Monday challenge: What are 5 of the 10 largest countries in the world?

1. Monday challenge: What are 5 of the 10 largest countries in the world? • Russia: 17,075,200 km2 (6,591,027 mi2) • Canada: 9,984,670 km2 (3,854,082 mi2) • United States: 9,631,418 km2 (3,717,727 mi2) • China: 9,596,960 km2 (3,704,426 mi2) • Brazil: 8,511,965 km2 (3,285,618 mi2) • Australia: 7,686,850 km2 (2,967,124 mi2) • India: 3,287,590 km2(1,269,009 mi2) • Argentina: 2,766,890 km2 (1,068,019 mi2) • Kazakhstan: 2,717,300 km2 (1,048,877 mi2) • Sudan: 2,505,810 km2 (967,243 mi2)

2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12144675

5. Map Activity

6. Resources

7. The Scramble for Africa • In the late 1800s the European powers began a scramble for control of Africa

8. The Berlin Conference • Meeting at the Berlin residence of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck in 1884 • The foreign ministers of 14 European powers and the US established ground rules for the future exploitation of the "dark continent." • Africans were not invited or told of their decisions.

9. Wednesday/Thursday: Journal #24: Skim pages 750 – 753 if you need refresher • 1) List three motivations for why countries became imperialistic • 2) What were two reasons for why many European powers had advantages over other nations 3) What were two criticisms against imperialism? 4) Draw two cartoons or advertisements 1 that is pro imperialism 1 that is anti imperialism *Make sure to be culturally sensitive

10. Europe Divides and Conquers • Africa was an economic gold mine, sometimes literally with gold in South Africa, diamonds, rubber, and coffee • Europeans were able to take advantage of the diversity in Africa (over 10,000 political groups) and pit one group against another • The imperial powers were able to overwhelm their opponents with the use of new weapons. The Maxim Gun

11. Effects of the Scramble For Africa • In 1875, after centuries of contact, Europe had no more than 10% of African land • Twenty-five years later, seven European nations controlled over 90% of the continent • Africa is arbitrarily divided up (regardless of previous tribal boundaries • Europeans create caste systems • More competition between European nations

14. Examples: • Nigeria: • Contained over 250 ethno-linguistic groups • Overall - 10,000 African polities (states) combined into 40 colonies.

15. Short Reading Assignment

16. Heart of Darkness • Joseph Conrad wrote: • “The vilest scramble for loot that ever disfigured the history of human conscience…”

17. “The condition of things in the Congo is atrocious, as shown by the photographs of children whose hands have been cut off. Leopold thinks this can go on because the Congo is a distant out-of-the-way country. But once we can get England and America to investigate, and take this matter up, something will be done. We Americans are especially interested, because it was our recognition of the flag there that led to recognition by other powers." Mark Twain -- Interview Boston Herald(Nov. 6, 1905).

18. Punishment • Villagers who fell behind their quotas were whipped, imprisoned, or shot.

19. Right Hands • Right hands were chopped off by Belgian soldiers to prove that they were not wasting bullets hunting animals.

20. Leopold II • Exploits the Congo Free State • Personal Colony • Eventually International pressure + Scandal end worst abuses • Estimates of 10-20 million deaths as result of Belgian’s involvement