Source: NC Journeys Africa, Asia and the Pacific Realm Imperialism in Africa Source: NC Journeys Africa, Asia and the Pacific Realm Chapter 5 Lessons 2 and 3

Up until the 1800s, few Europeans had explored Africa. Why hadn’t they wanted to explore Africa? Diseases, climate and geography (lack of natural harbors, dense forests, vast deserts, escarpments) pretty much deterred the explorers from continuing on past the coast

Faster transportation (steamship) and medication to protect explorers from disease encouraged exploration. Belgian, French, British and German explorers all competed with each other to find raw materials and natural resources. Did the Africans benefit from European exploration? NO!!!

What were some reasons for controlling Africa? Missionaries wanted to convert Africa to Christianity. $$$ from African ivory, gold and tropical trees Manufacturers needed raw materials for their goods and new people to buy them. Europeans could make their own trading policies.

IMPERIALISM Imperialism is the control by one country over another through economic, political or military means. Between 1880 and 1914, the UK, France Germany, Portugal, Italy, Spain and Belgium divided up Africa.

The Berlin Conference In 1884, European leaders met in Berlin, Germany to divide Africa. No Africans were present for this meeting. They literally took out a ruler and drew a line on the map of Africa and divided it up based on those boundaries.

At the Berlin Conference, Europeans made the new boundaries, NOT Africans. With these new borders, it mixed ethnic groups together and divided some groups apart. One example was the Masai. They were split between Germany and Britain ruled colonies. The mixing and separating of ethnic groups CAUSED MAJOR CONFLICT!!!

Another example of this conflict… Belgium controlled the land occupied by the Hutus and Tutsis of Rwanda. The 2 enemy groups ended up in a civil war (a civil war is conflict or a fight between groups within a country) and a genocide (when 1 group of people tries to eliminate another ethnic, racial or political group entirely).

Impacts of Imperialism European nations had no problems taking over Africa, but did not teach them how to be self-supporting and independent. People used to farm for their own basic needs (subsistence farming). Once Europeans ruled Africa, people farmed to benefit the colonial farmers.

Impacts of Imperialism Mining and cash crops became the 2 most important economic activities. Cash crops are crops grown for sale of export. Farmers went from farming grains and yams to coffee, tea, peanuts, cotton etc. European rulers imposed heavy taxes. As a result, many men had to go to work in mines or other places to earn tax $$$. This tore apart families and villages.

Independence (Lesson 3) After World War 2, the European nations suffered financially. Since they couldn’t afford to fight or keep their African colonies, Africans decided to take charge of their freedom. Most of the colonies gained their independence peacefully. South Africa remained under British rule until Nelson Mandela was elected President in 1994.