Imperialism in Africa&

The Slave TradeUnit Two:

Chapter Three

Imperialism in Africa

• ImperialismImperialism – The dominationdomination by one country of the

political, social, economic, and/or cultural life of another country

Imperialism in Africa

• The Age of Imperialism is broken into two periods: – Old Imperialism: Time between 1500 and

1800, when European nations looked to gain territory on the coast of Africa.

• European power was limited

Imperialism in Africa

• New Imperialism: Time between 1870 and 1914, focused mainly in Africa. – European nations had become stronger due

to the Industrial Revolution

Imperialism in Africa

• The Old Imperialism in Africa – Began in the 1400s

• The Portuguese explored the coasts of Africa• They were unable to push into the African interior

– Mid-1600s• The Dutch arrived in Southwest Africa, and

established Cape Town • These Dutch were known as “Boers” • The Boers enslaved many native Africans

Most of the EuropeanControlled lands areLocated on the coastalAreas of Africa

Imperialism in Africa

• Triangular Trade and Slavery – Causes of the Slave Trade

• Europeans viewed African slaves as the most valuable African trade goods in the 1500s

• Europeans began buying large numbers of Africans to satisfy the labor shortage on American plantations

Slaved being transported from Africa in the 1800s

Imperialism in Africa

• Triangular Trade– The slave trade grew into a valuable business

– The “Triangular Trade” involved Europe, Africa, and the Americas

• The sea routes formed a triangle

The Triangular Trade between Africa, Europe, and the Americas

Imperialism in Africa

• The Slave Trade – Slavery was a complete disregard for Human

Rights • Enslaved people lost their freedom

• Enslaved people could be bought and sold

• Enslaved people endured disease, overcrowding, and terrible mistreatment in the Middle PassageMiddle Passage

Example of the brutal mistreatment facedBy the millions of Africans during the timeOf the slave trade

Imperialism in Africa

• The Slave Trade– The Middle Passage

• The voyage from Africa to the Americas

• Millions of Africans died on the way from disease, mistreatment, or suicide

Above, a blueprint for a slave trip, and the Placement slaves throughout the ship.Right, a picture depicting African conditions On the slave ships

Imperialism in Africa

• Effects of the Slave Trade– When the slave trade ended in the 1800s,

almost 11 million Africans were enslaved

– Some African societies and small states completely disappeared forever

Imperialism in Africa

• Causes of New Imperialism– Nationalism: Promotes the idea of national

superiority• Imperialists felt they had the right to take control of

countries they viewed as weaker

European nations carving up the world -- Imperialism

Imperialism in Africa

• Causes of New Imperialism– Social Darwinism

• Applied Charles Darwin’s theory of survival of the fittest to competition between nations

• It was natural for stronger nations to dominate weaker ones

Imperialism in Africa

• Causes of New Imperialism– Military Power

• A nation with many colonies had power and security

• Colonies were important as bases for resupply of ships

Imperialism in Africa

• Causes of New Imperialism– Economic Motives

• Imperialists needed raw materials to supply their factories

• Imperialists needed foreign markets to sell their products

Imperialism in Africa

• Causes of New Imperialism– White Man’s Burden

• Poem by Rudyard Kipling • Expressed the idea that white imperialists had a

moral duty to educate people in nations they considered to be weaker

• Missionaries spread western ideas, customs, and religions to people in Africa

Imperialism in Africa

• The Scramble for Africa– Very little was known about the interior of

Africa before 1870• Europeans referred to Africa as the “Dark

Continent”

Imperialism in Africa

• The Scramble for Africa– 1870s, King Leopold of Belgium sent

missionaries to the center of Africa, the Congo

– The presence of Belgium in the Congo set off a scramble among other European nations to establish a presence in Africa

King Leopold of Belgium, beganThe Scramble for Africa

The Belgian Congo – The first area in the interior of Africa controlled by Europeans

Imperialism in Africa

• The Scramble for Africa– The Berlin Conference The Berlin Conference 1884

• Goal: For Europeans to meet to avoid conflict and set up rules for colonizing Africa

• Actions TakenActions Taken: Divided Africa with little regard for the people who lived there

• EffectsEffects: Most of the continent of Africa comes under control of Europeans

European nations meeting at the Berlin Conference, no African leaders wereinvited

Imperialism in Africa

• Battles in Africa– Boer WarBoer War

• Background: Cecil Rhodes became Prime Minister of the Cape Colony (South Africa)

• Under Rhodes leadership, Britain began to extend its control of southern Africa

Cecil Rhodes expandsBritain's control over theAfrican continent

Imperialism in Africa

• Battles in Africa– Late 1800s: Britain annexed (Took over) the

areas under control of the Boers

• The Boers resisted British control, and the Boer War began

Imperialism in Africa

• Battles in Africa– The Boer WarThe Boer War

• Time: 1899-1902• Between: British and Dutch• Outcome: Britain wins

– Establish the Union of South Africa in 1910

Pictures of Boer military men during The Boer War

Imperialism in Africa

• Effects of Imperialism– Large numbers of Africans came under

foreign rule – Economies became dependent on

industrialized powers – Western culture spread to new regions – Traditional societies were destroyed