The Scramble for Africa The Berlin Conference and

The Scramble for Africa The Berlin Conference and the Colonization of Africa

“Imperialism and Colonialism in Africa” • Phase I: 1880 -1914: The partition of Africa by European powers

European Powers involved in the conquest of Africa France and Britain were the largest two countries involved in the conquest for Africa. Britain and France ended up controlling about two thirds of the African continent. The other major European powers who contended for African territory were Belgium, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Spain.

Reasons for Europeans to explore the African continent • Scientific interest • The spread of Christianity • Imperialism The nineteenth century in Europe was an age of curiosity for unknown lands, in particular Asia and Africa

Exploring and Science • Technological advancements: Scientists were learning knew ways to promote good health for missionaries and explorers as they traveled throughout the world. • Medical advances were developed to fight tropical diseases. The development of quinine, an effective treatment for malaria, enabled vast expanses of the tropics to be penetrated. • Technological advancements were made in transportation. Improved railroad, and stream navigation encourage overseas expansion • The telegraph was a great advancement in communication • Exploring new areas brought possibilities of new discoveries David Livingstone

The Spread of Christianity Many Europeans felt like it was their duty to “civilize” the Africans , and hence they felt like it was their right to take over Africa. This belief goes hand-in-hand with the idea of spreading Christianity throughout Africa and converting the Africans in the process. This process of Christianization of the Africans was, in fact, part of the Europeanology of “civilizing” them. The Christian missionaries set up schools and churches, teaching them the English language and Christian ways. Colonial officials believed that Christianity would provide support for colonial rule. That is, they believed that Africans who converte to Christianity would be likely to see the value of colonial rule and would not oppose European rule.

Missionaries • Originally did their work near Africa’s coast – Why? • Easy transportation • Support from other European settlers • Unfamiliar with Africa’s interior

Ethnocentrism The late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries also brought about the rise of a new belief, called ethnocentrism, among the European people. It is the belief that one group of people feels superior to other groups of people, due primarily to cultural differences. This belief was prevalent among the Europeans who believed that the Africans were inferior and “uncivilized, ” because they were not technologically advanced and still lived in “primitive” way.

Imperialism: the exercise of power by a state beyond Its boundaries Colonialism: a form of imperialism: the administrative Control by a state over other people.

Facts Imperialism An Agreement was reached among all European powers in 1884 -85 at the Berlin Conference. At the conference, all the European powers met and partitioned Africa with the purpose to avoid future conflict among the European Powers. Politically, the European powers wanted power and prestige. Wealth in terms of territorial gains meant power, and the more territory a country controlled, the more powerful it was. Economically, Africa was rich in resources and cheap labor. The Africans themselves were so dependent on the Europeans for overseas trade that they had not thought to create a resistance, nor did they know of the consequences it might create.

Facts Imperialism * The colonial governments took much of the land away from the Africans for personal or commercial use. * The Europeans took the best land to call their own. * Since the European powers needed the manpower to manage their farms and mining companies, they used Africans as cheap labor. The Africans, either having lost their lands or not able to live off their lands, began to move to towns, farms, or mines in search of work. • • • The colonial governments also needed money to pay for running their overseas governments and for services for settler communities. Their mother countries in Europe gave the colonial governments little financial help, and so they needed to increase their capital by taxing the local Africans. Taxes had to be paid in European currency. Because of the loss of manpower after the two world wars, the European colonial powers started a new policy of forced labor, in the 1920 s. African men were separated from their families, villages lacked the manpower food production , which led to famine.

Imperialism: Colonial governments • Colonialism: system of political, economic, & cultural control imposed by foreign, mother country • Colonies grow out of mercantilism

Mercantilism: World’s wealth is like a pie. – Wealth based in real things (gold, land, etc. ). – Africa rich in natural resources. – “Any piece that’s not mine belongs to my European enemy. ”

Europeans want colonies around the world. – Colonies export raw materials to mother country. – Mother country sells factory goods to colonies. • Why is this good for Europe? • Colonies often forced to trade only with mother country. – Industrial Revolution

Imperialism Colonial governments • Europeans worry about “balance of power” • Europeans compete with Europeans over Africa. • Germany suggests Africa is not worth “fighting” over. • Germany suggests Europeans carve up Africa through negotiations, not war. • Europeans agree to negotiate in Berlin, Germany.

Imperialism: Colonial governments • Conference of Berlin (1884 -1885) – Rules • No slavery • No interference with other colonies • Europeans must occupy a colony to keep ownership.

Imperialism: Colonial governments –Europeans divided Africa along borders reflecting European interests. • Divided African ethnic groups. • Even today, many Africans care more for their ethnic group than their nation, leading to many civil wars. • Europeans tried to gain parts of Africa that reflected each European nation’s natural advantages over other Europeans (trade, farming, pre-existing colony, etc. )

Imperialism: Colonial governments • “White Man’s Burden” – Rudyard Kipling’s poem – Racist idea during colonial era • Social Darwinism –Darwin’s theory of evolution incorrectly applied to society –Rich and powerful must be “the fittest. ” –Europeans see Africans as “children” that benefit from exposure to Europeans. –Common among missionaries and colonial governments.