Colonization of Africa

What is Imperialism? To extend the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies.

The Scramble for Africa: Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 to Divide Africa In November 1884: chancellor of the German Empire, Otto von Bismarck, called a conference of 14 countries (including the United States) to divide up Africa 14 countries participated France, Germany, Great Britain, and Portugal were the major players in the conference, controlling most of colonial Africa at the time.

1st thing they did was agree the Congo River and Niger River mouths and basins would be considered neutral and open to trade. Even though it was neutral, the Congo Basin became a personal kingdom for King Leopold II of Belgium. Under his rule, over half of the region's population died.

Now there were boundaries that divided Africa into 50 countries. At the time of the conference, 80% of Africa remained under traditional and local control. Now there were boundaries that divided Africa into 50 countries. The new countries lacked rhyme or reason and divided coherent groups of people and merged together dissimilar groups who really did not get along. Ex: Clans who were family were now divided just because 2 European countries decided the new borders would go through their village. The result has created considerable ethnic problems since decolonization began in the 1960s

What belonged to Who? The French dominated most of West Africa British controlled East and Southern Africa. The Belgians acquired the vast territory that became The Congo. The Germans held four colonies Portuguese held a small colony in West Africa and two large ones in Southern Africa. The only change in possessions came after World War I. Germany's four colonies were placed under the League of Nations, and others were chosen to run those colonies

By 1895, the only independent states were: Liberia, founded with the support of the USA for returned slaves; Abyssinia (Ethiopia), the only free native state, which fended off Italian invasion from Eritrea during the first Italo-Abyssinian War of 1889-1896. By 1902, 90% of all the land that makes up Africa was under European control.

Result of Colonization The European colonial powers wanted Africa for 1 reason: exploitation. Some colonial powers were democracies (the UK & France); others were dictatorships (Portugal, Spain). In the Belgian Congo, King Leopold II, embarked on a campaign of ruthless exploitation. His enforcers mobilized almost the entire Congolese populations to gather rubber, kill elephants for their ivory, and build public works to improve export routes. For failing to meet production quotes, entire communities were massacred. Killing and maiming became routine. After the impact of the slave trade, King Leopold's reign of terror was Africa's most severe demographic disaster. By the time it ended as many as 10 million Congolese had been murdered. .

What happens now? 1941: US President T. Roosevelt and Great Britain’s Prime Minister Winston Churchill met to discuss. First created Atlantic Charter Countries started to gain independence in 1947 (Liberia) and 1951 (Libya). All countries were independent by 1993 except South Sudan (July 2011) and Western Sahara (contested- 1976)

African Independence