1. Imperialism: Scramble for Africa
Imperialism = the seizing of countries to create an empire

2. Africa Before Imperialism
Cultural Diversity
Many different ethnic groups & languages
Various religious beliefs
Varying Governments
Africa controlled their own specialized trade networks
Europeans had been in Africa since 1450s but only along coast
Traveling to interior was difficult, disease discouraged exploration

3. Why Imperialism? Economic factors Political factors
Industrialization  need to find more resources for production
Competition between countries (for wealth)
Political factors
Nationalism
Competition between countries (for power)

4. Why Imperialism? Cultural factors  Belief in European superiority
Social Darwinism = those fittest for survival enjoyed wealth & success, were superior to others
“Civilize” or “Westernize” natives
Religious motives
Spreading Christianity  justification?

5. Britain Led in Colonization – Why?
In the mid-1800s, Britain was the most powerful nation in the world
- Factories produced more goods
- British Navy guarded the oceans to transport their goods
- British banks loaned $ to fund colonization
Other countries followed Britain’s lead & came to see colonies as necessary for their economic well-being
Countries that had no colonies set out to acquire them

6. European Interest in Africa

7. “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”

8. Belgium & the Congo King Leopold II of Belgium
Commissioned Henry Stanley to get land in Congo
Signed treaties w/local chiefs to get Congo River Valley
Abolish slave trade? Promote Christianity?
Brutally exploited Africans
Land taken away from Leopold II
 NO!

9. Cecil Rhodes, Confession of Faith, 1877
“I contend that we [Britain] are the first race in the world, and the more of the world we inhabit, the better it is for the human race…It is our duty to seize every opportunity of acquiring more territory and we should keep this one idea steadily before our eyes that more territory simply means more of the Anglo-Saxon race, more of the best, the most human, most honourable race the world possesses.”

10. How did Imperialism Develop?
I.R. led to superior technology
Better weapons
Better communication w/distant colonies
Europe’s strong governments
Ability to manage overseas territories
Africa was…
Disunified (local tribal conflicts)
New drug quinine protected Europeans from malaria

11. How did Imperialism Develop?
Berlin Conference
Euro countries met to divide Africa
African rulers not invited!

13. Demand for Raw Materials
Few Africans bought Euro goods
Euro businesses needed Africa’s materials & resources
Congo had copper, tin
S. Africa had gold, diamonds
Businesses developed cash-crop plantations  displaced food crops grown by local farmers to feed families

14. Resistance & Conflict Zulus in South Africa
Zulus were highly disciplined warriors
Zulus v. British in 1879
British won

15. Boers in South Africa Boers (Dutch settlers) v. British
1st Europeans to settle S. Africa were Dutch farmers known as “Boers” (aka Afrikaners)
Took African’s land & established large farms
British clashed w/Boers over policies

16. The Boer War Boer War (South African War) British defeated the Boers
1st modern “total war” – commando raids, guerrilla tactics
British defeated the Boers
Boer republics joined into self-governing Union of South Africa (controlled by Britain)

17. A New Period of Imperialism
Control Techniques
Management Techniques
Colony – governed internally by foreign power
Protectorate – own internal gov’t but under authority of foreign power
Sphere of influence – outside power claims exclusive investment
Economic imperialism – independent but less developed country is controlled by private business interests
Indirect control – gov’t officials are local (not foreign)  self-rule
Direct control – foreign gov’t officials (out of country)
Paternalism – provided their needs but did not give them rights
Assimilation – adopt European culture

18. African Resistance
“Nor is violent physical opposition to abuse and injustice henceforth possible for the African in any part of Africa. His chances of effective resistance have been steadily dwindling with the increasing perfectibility in the killing power of modern armament.
Thus, the African is really helpless against the material gods of the white man, as embodied in the trinity of imperialism, capitalist exploitation, and militarism.”
~ Edward Morel, The Black Man’s Burden

19. African Resistance Many attempts were unsuccessful
Inferior weapons, no unity
Successful resistance in Ethiopia
Emperor Menelik II played Euro countries against one another
Ethiopia built up weaponry
Remained independent from Europe

20. Positive Effects of Colonial Rule
Reduced local warfare
Humanitarian efforts = better sanitation, hospitals & schools
Life-spans & literacy increased
Brought new technologies to Africa
BUT….
Mostly benefited European businesses, not Africans’ lives

21. Negative Effects of Colonial Rule
Died from new diseases (smallpox) & famines
Breakdown of traditional cultures
Division of tribes, kinship groups, chiefdoms