1. African
Imperialism

2. THE “DARK” CONTINENT
“Dark Continent” – racist terminology referred to both the peoples of Africa and their alleged ignorance
In reality, Africa has always had diverse groups of people with their own unique cultures and histories
Civilizations
Languages
Religions
Possible anecdote: Review of African cultures and civilizations, such as Mansa Musa and Great Zimbabwe. 2

3. GEOGRAPHY OF AFRICA Continent – not a country
Continent is three times larger than Europe
Northern Africa – desert
Mid-to-southern Africa – diverse climates and topography

4. DAVID LIVINGSTONE (1813-1873) Scottish missionary
– lived in central Africa
Explored Africa
Named Lake Victoria after the British queen
Converted many Africans to Christianity
Wrote books on Africa which piqued foreign interest
1871 – reported “lost”
“Found” by Henry Stanley
“Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”

5. HENRY STANLEY (1841-1904) Welsh-American reporter
“Found” Dr. Livingstone in Africa
“Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”
Explored Africa
Congo River
Lake Tanganyika
Lake Victoria
Worked with Belgium’s King Leopold II and his African colonization company
International African Society

6. Scramble for Africa
In the 1870s the Belgians began to trade with Africans in the Congo.
Fearing they would miss out on various raw materials, the other European nations scrambled to establish their presence on the continent.
King Leopold

7. KARL PETERS (1856-1918) German explorer in Africa
Organized and propagandized for Germany’s colonial expansion
Founded the Society for German Colonization
Acquired German East Africa (modern-day Tanzania)
Convinced Otto von Bismarck to take over German East Africa and increase Germany’s colonies in Africa

8. Scramble for Africa Berlin Conference
In 1884, to avoid conflict amongst themselves, European leaders met at the Berlin Conference to set up rules for colonizing Africa. No Africans were invited.
Berlin Conference

9. Scramble for Africa Berlin Conference
The European powers agreed that before they could claim territory they would have to set up an outpost. Whoever was the first to build the outpost gained that area of land.
Berlin Conference

10. CECIL RHODES ( )
British businessman and politician in southern Africa
Made a fortune from African diamond mines
Established South African Company
Land later became Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)
Prime minister of Cape Colony ( )
Wanted British control over South Africa
Wanted Cape-to-Cairo Railroad
Architect of British imperialism in southern Africa
Great Britain became leading colonial power in southern Africa

11. CECIL RHODES ( )

12. The Boers

13. Southern Africa AFRICA The Boers
In the mid-1600s, Dutch farmers known as Boers settled in southern Africa in Cape Colony. The Boers built Cape Town as a supply station.
In the 1700s, the Dutch herders and ivory hunters began to move north. The British then acquired Cape Colony in the early 1800s.
Boers
Cape Colony
Cape Colony
Cape
Town

14. Southern Africa The Anglo-Boer War
In the late 1800s, the discovery of gold and diamonds in the northern Boer territory set off the Anglo-Boer war.
The war was from and involved bitter guerrilla fighting. The British won, but at a great cost.
British
Boers

15. Boers
Boers
British

16. The Zulus

17. Southern Africa The Zulus
Shaka
Zulu
In the early 1800s in southern Africa, an African leader named Shaka conquered and united tribes to form the Zulu nation.
Zulu
Nation
Cape Colony
Cape
Town

18. Southern Africa The Zulus
The Zulus were skilled and organized fighters. Shaka used his power and fought against European slave traders and ivory hunters.

19. Southern Africa The Zulus
The Zulus also fought the Boers as they migrated north from Cape Colony.
Zulu
Nation
Boers
Cape Colony
Cape
Town

20. Southern Africa The Anglo-Zulu War
The Zulus came into conflict with the British as well. In 1879 the Zulus wiped out a British force at the battle of Isandlwana.

21. Southern Africa The Anglo-Zulu War
However, it was not long before the superior weaponry of the British overtook the Zulus at the battle of Rorke’s Drift.

22. Southern Africa AFRICA European Territory
In 1910, with southern Africa secure, the British established the Republic of South Africa and instituted apartheid.
Apartheid – government policy calling for separation of the races.
South
Africa
Cape Colony
Cape
Town

23. Britain’s claims in Africa were second in size only to France, but included heavily populated areas with greater natural resources.
British Territory
Britain controlled Egypt because of its strategic location.

24. BRITISH IN NORTH AFRICA

25. EUROPEANS IN EGYPT
1870s – with the Egyptian government bankrupt, the British and French took over financial control of the country
Egyptian monarchs (technically Ottoman viceroys) ruled as puppet leaders
1882 – Egyptian nationalist rebellion
France withdrew its troops
Great Britain left in control of Egypt
Lord Cromer introduced reforms
De facto British protectorate
Made official in 1914
Independence came in 1922

26. BRITISH IN NORTHERN AFRICA
Sudan
Area south of Egypt
Under Anglo-Egyptian control
Cotton needed for British textile mills
Entente Cordiale (1904)
Great Britain controlled Sudan
France controlled Morocco
Cape-to-Cairo Railroad
Idea of Cecil Rhodes
Would secure Great Britain’s dominance in Africa
Never completed – sections missing through modern Sudan and Uganda

27. Cape-to-Cairo Railway: Crossing over Victoria Falls

28. France was very powerful in North Africa, and later spread into West and Central Africa. The territory France controlled was as large as the United States.
French Territory

29. The newly formed German empire had to fight many battles against African natives to take lands in the southern half of Africa.
German Territory
Germany would lose its colonial territories after its loss in World War I.

30. The Italians crossed the Mediterranean and conquered Libya
The Italians crossed the Mediterranean and conquered Libya. They then took Somaliland in the horn of Africa, but were beaten badly by the Ethiopians.
Italian Territory

31. King Leopold and other wealthy Belgians exploited the riches of the Congo, and brutalized the natives. Many Africans were enslaved, beaten, and killed.
Belgium Territory

32. Although the leaders of the old imperialism, the African claims of the Portuguese and Spanish were minimal.
Portuguese Territory
Spanish Territory

33. Britain France Germany Italy Belgium Portugal Spain Europeans
In Africa
Britain
France
Germany
Italy
Belgium
Europeans
In Africa
By 1914
Portugal
Spain

34. Liberia and Ethiopia Independent Africans
After the slave trade was outlawed, abolitionists in the United States promoted the idea of returning freed slaves to Africa.
In the early 1800s, President Monroe helped free slaves settle in Liberia. The former slaves named the capital city Monrovia in his honor.
President
Monroe

35. Liberia

36. Liberia and Ethiopia Independent Africans
The Ethiopians kept their freedom through a successful military resistance. Emperor Menelik II modernized the army, along with roads, bridges, and schools.
When the Italians invaded they were defeated so badly by Menelik that no other Europeans tried to take Ethiopia.

37. Ethiopia
Menelik

38. Effects of Imperialism
Positive Results
Negative Results
1. Encouraged tribal wars by creating artificial borders
1. Improved medical care, sanitation, and nutrition
2. Created population explosion  famine
2. Increased agricultural production
3. Produced cash crops needed by Europeans, and not food for Africans
3. Improved transportation and communication facilities
4. Exploited natural resources: minerals, lumber, rubber, human rights.
4. Expanded educational opportunities
5. Downgraded traditional African culture  westernization
6. “Abandoned ship”