Imperialism in Africa A.Motives for Imperialism B.Africa before Imperialism C.Why does it begin? D.Berlin Conference.

Imperialism in Africa

A. Motives for Imperialism

B. Africa before Imperialism

C. Why does it begin?

D. Berlin Conference

A. Motives for ImperialismGovernments:

1. Wanted to gain power by expanding territory

2. Compete with other European nations

Industrialists:

1. Make money

2. Selling goods to the conquered people

3. Gaining valuable resources from new colonies

Missionaries:

1. Desire to spread Christianity to the heathens of the world

Social Darwinists:

1. Those that were the fittest enjoyed wealth and success and were therefore superior

2. The Superior Race = Europeans

3. The Inferior Race = Africans & Asians

“White Man’s Burden”

• It was the duty of the Europeans to fix or civilize those that were inferior

B. Africa before Imperialism

• Africans divided into hundreds of different ethnic groups

• Africans did not speak the same languages or have the same cultures

• Fought one another constantly for land

Europeans controlled very little land because:

1. Europeans could not travel into the interior b/c of the terrain – Rivers & Deserts

2.Diseases like Malaria also stopped the Europeans

3. African armies stopped them

C. Why does it begin?Industrialization finally allowed the Europeans to gain access to Africa because of:

1. the Maxim gun2. Railroads &

Steamships3. A cure for malaria was

developed called quinine

• King Leopold II of Belgium gained control of the Congo in 1882

• Was the 1st European to gain control over a colony in the interior

• Other Europeans will race to claim territory as well

• Called “The Scramble for Africa”

• Causes tension in Europe because everyone wants a piece of Africa, but there is only so much

• Some countries are willing to go to war

• Berlin Conference (1884-85) – 14 European nations agreed to rules for dividing Africa

• Who’s not invited?– AFRICANS!!!

D. Berlin Conference