NEW IMPERIALISM

1. Causes of New Imperialism Economic Causes • Need for natural resources • Desire to expand markets Political/ Military Causes • Bases needed to protect trades routes • Nationalism NEW IMPERIALISM Social Causes • To spread Christianity and Western culture • Social Darwinism Technological Causes • Advances in weapons/overseas travel

2. The Great Land Grab in Africa • On the eve of the European scramble for territory, Africa was filled with people of diverse cultures speaking hundreds of languages and enjoying individual religious, economic, political and social traditions.

3. What was the “Scramble for Africa?”

4. Berlin Conference & Partition of Africa • To avoid conflict with one another in Africa, European leaders met in Berlin, Germany to carve up the continent amongst themselves. No Africans were invited.

5. Berlin Conference & Partition of Africa • Berlin Conference guidelines: • Any sovereign power which wanted to claim any territory should inform the other powers “in order to...make good any claim of their own.” • Any such annexation should be validated by effective occupation. • Treaties with African rulers were to be considered a valid title to sovereignty. Impact: • By 1900, the only areas of Africa remaining independent were Liberia and Ethiopia.

6. African Resistance • The Zulucame into conflict with the British army as they expanded their control over southern Africa and invaded the Zulu homeland. • Despite early victories, the Zulu were eventually defeated by the technology and vast resources at the command of the British troops. • Africans all over the continent fiercely resisted European domination, but in the end only Ethiopia and Liberia remained independent.

7. Cecil Rhodes • Cecil Rhodes was instrumental in assuring British dominance of southern Africa • founded the De Beers Mining Company (diamonds) • became prime minister of the Cape Colony (now South Africa) in 1890 and used his influence to strengthen British control over the region • master plan: “Cape to Cairo” railroad line that would link British colonial interests in Africa between Egypt and the Cape Colony in southern Africa

8. Boer War • The Boers (descendents of Dutch settlers) provided heavy armed resistance to Rhodes’ master plan. After a failed attempt to invade the Boer Republic of Transvaal, Rhodes was removed from office. • Great Britain decided to annex the Boer republics, and with Boer resistance came the Boer War (1899-1902). By all accounts the fighting was vicious, with the Boers employing guerilla tactics and the British eventually using 450,000 troops to achieve victory.

9. Effects of Imperialism on Africa:Tribalism • Because European nations carved Africa up with no regard for traditional tribal boundaries, Africa still suffers from tribalism. • Modern African nations often contain several different tribes that harbor ill feelings towards one another. Therefore, inter-tribal conflict is a common in Africa often leading to civil wars and power struggles within national governments.