez Canal (link between Mediterranean Sea/Red Sea), so invaded Egypt in 1882
Egypt became a British protectorate

18. Case Study: South Africa
1652 the Dutch (Afrikaners) settled in Cape Cape of Good Hope
Immediately enslaved natives
In Napoleonic Wars GB seized Cape Colony and forbade slavery
Apx. 10,000 Afrikaners (called Boers by British) fled Cape Colony and est. independent republics in interior of South Africa
In their constitution stated “There shall be no equality in State or Church between white and black”

19. Early 1900s Cape Colony was united with Afrikaner republics and formed South Africa
New govt’s goal was to maintain white supremacy over black majority
In 1948 Afrikaners won majority of seats in legislature—invented “apartheid”

20. Laws of Apartheid: No marriage between whites/non-whites
Population Registration Act-classified population—if non-white had to carry passbook
Bantu Authorities Act-stripped of citizenship in S.Africa—had to move to native homeland
Public Safety Act—allowed for police repression

21. Case Study: Belgian Congo
Dr. David Livingstone traveled throughout Africa—was the 1st European to cross from the Atlantic to Indian Ocean
He loved the Congo/the people—wound up living the rest of his life in Africa
Disappeared for 6 years (mostly due to illness)—Henry Stanley was sent by a NY newspaper to find him
Stanley also explored Africa, but unlike Livingstone, he hated it
The accounts of both of these men became legendary—prompted King Leopold II of Belgium to send men to colonize interior of Africa—became the Belgian Congo

22. King Leopold II wanted to get in on the “scramble for Africa”—small European nation w/o many natural resources
Made Congo his own personal plantation—after 20 years “gave” it to the Belgian gov’t. in exchange for large loans
Enslaved the natives—had them cut down forests for rubber trees and kill elephants for their tusks
Stripped Congo of many of its people/natural resources
Considered one of most brutal examples of European colonization—outraged the international community
Estimated that apx. 10 million Africans died during this 20 year period

24. Impact of Imperialism in Africa
Africa stripped of natural resources
Natives forced to low wages (or enslaved)
Families split up (often men forced to live in dormitories)
Developed an elite/educated class that was often favored by Europeans (given best jobs/education)
Led to resentment and divisiveness
Political boundaries didn’t take into account tribal groups—some tribes that had historic animosity now part of same state
Stripped of culture
Few schools, but taught European languages/ways
Rejected African religions/customs
Taught that European ways were the best

25. National Movements
Many Africans fought in WWI—assumed that they would gain independence after the war—they were wrong
Ironically many of those that were educated by Europeans to take on role of ruling class became leaders of independence movements
Because of military superiority, difficult for Africans to achieve much until after WWII
By 1930s European states started making reforms, but by then increasing # of African leaders calling for independence, not just reforms

26. Independence and Its Consequences
After WWII most of Europe realized that colonization of Africa must end (new UN Charter stated all people had right to self-determination)
From s most of Africa gained independence—mostly through peaceful means
South Africa didn’t gain full independence until early 1990s when blacks won right to vote for 1st time—ended apartheid

27. Problems
Most leaders came from middle class—European education and ideals counter to many of their people
Much corruption ($ spent on luxuries and personal militias)
Little industrialization—still depended on the West for manufactured goods
Most states were single-export states—when price dropped entire economy suffered
Droughts/famines

28. Little $ to spend on infrastructure
Warring ethnic groups—much civil war
Divisive measures taken by Europeans exacerbated hostilities
E.G. Rwanda
Belgians created Hutu/Tutsi tribes based on physical features
Those that appeared more European became Tutsi—given better education/jobs
Led to resentment that eventually led to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda