1. European Claims in Sub-Saharan Africa Chapter 17 Section 3

2. Competition for West Africa
In the past: major center of slave trade.
Now: used for trading things like palm oil, feathers, ivory, rubber…etc.
West Africans – strongly resisted imperialist nations.

3. Early 1900’s
France, Great Britain, Germany, Spain, and Portugal own most of West Africa.
Liberia – only independent colony in West Africa
U.S. helped them stay independent.

4. Livingstone and Stanley
Dr. David Livingstone – Scottish medical missionary.
Missing in Central Africa for 5 years.
Henry Stanley – American journalist
Hired by New York Herald to find Livingstone

5. Livingstone and Stanley (cont.)
In 1871, Stanley found Livingstone
Uttered greeting that became famous around the world, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”
Wrote about search and good land to explore.

6. King Leopold II of Belgium listened to Stanley
The Congo
King Leopold II of Belgium listened to Stanley
Private colony ~1 million sq. miles
Treated them very poorly
Slave labor for rubber production
OUTRAGE from other countries – led to Belgian Congo 1908

7. East African Colonization
Drought led to famine
Imported cattle brought illness to African cattle, by 1890 most of the cattle had died
Africans were too weak to resist

8. Cape Colony – South Africa Early 1800’s seized by British
Southern Africa
Cape Colony – South Africa
Used by Dutch as supply station
Early 1800’s seized by British
14,000 farmers, resent the British – Known as the Boers (ancestors of Dutch settlers)

9. 1884 – European leaders met Berlin Conference
Resolve conflicts over African colonies
Africans have no say
Divided colonies amongst themselves

10. Berlin Conference
1884 – 1885: 12 European nations, U.S. and Ottoman Empire meet (no African reps)
Decisions:
Free trade on Congo & Niger Rivers
Had to gain control of colony before claiming it
No arms sales to Africans

11. Effects of Imperialism on Africa
Paternalism – treated colonies like “children”
Believed Africans could not rule themselves, controlled all aspects of their lives.
New crops, inventions, techniques, medicine, roads, communication.
Assimilation never happened; passive resistance instead.