European Colonialism in Africa

What is Colonization? Colonization is the process in which one country takes control of a piece of foreign land, and declares that land to be their own. Examples: Canada- colonized by English and French United States- Colonized by English India colonized by English

What do colonizers do? Colonizers attempt to make the colony an extension of their country. They bring their own money, religion, government, clothes, food, animals, everything! The native peoples’ culture often disappears.

What’s the point? Money, Money, Money!-Colonizers create new colonies as a way to get valuable resources that are worth lots of money. Religion (Missionaries)-Colonizers often went to spread their religion to natives Racism- Colonizers believed themselves to be superior to the natives that they conquered

African Trade [15c-17c] Africa has a large source of Natural Resources desired by Europeans

Pre-19c (1800s) European Trade with Africa Before the 1800s, Europeans colonized very little of Africa

Before European Colonization Africa 1890 Before European Colonization

Partitioning of Africa A Partition is something that is used to divide one space from another, hence the partitioning of Africa is when Europeans divided up Africa for themselves

Europeans Fought with themselves over the continent

Africa in 1914 After Colonization, Europeans had taken over (almost) ALL of the African Continent

The Belgian Congo: "King Leopold's Ghost"

The Congo Free State or The Belgian Congo

King Leopold II: (r. 1865 – 1909)

Harvesting Rubber

Colonization in the Congo Belgium controlled the Congo. King Leopold II of Belgium wanted to get as many natural resources as possible out of the Congo---Like Ivory and Rubber Leopold did not care how many people might die in the process!

Belgium’s Stranglehold on the Congo

No Africans were invited Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 Another point of view? The Berlin Conference is where all the European powers divided up Africa, each taking what they wanted. No Africans were invited

The Berlin Conference cut up Africa like a cake

Berlin Conference 1884-1885

The Struggle For South Africa

Shaka Zulu (1785 – 1828)

Battle of Isandlwana The Zulu Tribe fought the British and the British LOST This was Very Humiliating to the British who was suppose to have the strongest military in the world.

Diamond Mines, were South Africa’s great natural resource Raw Diamonds

The Struggle for South Africa Europeans often grouped opposing tribes into one big country

“The Colossus of Rhodes” Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902) Cecil Rhodes started a diamond company in South Africa. The company started by Rhodes still controls 60 % of the worlds diamonds today “The Colossus of Rhodes”

Apartheid South Africa used a form of extreme segregation known as Apartheid. Apartheid allowed for white (Europeans) to get many opportunities that non-whites did not get.

Nelson Mandela Nelson Mandela protested apartheid, and was in jail for over 20 years. After he was released from jail he went on to become the first African Prime Minister of South Africa

European Motives For Colonization European Nationalism Source for Raw Materials Missionary Activity Industrial Revolution European Motives For Colonization Markets for Finished Goods Military & Naval Bases Social Darwinism European Racism Places to Dump Unwanted/ Excess Popul. Humanitarian Reasons Soc. & Eco. Opportunities “White Man’s Burden”

European Explorers in Africa 19c  Europeans Map the Interior of Africa

5-8 Million Victims Died! (50% of Popul.) It is blood-curdling to see them (the soldiers) returning with the hands of the slain, and to find the hands of young children amongst the bigger ones evidencing their bravery...The rubber from this district has cost hundreds of lives, and the scenes I have witnessed, while unable to help the oppressed, have been almost enough to make me wish I were dead... This rubber traffic is steeped in blood, and if the natives were to rise and sweep every white person on the Upper Congo into eternity, there would still be left a fearful balance to their credit. -- Belgian Official