1. Imperialism and its effect on Modern Africa
CH 20 & 22

2. Do Now: 1/2/2014 Define the following in your vocabulary section:
Imperialism
Colonialism
Discuss with a partner: Why would it be better to own a resource than to trade for it?
- When one country takes control of another country or region; typically to establish a colony.
- When a country takes political and economic control of another country, usually to take over its resources.

3. European Interest in Africa Grows…
During the 1800s European nations traded extensively with West African Kingdoms in the north for salt and gold, while the south western coast provided Europe with slaves for the international slave trade.
Europeans rarely traveled inland for trade. Land routes were dangerous because of foreign diseases and the possibility of fights with African & Arab forces that controlled Africa’s interior trade routes.

4. European Interest in Africa Grows…
By the Mid-1800s European governments, companies & churches began sending diplomats, merchants, and missionaries to explore Africa’s interior.
This enabled Europe to take control of African lands and trade routes.
European countries came into conflict with one another over control of African territories.

5. Imperial Africa
To avoid conflicts, European leaders met in Berlin in 1884 to claim African lands and establish trading monopolies. No African leaders were represented at the conference.
The Berlin Conference established new rules for African imperialism.
European countries needed to establish control over the area before claiming it and must inform other European countries of new land claims.

6. Imperial Africa
African lands were partitioned and new borders were put into place, establishing African colonies.
These colonies were controlled by Spain, Belgium, Portugal, France, Great Britain & Italy from the 1880s into the late 1900s.

7. Colonial Rule
European countries claimed African lands because they wanted access to Africa’s large supply of natural resources at the cheapest prices possible.
Africa is rich in gold, diamonds, ivory, rubber, coffee, cotton, and cocoa.
Trade is expensive, owning a resource is much cheaper than trading for it.

8. Colonial Rule
Once claimed, Europeans established colonial governments. Many Africans were forced into slave labor to meet the new colonial demands.

9. Modern Africa
Prior to World War II ( ), many African nations were forced to become colonies of European nations. Many European powers emerged weak and poor from WWII, and could no longer afford their African colonies.
In 1957, Ghana was the first nation in Sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence, and by 1990 all Africa nations had declared their independence.

10. Ethnic Conflict & Dictatorship
When Europeans colonized an area they did not the sub-ethnic groups of Africa, and considered all people to simply be Africans.
As a result, the independent nations that emerged after WWII contained hundreds of different ethnic groups. This brought tension between the different groups that were now forced into one country.

11. Ethnic Conflict & Dictatorship
Many one-party states allowed military dictatorships to take control of their government.
These dictatorships tried to force differing ethnic groups to live in peace.

12. Apartheid in South Africa
Though the majority of the population in South Africa is black, a government comprised of only white people ruled until 1994, when black citizens gained the right to vote.
The white governments had enforced strict racial separation between white, black, Asian and mixed peoples.

13. AIDs Crisis
1980s- Global health crisis developed with the spread of AIDS, a fatal condition caused by the HIV virus that gradually wears down a person’s immune system.
This “modern plague” hit African countries harder than anywhere else. In several countries more than ¼ of the adult population is infected.

14. Poverty
Africa is rich in natural resources, yet within the global economy it remains the poorest continent.
Many African governments enforce trade practices that are unfair to its citizens, but make the government official rich.
Poor farming conditions have forced many African countries to import expensive food supplies to sustain populations in areas that cannot farm.

15. Post-it Prove-it
Write your name and period on the post-it. Briefly answer the following questions:
What was the benefit of imperialism to European countries?
What problems has colonialism created in Africa?