Imperialists Divide Africa

Chapter 27 Section 1

Daily Objective & Do NowDaily Objective:

analyze reasons for imperialism & its continuing effects on African nations today.

Do Now: What are some reasons why larger nations take over or

exert power over smaller nations?

I Africa Before Imperialism•Before imperialism of Africa African

ppl were divided into hundreds of ethnic & linguistic groups (over 1,000 diff lang.)• Some kept traditional beliefs others

converted to Christianity or Islam•Af. Empires and armies able to fend of

European armies for over 400 yrs• Set up and controlled trade networks

•Wasn’t until the intro of riverboats could Europeans navigate and explore further into mainland Af.

II Nations Compete for Overseas EmpiresA. The Congo Sparks Interests

• Stanley goes to Africa and signed treaties w/ local chiefs of Congo River Valley giving king of Belgium personal control of lands• Claimed goal was to stop slave trade

but he forced native people to labor• Forced labor to collect sap from rubber

plants• Conditions so severe the global com.

SignedBelgium gov’t takes over colony• France also makes treaty giving them

northern Congo• Other European countries claim parts of

Africa

B. Motives Driving Imperialism• Econ, Pol., & social forces taking over

lands all parts of world• Imperialism= takeover of country or terr. By

a stronger nation w/ intent on dominating pol, econ, & social of the ppl in that nation

• Industrial Revimperialism for raw materials• Nationalism alsoimperialism because of

need to show power• Tech advancement of Euros more other

ppl their belief of superiority• Racism= idea that one race is superior to

others

• Social Darwinism based idea of Charles Darwin's ‘survival of the fittest” applied to society• Those most fit for survival enjoyed wealth

U& success & were considered superior to others• Non Europeans considered lower scale

culturally and physically because they did not have equal tech

• Europeans believed it was their right and duty to bring their progress to others• Push for expansion also from missionaries

looking to convert ppl in order to “civilize” and “westernize”

C. Forces Enabling Imperialism•Maxim gun invented•World first automatic weapon• European countries acquire the

weapon while African nations had outdated weapons

• Steam engine also allowed Europeans estab bases on control deep into Africa•All these made control over

African easier

• Europeans highly susceptible to malaria• Regular doses of a new drug, quinine, protected against malaria

• Diff among ethnic groupswars that caused disunityeuroperans playing rival groups against each other

III African Lands became European ColoniesA. Berlin Conference Divides Africa

• Comp for control of landsfears among Europe nation that war would break out• Berlin conference (1844-5) laid down

the rules for the division of Africa to prevent war

•Any nation could claim land by notifying other nations of their claims and showing they could control that area• divided continent w/ no thought to how

ethnic or lang. groups were dist.

B. Demand for Product Shapes Colonies

•As Europeans colonized they believed conquered Africans would buy Euro goods in mass quantizes• Did not happen but euro co.s needed

raw materialsdev. Of cash crop plantationsdisplacement of food crops used to feed farmers & fams

• Largest resources on continent was mineral resources (copper & tin) which was small compared to gold & diamonds in S Af.

IV Three Groups Clash over South Africa

• History of South Africa is history of Africans, Dutch, & British clashing over land & resources• Locals wars shook S Af.Zulu chief Shaka

creating large centralized state• Successors could not keep controlZulu

land to GB• Dutch settlers AKA Boers set up station for

their ship on Cape of Good Hope• Gradually take over African's land and est.

large farms• Boars and British clash over GB policy

regarding land and slavery

•Great Trek= Boers moving north to escape British fighting w/ other African groups•Discover of diamonds and gold in southern Africa outsiders coming into country•Boars take up arms against the BritishBoaer Wars• First modern total war• Boars used guerilla tactics while British burn down boer

farms & prisoners in concentration camps•GB wins Boer Wars unification of lands creating

Union of South Africa controlled by GB