The Scramble for Africa

Guiding Questions

• Why did mother countries lose most of

their colonies?

• Why do the mother countries want to

colonize Africa?

• Who organized the colonization process?

• What were the rules?

• How did they govern the colonies?

Mother Countries Lose Colonies

• In the early 1800’s, Europe’s mother

countries had lost most of their colonies.

– England had lost the American colonies in

the American Revolution

– Spain had lost most of their holdings in

North, Central, and South America due to

uprisings and revolts.

– The Portuguese had lost most of their

colonies to the Dutch

– The Dutch managed to hold on to their

colonies, but with great difficulty

Reasons for the Scramble

• Late 1800’s, Europe decides

to colonize Africa

• Europe wants to colonize

Africa to ensure trade

• England wants to control the

Suez Canal to ensure a

shorter route to India

• Gold and diamonds found all

over Africa!!

• Palm oil and lots of timber for export

• Greediness! They want to get land

just so the others won’t get it first!

• Nationalism is on the rise in Europe.

Citizens feel a sense of pride about

their countries worldwide assets.

Treaty of Berlin

• European and American leaders met in Berlin to

discuss the colonization of Africa

• King Leopold of Belgium wanted to exploit the

Congo River Valley.

• However, the other participants wanted to

regulate the new colonies to be made and make

sure they had access to important trade routes.

Treaty Rules

• Colonized areas must be occupied, not just

claimed

• Mother countries must defend their claims

and set up a colonial government

• They agreed not to import any more

firearms into Africa (giving them a military

advantage)

• Agreed to ban Inter-African slave trade

Effects of Treaty of Berlin

• Over 90% of Africa was now under

European Control

• The new borders ignored the traditional

boundaries. It separated peoples who had

gotten along, as well as joining groups

together who were traditional enemies.

• Even language groups were separated

from each other

Types of Colonial Rule

1. Company Charter: The mother country

gives permission for the company to go in

and exploit the natural resources of the area.

2. Direct Rule: The mother country divides up

the local areas and rules over them

individually (so they can’t join together for

revolt)

3. Indirect Rule: the mother country

allowed local chiefs to rule, but really

they were just “puppets” of the

mother country

4. Settler’s Rule: Mother country

sends colonists over and they take

charge of governing the colony

(Example: South Africa)

Follow up questions

• Why did mother countries lose most of

their colonies?

• Why do the mother countries want to

colonize Africa?

• Who organized the colonization process?

• What were the rules?

• How did they govern the colonies?