1. THE “DARK” CONTINENT
“Dark Continent” – racist terminology referred to both the peoples of Africa and their alleged ignorance
In reality, Africa has always had diverse groups of people with their own unique cultures and histories
Civilizations
Languages
Religions
Possible anecdote: Review of African cultures and civilizations, such as Mansa Musa and Great Zimbabwe.

2. Colonial Motives
Economic Interpretation- raw materials, minerals and agricultural products
Missionary Influence
Pseudo-Scientific Racism
European Rivalries
Cultural Imperialism and Racism

3. Forces Driving Imperialism
Industrial Revolution—search for new markets and raw materials
Belief in European Superiority
National pride—empire as the measure of national greatness
Racism, the superiority of one race over another was expressed in
Social Darwinism. This applied Darwin’s theory of natural selection to society. The phrase “survival of the fittest” comes from Social Darwinism.
Duty to bring civilization and progress to the “uncivilized” is also prompted by racism and Social Darwinism.

4. Factors Promoting Imperialism in Africa
European technological superiority
Superior arms—Maxim gun (1884)—first automatic machine gun
Means to control an empire
Steam engine, railroads, cables, and steam ships
Medical advances-development of quinine, an anti-malaria drug, in 1829.
Rival groups within Africa gave Europeans an advantage.

5. Africa
1890

6. Africa in
1914

7. The Scramble for Africa
Triangular Trade to 1800
Legitimate Trade and Spheres of Influence
Spheres of Influence
The Role of the Trading Companies
German East African Company
French West African Trading Company
British East and British South African Companies

8. The Scramble for Africa
French, German and British Rivalries
Belgium, King Leopold and the “Congo Free State”
Congresses of Berlin: 1878 and

9. The Division of Africa
Diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) were discovered in South Africa.
Berlin Conference ( ): 14 European nations agreed to lay down rules for the division of Africa. No African ruler was invited to this conference.
Demand of Raw Materials: Africa was rich in mineral resources like copper and tin in the Congo and gold and diamonds in South Africa.
Cash crop plantations for peanuts, palm oil, cocoa, and rubber were also developed.

10. Scramble for Africa Berlin Conference
The European powers agreed that before they could claim territory they would have to set up an outpost. Whoever was the first to build the outpost gained that area of land.
Berlin Conference

11. Origins of Colonialism: 1890-1914
West Africa: French vs. British and Assimilation vs. Indirect Rule
From Company Rule to Indirect Rule
East Africa: Settlers and Imperialism
German Authoritarianism vs
British East Africa Company

12. Origins of Colonialism Central and Southern Africa
Jan van Riebeck and the Cape- 1652
Britain- Cape Colony: 1815
Cecil John Rhodes: British South Africa Company
The Rhodesias and Nyasaland- Company Rule to 1923
From Federation to UDI

13. Styles of Colonialism- Tactics and Methods
Force, Trickery, sub-imperialism (client kingdoms) and Authoritarian Prefectoralism
Stimulate alliances and rivalries among different ethnic and religious groups
Use of Indigenous Forces: Create African Armies
Use puppet rulers, appoint chiefs in “stateless systems, use District Commissioners (Prefects)

14. Types of Territories Without European Settlers- Protectorates
Uganda, Zanzibar, Nyasaland
With European Settlers (No Home rule)
Kenya, Tanzania, Northern Rhodesia
With European Settlers (Home rule--white)
Rhodesia, South Africa, South West Africa (after 1920)

15. The Belgian Congo:
"King Leopold's
Ghost"

16. The Congo Free State or The Belgian Congo

17. KING LEOPOLD II OF BELGIUM (1835-1909)
Took over land in central Africa
Berlin Conference (1885)
Leopold’s control over Congo Free State recognized by major powers
Belgian Congo (1908)
Leopold criticized for the cruelty of his rule in the Congo
Leopold forced to sell Congo Free State to Belgian government
Renamed Belgian Congo
Created European race for African colonies – “Scramble for Africa”
Diamonds, foodstuffs, gold, ivory, rubber

18. Stanley and Livingstone
David Livingstone was a Scottish missionary who traveled deep into Africa in the late 1860s and disappeared.
Many people thought Livingstone was dead.

19. Stanley and Livingstone
The New York Herald hired Henry Stanley to travel to Africa to find Livingstone. Stanley was given an unlimited amount of money for this expedition.
When Stanley found Dr. Livingstone he is reported to have said this famous greeting, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”, which made headlines around the world.

20. The Congo Sparks Interest
Stanley set out to explore Africa and trace the Congo.
King Leopold II of Belgium commissioned Stanley to help him obtain land in the Congo.
Stanley signed treaties with local chiefs who gave Leopold II control over these lands.

21. Leopold’s Abuse of the Congo
Leopold II claimed that his reason for control was to abolish the slave trade.
He licensed companies to harvest sap from rubber trees.
Leopold’s private army mutilated people who would not harvest rubber.
Millions of people from the Congo died doing this.
The Belgian government took control of the colony from Leopold II as a result. The French were alarmed by Belgium taking control of this country and began claiming parts of Africa. Soon other countries followed.

22. Imperial Power Gained Control
Stanley began to sign treaties with over 450 native chiefs from the Congo
As a result, Leopold gained rule of these lands given up by the chiefs
In 1885, after the Berlin Conference, Leopold was given personal rule over the newly declared Congo Free State
Leopold had what he wanted because other European powers recognized his hold over Congo

23. Effects of Imperialism on Congolese
Ideas were forced on them and lots of repression and assimilation molded them daily.
Africans had a restriction of movement and had to live in villages or shantytowns.
They didn’t have nearly as much freedom or rights as the white people.
Africans were treated brutally everyday.
They had very poor working conditions

24. Effects of Imperialism on Congolese Continued
They were forced to collect sap from rubber plants by European Companies that King Leopold II licensed.
A near 10 million Congolese died from the brutality of Leopold’s rule.
Humanitarians all around the world wanted big changes because of the horrible acts of Leopold.
The Belgium Government took control in 1908, away from Leopold.

25. Imperial Power removed in Congo
In 1908 the Congo was surrendered by King Leopold II to Belgium.
It was renamed the Belgium Congo.
Working conditions were harsh but the Belgium rule improved them significantly.
People began to demand self rule.
The Belgium government agreed to give their political power to the people because they were so confident that they would later regain control.
The Belgium Government was wrong, on June 30,1960, Congo gained their independence.
Joseph Kasavubu and Patrick Lumumba were the new president and prime minister of the Belgium Congo.

26. Harvesting Rubber

27. Punishing “Lazy” Workers

28. Mutilated People in the Congo Free State