Africa and the Middle East Section 1 Africa

Africa and the Middle East Section 1

Africa and the Middle East Section 1 African Nations Gain Independence Preview • Starting Points Map: Africa and the Middle East • Main Idea / Reading Focus • British and French Colonies • Faces of History: Jomo Kenyatta • Portuguese and Belgian Colonies • South Africa • Map: Independence in Africa

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Africa and the Middle East Section 1 African Nations Gain Independence Main Idea After World War II, almost all countries in Africa gained independence from ruling European powers. Reading Focus • What ideas and actions led to independence for British and French colonies? • Why did Portuguese and Belgian colonies have difficulty achieving independence? • What effect did apartheid have on the lives of black South Africans?

Africa and the Middle East Section 1 British and French Colonies After 1945 European colonial powers began a process of decolonization—the withdrawal of colonial powers from their colonies and areas of influence. Great Britain and France led the way. Ghana • British colony of the Gold Coast, West Africa, first to achieve independence • African leaders established convention to demand greater participation in government Two Movements National Elections • Goal: to cooperate with British, gain influence peacefully • Nkrumah led strikes, demonstrations • Less cooperative movement also brewing • 1947, Kwame Nkrumah became leader of Convention People’s Party (CCP) • British jailed him • Still transformed CCP into major political party • 1951, British pressured into allowing national elections

Africa and the Middle East Section 1 New Nation CCP swept Gold Coast national elections • Nkrumah continued to press for independence – 1957, Britain granted Gold Coast full independence – Nkrumah became first prime minister of new nation, Ghana

Section 1 Africa and the Middle East Kenya In the 1950 s the Kenyan path to independence did not go as smoothly as it did in Ghana. Conflict Mau • Ownership of land, possibility of independence led to conflict between white Kenyan farmers, native Kikuyu people • Leader of Kenya’s nationalist movement, Jomo Kenyatta argued for Kikuyu’s right to land, its importance • Farmers feared independence would cause them to lose large tracts of valuable cash crops in Kenyan highlands • Many Kikuyu farmers formed violent movement, Mau • Kikuyu wanted these ancestral homelands back • Group terrorized highlands, murdered anyone opposing them, including Africans who cooperated with white settlers

Africa and the Middle East Section 1 British Regain Control British eventually regained control of colony • British murdered, tortured members of Mau movement • Late 1950 s, British convinced to accept decolonization – 1963, Kenya became independent nation – Jomo Kenyatta became first prime minister

Africa and the Middle East Section 1

Africa and the Middle East Section 1 French Africa Different Path • French African colonies followed different path toward independence • French goal had been to incorporate colonies into France itself • Prime Minister Charles de Gaulle tried to pursue goal after World War II Benefits in Relationship • African leaders believed they should have greater opportunities for self-rule • However, rejected final break with France because they believed Africans could attain economic, cultural benefits from continued relationship French Community • 1958, de Gaulle called for referendum on continued union • Most colonies voted to join new organization, known as French Community • France granted most colonies of Community independence a few years later

Africa and the Middle East Section 1 Find the Main Idea How did Britain grant independence to its African colonies? Answer(s): Britain granted independence to its colonies after they began nationalist movements.

Africa and the Middle East Section 1 Portuguese and Belgian Colonies Transition Difficult Belgian Congo • Transition to independence for Belgian, Portuguese colonies more difficult than for British, French • After World War II, Belgian government agreed to prepare people of Belgian Congo for self -government • Belgians, Portuguese held on to colonies longer than any other European nations • 1950 s, African nationalists in Congo demanded immediate self-government • Violence forced decolonization • 1960, Belgians announced complete withdrawal; soon violence toward Belgian settlers, civil war erupted

Africa and the Middle East Section 1 Leaders Emerge in Portuguese Colonies • Portugal continued to hold on to colonies • Meanwhile, African leaders emerged in colonies of Angola, Portuguese Guinea, Mozambique • Leaders organized armies to fight for independence Bloody Warfare in Portuguese Colonies • Long years of bloody warfare marked last decades of Portuguese rule • War, military coup in Portugal drained Portuguese economy; made it impossible to continue support of colonies • 1974, Portugal withdrew completely from Africa

Africa and the Middle East Section 1 Summarize How did Africans in the Portuguese colonies achieve independence? Answer(s): African leaders organized armies to fight for independence; years of bloody warfare ended Portuguese rule.

Section 1 Africa and the Middle East South Africa In the early 1900 s South Africa was run by white Afrikaners— descendants of the original Dutch settlers. Even though South Africa had received independence from Great Britain in 1910, nonwhites in South Africa were not free under the Afrikaner government. Apartheid Racial Separation • 1948, racial discrimination heightened when Afrikanerdominated National Party began to run South African government • Apartheid policy divided into four racial groups: White, Black, Colored (mixed ancestry), Asian • Instituted policy of apartheid, “apartness” in Afrikaner language • Attempted to create greater separation between whites, nonwhites, impose harsh controls Apartheid laws banned interracial marriages, and placed further restrictions on African ownership of land businesses.

Section 1 Africa and the Middle East Apartheid Laws Harsh on Blacks Citizenship Denied • Apartheid laws especially harsh on blacks in South Africa • Under apartheid, only white South Africans could vote, hold political office • Required to carry passes, identity books • Also faced imprisonment if police found them in an area for more than 72 hours without pass • Blacks made up nearly 75 percent of population, were denied South African citizenship • Restricted to certain occupations, very little pay

Section 1 Africa and the Middle East Homelands Townships Further Segregation • Apartheid placed limits on where blacks could live • Restricted businesses allowed in townships, kept people poor • Required to live in impoverished areas of cities called townships • 1950 s, created rural “homelands” for tribes, groups Citizenship • Did not include good farmland, resources • Used homelands as excuse for depriving blacks of citizenship Aliens • Men forced to migrate without families to work in mines, factories, farms • Homeland policy made millions resident aliens in own country

Africa and the Middle East Section 1

Africa and the Middle East Section 1

Africa and the Middle East Section 1

Africa and the Middle East Section 1 Find the Main Idea What was apartheid, and how did it function? Answer(s): policy of separating whites and nonwhites and placing restrictions upon nonwhites; enforced by police, laws