The Partition of Africa Africa Before Imperialism Africa

The Partition of Africa

Africa Before Imperialism Africa is a huge continent, nearly three times the size of Europe. Across, it had many regions, people spoke hundreds of languages and they developed varied types of governments.

Africa in the early 1800’s North Africa had fertile land Sahara desert. It was under Ottoman empire rule. East Africa had ivory & copper. They traded ivory and copper with Europeans for cloth & firearms. West Africa had uprisings against European rule. Under their own rule, literacy increased, wars reduced, & trade improved. By early 1800, Europeans began to outlaw slavery.

European Contact Increases Geography, diseases, and resistance keep Europeans out of Africa until Industrial Revolution advances such as new medical technology and river steamships. With these new advances explorers were able to advance farther into Africa’s interior. Missionaries soon entered Africa bringing their desire to convert Africans to Christianity. They built schools and churches in a effort to spread Christian ideas and beliefs. These missionaries had a paternalistic view of Africans. They saw them as uncivilized children who needed guidance.

Dr. David Livingstone is the best known explorer and missionary from this time period. He was sympathetic to the Africans and avidly fought against the slave trade. He also wanted to open central Africa to Christianity and trade.

A Scramble for Colonies King Leopold II of Belgium set off a scramble to grab Africa. In these scramble all European nations wanted a piece of Africa. Leopold claimed he wanted to colonize Africa in a attempt to civilize them but he was really seeking conquest and profit.

Berlin Conference In an effort to avoid conflict and bloodshed, European nations met at the Berlin Conference. No Africans were invited to this conference They agreed that a European power could claim any part of Africa unless it had set up a government office there.

Horrors in the Congo Belgium had control of the Congo which was rich in natural resources such as rubber, copper and ivory. The natives were forced to work for almost nothing, savagely mutilated and even killed.

Africans Resist Imperialism European colonizers were often met by armed resisters.

Imperialism’s Impact Today Ethnic conflict in Africa is most likely the effect of the European policy of carving up of Africa with little regard for traditional patterns of settlement or ethnic boundaries.