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Colonization of Africa. 19 th Century. Beginning in the early 19 th Century , Europeans aggressively tried to establish colonies in Africa.
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Colonization of Africa 19th Century
Beginning in the early 19th Century, Europeans aggressively tried to establish colonies in Africa. • European civilization experienced a period of unprecedented rapid expansion around the globe during the last third of the nineteenth century, restructuring the African continent and changing all aspects of life.
Colonialismpractice of forced control of one nation by another nation. • Colony is when a nation establishes a government under its rule in a foreign territory. • Imperialismphilosophy of empire building by taking over other countries’ government’s trade, and culture in the name of expansion & power.
Colonial Europe’s Misconceptions of the African Continent and Society • Africa was one country, not a collection of independent states. • African society was not organized nor advanced socially or technologically. • Africans were little more than uncivilized barbarians . • Africans were non-religious heathens. • There was no social structure to pre-colonial African society. • Colonization was for the good of the Africans and the continent as a whole. • Africa on the whole was an uninhabited, inhospitable place. • The “taking” of Africa was going to be an easy process with few consequences for Europeans.
Five Major Colonial Powers In Africa • Great Britain • France • Portugal • Belgium • Germany • In addition to these, there were Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.
Reasons for Colonialism • Despite Europeans involvement in the Transatlantic slave trade, Europeans usually relied on Africans to trade slaves instead of colonizing the continent. • By the 1880s every major nation in the world had abolished the institution of slavery. • During this time, Europeans found a new interest in Africa, viewing it as a continent of vast wealth.
Positive European Reasons for Colonialism • Colonies provided Europe with strategic military and economic advantages. • Open up new trading markets for European goods. • Europe received minerals and other natural resources (diamonds, gold, cotton, ivory, and rubber) which fed industrialization. • Spread Christianity throughout the continent. • Europeans had access to cheap labor.
Negative European Reasons for Colonialism • European powers had to fight against rebellions. • Colonial rule in many places, especially the Congo, was morally nauseating.
Berlin Conference (1884): European countries decided they could claim African colonies just by setting up government offices in African territory. This set off a Great Scramble as Europeans rushed to colonize Africa.
The Berlin Conference • The Berlin Conference was Africa's undoing in more ways than one: • During the 19th century, colonial countries superimposed or forced their powers on the African continent, leading to strife and unrest. • By the time independence returned to Africa in the 1950s, Africa had developed a condition or custom of political division that could not be eliminated without significant strife on the part of the African peoples.
Impact of Colonial Period ● Partitioning of Africa • Negative Effects for Africa • Land was confiscated for farms for the European colonies. • African tribes lost control of their own countries. • Wars, revolts, and protests were common. • Conflicts broke out between tribes that were once friendly. • Starvation and disease became widespread. • “NEW BORDERS” were drawn that separated families and tribes.
Impact of Colonial Period ● Partitioning of Africa Positive Effects for Africa • Schools and hospitals built. • Economy was improved by new governments. • Roads and railroads were built. • Health was improved (medicine, hospitals, etc…) • Berlin Conference set a specific date for the end of the slave trade. • New technology elevated the standard of living.
White Man’s Burden Imperialism has been interpreted from a variety of viewpoints. The following documents express various viewpoints about the positive and negative effects of European imperialism. Task: Evaluate both the positive and negative effects of imperialism by answering the question pertaining to each source.
Document 1: O.P. Austin, "Does Colonization Pay" The Forum, 1900 "Modern progressive nations lying in the temperate zone seek to control garden spots’ in the tropics. [mainly in Africa, Latin America, and Asia] Under [the progressive nations] direction, these places can yield tropical produce. In return, the progressive nations bring to the people of those garden spots the foodstuffs and manufactures they need. [Progressive nations] develop the territory by building roads, canals, railways, and telegraphs. They can establish schools and newspapers for the colonies [and] give these people the benefit of other blessings of civilization which they have not the means of creating themselves." 1. According to the author, what benefits did the colonies receive from the "modern progressive nations"?
Document 2 "Learning civilized ways is hard work" 2. What did colonization mean for the native people?
Document 3: Imperialism and World Politics, Parker T. Moore, 1926 "To begin with, there are the exporters and manufacturers of certain goods used in the colonies. The makers of cotton and iron goods have been very much interested in imperialism. Their business interests demand that colonial markets should be opened and developed and that foreign competitors should be shut out. Such aims require political control and imperialism. Finally, the most powerful of all business groups are the bankers. Banks make loans to colonies and backward countries for building railways and steamship lines. They also make loans to colonial plantation owners, importers, and exporters. The imperialist business interests have powerful allies. Military and naval leaders believe strongly in extending the white man’s rule over the ‘inferior races,’ To this company may be added another element—the missionary. Missionaries went forth to preach a kingdom beyond this world. But they often found themselves the builders of very earthly empires. . . . Last, but by no means least, let us add politicians to our list of empire builders.“ 3. Who are the empire builders described in this passage?
Document 4: African proverb "When the whites came to our country, we had the land and they had the Bible, now we have the Bible and they have the land.“ 4. How did the Africans feel about the missionaries?
Document 5: An Anthology of West African Verse, David Diop, 1957 The White Man killed my father,My father was proud.The White Man seduced my mother,My mother was beautiful.The White Man burnt my brother beneath the noonday sun,My brother was strong.His hands red with black bloodThe White Man turned to me;And in the Conqueror’s voice said,"Boy! a chair, a napkin, a drink. 5. What were some negative effects of imperialism on Africa?
Document 6 This German cartoon, published in the early 20th century, is entitled "Thus colonize the English." 6. What is the point of view of this cartoonist about European imperialism?
Document 7 "Colonialism’s greatest misdeed was to have tried to strip us of our responsibility in conducting our own affairs and convince us that our civilization was nothing less than savagery, thus giving us complexes which led to our being branded as irresponsible and lacking in self-confidence. . . The colonial powers had assimilated each of their colonies into their own economy. Our continent possesses tremendous reserves of raw material and they, together with its potential sources of power, give it excellent conditions for industrialization. . ." Sekou Toure, West African nationalist, 1962 7. In 1962, what was the response of this West African nationalist to years of colonialism?
John Bull Uncle Sam Kaiser Wilhelm II
The Effects of Colonization “War” by Bob Marley Haile Selassie 1936
“That until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned: • That until there are no longer first-class and second class citizens of any nation; • That until the color of a man's skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes; • That until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race; • That until that day, the dream of lasting peace and world citizenship and the rule of international morality will remain but a fleeting illusion, to be pursued but never attained…” • “And until the ignoble and unhappy regimes that hold our brothers in Angola, in Mozambique and in South Africa in subhuman bondage have been toppled and destroyed… • Until that day, the African continent will not know peace. • We Africans will fight, if necessary, and we know that we shall win, as we are confident in the victory of good over evil.”
