European Claims in Sub-Saharan Africa Chapter 17 Section 3.

European Claims in European Claims in Sub-Saharan AfricaSub-Saharan Africa

Chapter 17 Section 3Chapter 17 Section 3

Competition for West Africa

• In the past: major center of slave trade.• Now: used for trading things like

palm oil, feathers, ivory, rubber…etc.• West Africans – strongly resisted

imperialist nations.

Early 1900’s

• France, Great Britain, Germany, Spain, and Portugal own most of West Africa.• Liberia – only independent colony in

West Africa–U.S. helped them stay independent.

Livingstone and Stanley

• Dr. David Livingstone – Scottish medical missionary.–Missing in Central Africa for 5 years.

• Henry Stanley – American journalist–Hired by New York Herald to find

Livingstone

Livingstone and Stanley (cont.)

• In 1871, Stanley found Livingstone–Uttered greeting that became famous

around the world, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”•Wrote about search and good land to

explore.

The Congo

• King Leopold II of Belgium listened to Stanley–Private colony ~1 million sq. miles–Treated them very poorly• Slave labor for rubber production

–OUTRAGE from other countries – led to Belgian Congo 1908

East African Colonization

• Drought led to famine• Imported cattle brought illness to

African cattle, by 1890 most of the cattle had died• Africans were too weak to resist

Southern Africa

• Cape Colony – South Africa–Used by Dutch as supply station

• Early 1800’s seized by British–14,000 farmers, resent the British –

Known as the Boers (ancestors of Dutch settlers)

Berlin Conference

• 1884 – European leaders met–Resolve conflicts over African

colonies–Africans have no say–Divided colonies amongst

themselves

Berlin Conference

• 1884 – 1885: 12 European nations, U.S. and Ottoman Empire meet (no African reps)–Decisions:• Free trade on Congo & Niger Rivers•Had to gain control of colony before

claiming it•No arms sales to Africans

Effects of Imperialism on Africa

• Paternalism – treated colonies like “children”–Believed Africans could not rule themselves,

controlled all aspects of their lives.

• New crops, inventions, techniques, medicine, roads, communication.

• Assimilation never happened; passive resistance instead.