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Nineteenth Century Imperialism: Africa. Africa Before Imperialism. Africa Before Imperialism. Hundreds of ethnic & linguistic groups
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Africa Before Imperialism • Hundreds of ethnic & linguistic groups • Most followed traditional beliefs, while some converted to Christianity & Islam • Politically ranged from large empires to villages
Africa Before Imperialism • By late 1880s only10% of Africa was controlled by Europeans • By 1914 Europeans control 97%of continent
Why Africa? • Why were European nations so interested in colonizing Africa in the late 1800s? • New markets • Raw materials & resources • Examples: Diamonds & gold • “Duty” to civilize Africans…
Why Africa? • Most Europeans felt that the Africans were savages and forced western culture on conquered peoples • Social Darwinism: social theory of the time; said the fittest for survival enjoyed wealth and success and were superior to others
Why Africa? • Why was Africa so easy to colonize during the late 1800s? • Europeans had superior technology • Examples: machine gun, steam engine • Disunity among African tribes
The “Opening” of Africa • Dr. David Livingstone: • Explored the African interior • GOALS: • Abolish the slave trade • Convertnatives to Christianity
The “Opening” of Africa • Henry Stanley: • Reporter that was hired to search for Livingstoneafter he had disappeared • After finding Livingstone, Stanley began to explore Africa for himself
The “Opening” of Africa • Livingstone & Stanley generated interest in Africa from their travels and explorations
The Berlin Conference • From 1880-1914 European countries carved up Africa, dividing it among themselves • Competition was so fierce Europe feared war would spark
The Berlin Conference • To prevent conflict, 14 European countries met a the Berlin Conference to lay down rules for dividing Africa
The Berlin Conference • Agreed any European country could claim land by notifying other countries of its claims & showing it could control the area • No African ruler was invited to attend
Little thought or interest was given to how the natives felt • Discussion Question: Why might this be a problem??
The Belgian Congo • Leopold II: • King of Belgium • Hired Stanley to carve out a Belgian kingdom in the Congo
The Belgian Congo • Leopold claimedthat he wanted to abolish slavery & spread Christianity in the Belgian Congo • NOT TRUE!
The Belgian Congo • Unable to read or write, the Congolese tribal Chiefs, unwittingly sold their tribe members into a lifetime of slavery for pieces of cloth. • In return for "one piece of cloth per month to each of the undersigned chiefs, besides present of cloth in hand, they promised to freely of their own accord, for themselves and their heirs and successors for ever...give up to the said Association [set up by Leopold] the sovereignty and all sovereign and governing rights to all their territories...and to assist by labour or otherwise, any works, improvements or expeditions which the said Association shall cause at any time to be carried out in any part of these territories... All roads and waterways running through this country, the right of collecting tolls on the same, and all game, fishing, mining and forest rights, are to be the absolute property of the said Association."
The Belgian Congo • Exploited the natives by forcing them to collect sap from rubber plants • 10 million+ Congolese died under Leopold’s rule • Often viewed as the harshest treatment of natives
“The savage only ever respects force, power, boldness, and decision.” Stanley, Henry M. “Everywhere I hear the same news of the Congo Free State – rubber and murder, slavery in its worst form.” E. J. Glave, Congo Free State administrator, Century Magazine (1897).
The Belgian Congo • After humanitarians demanded change, the Belgian government took control away from him in 1908
South Africa • Boers (Afrikaners): • Dutch farmers who settled at the Southern tip of Africa beginning in 1652 (First Europeans to settle in Africa)
South Africa • The Boers gradually took over the Africans’ land, established large farms & enslaved the natives
South Africa • In 1815 South Africa was given to Great Britain at the Congress of Vienna • Conflicts between the Boers & the British ensued • Main Issues: • Landand slavery
South Africa • The British outlawed slavery in the 1830s • Resulted in the Great Trek: • Boers moved slightly north & established 2 new states • Transvaal & Orange Free State
South Africa • Eventually gold & diamonds were found in the new Boer states… • People from all over the world flooded Africa in order to make their fortunes
South Africa • The Boers attempted to keep these “outsiders” out of Africa • Led to the Anglo-Boer War: • Lasted 3 years & British won
South Africa • The Results of GB’s Victory: • The unification of South Africa • The establishment of a white-minority controlled society -Apartheid
Ethiopia: Successful Resistance • Strong leader: Emperor Menelik II • Built up a large arsenal of modern weapons (purchased from France & Russia)
Ethiopia: Successful Resistance • Italians tried to claim Ethiopia as a protectorate • Menelikdeclared war!
Ethiopia: Successful Resistance • Ethiopian forces successfully defeated Italians! • 1 of only 2 countries not to fall under control of a European nation during the Age of Imperialism!
