Why did Europeans colonize Africa?. African Trade [15c-17c]

The Colonization of AfricaMotives and Impact

Why did Europeans colonize Africa?

African Trade [15c-17c]

Pre-19c European Trade with Africa

Pressures for ExpansionImperialism – one country’s domination of the political, economic and social life of another country.

Three key factors:•Nationalism prompted rival European nations to build empires in their competitive quest for power.•Industrial Revolution created a tremendous demand for raw materials and expanded markets.•Religious fervor and feelings of racial and cultural superiority inspired Europeans to impose their cultures on distant lands.

Political Rivalries

Actors on the world stage Continuing enterprise that seemed

to have no limits Communication

Slow – governors and generals take matters into their own hands▪ Armies to expand borders▪ Conflict over territories arose – remote

battlefields

Desire for New Markets

Raw materials and manufactured goods

Search for new sources of raw materials and new markets Rubber, copper and gold – Africa Jute – India Tin – Southeast Asia

▪ European and American industries and financial markets

▪ Colonies – also provided markets

Seeking New Opportunities

Needed loyal people to rule countries Leaders urged citizens to move to

colonies Cecil Rhodes

British adventurer who made a fortune from gold and diamond mining in south Africa

Went on to find Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe

“Civilizing” Mission

Religious and humanitarian impulses Spread western technology, religion,

customs and traditions Catholic and Protestant missionaries

Built churches and taught Christian doctrine Superiority

Impose western civilization Learn European languages and encouraged

western lifestyles Social Darwinism

The “White Man’s Burden”

Rudyard Kipling

The “White Man’s Burden”?

Forms of Imperialism

Treaties, bought land, or conquered Territorial control

Colony – a territory that was ruled directly▪ Direct or indirect rule

Protectorate – had its own government, but officials of a foreign power guided its policies, particularly in foreign affairs

Sphere of influence – held exclusive investment or trading rights

The Partition of Africa

Berlin Conference of 1884-1885

Another point of view?

Berlin

Conference

of 1884-1885

North Africa

Most live on a strip of land north of the Sahara

1800s Muslim Arabs under Ottoman ruler governed large territories west of Egypt Tripoli, Tunis, Algiers, and Morocco

▪ Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria

The French in North Africa

1830 – King Charles X of France ordered an invasion of Algiers

Resistance from Abd al-Qadir 10 years to subdue Next Tunis in 1881 Morocco in 1905

▪ I million French settled

Britain and Egypt

Egypt ruled under Muhammad Ali Carried out building projects with

European assistance Debt rose and European political and

economic influence rose 1859-1869 – Suez Canal

▪ Sold holdings to Great Britain▪ 1882 – British force moved in – defeated Ahmed

Arabi▪ Egypt became a protectorate▪ 1898 – the Sudan – dispute between Britain and France

Italy Seizes Libya

Entered race late – wanted a African empire

Declared war on Ottoman Empire in 1911 Easily defeated the Ottoman Turks Took Tripoli as a colony, renamed it Libya

Central and East Africa

Henry M. Stanley King Leopold II – Congo region

1908 – gave Congo to Belgian government for large loan

Only country to remain independent in this region was Ethiopia Menelik II 1896 – when Italians attacked crushing

victory deterred others

The Congo Free State orThe Belgian Congo

King Leopold II:(r. 1865 – 1909)

Harvesting Rubber

Punishing “Lazy” Workers

5-8 Million Victims! (50% of Popul.)It is blood-curdling to see them (the soldiers) returning with the hands of the slain, and to find the hands of young children amongst the bigger ones evidencing their bravery...The rubber from this district has cost hundreds of lives, and the scenes I have witnessed, while unable to help the oppressed, have been almost enough to make me wish I were dead... This rubber traffic is steeped in blood, and if the natives were to rise and sweep every white person on the Upper Congo into eternity, there would still be left a fearful balance to their credit. -- Belgian Official

Belgium’s Stranglehold on the Congo

Leopold’s Conscience??

West Africa

Trading posts Salt, gold, iron wares and slaves

▪ Econ0mies declined when slave trade abolished▪ Reliance on cash crops – cotton and cacao beans▪ Palm, ivory, and rubber

European nations push inward 1890s Samory Toure, ruler of a kingdom in

present-day Senegal led armies against the French, other joined▪ By 1900s, reluctantly accept European rule▪ Liberia – only remaining independent state (1822) –

support from US

West and Central Africa

1800s – slave trade illegal Sought out West Africa’s gold, timber,

hides, and palm oil Britain, France, and Germany took over

the areas along the Atlantic coast 1847 – African Americans freed created

the republic of Liberia By 1900, only Libya remained free 1911 – Italy defeated the Ottoman

Empire and given control of Tripoli

Southern Africa

The Afrikaners – Dutch settlers who conquered lands around Cape Town Cape Colony

British seized during Napoleonic Wars Afrikaners resented British rule Boers

▪ Great Trek Zulu Nation – Shaka Zulu Union of South Africa

Effects of Imperialism

Mines, plantations, building factories and ports Hired Africans with low wages and imposed taxes Men housed in dormitories away from families,

treated brutally Schools

Taught European ways were best Missions – reject African customs and beliefs

Learned to read European books and wear European clothes

Some▪ Entire villages broke up, families came apart, ancient

traditions disappeared.

Review

What is imperialism?

Domination by one country or people over another group of people

Changed the world during the later half of the century

How is Old Imperialism and New Imperialism different?

Old Looking for a direct trade route to Asia

▪ Established colonies in the Americas, India, South Africa, the East Indies, and territory along Africa and China

▪ Mercantilism▪ Cost of colonies outweighed the benefits▪ Colonialism became less popular

New Driven by Industrial Revolution

▪ Economic, military, political, humanitarian, religious, social Darwinism, and western technology

What was the Boer War?

Race for the continent led to a war in South Africa

Fought between the British and the Boers

Beginning 1600s – Dutch settle Cape Town (Boers) 1800s – British seized the Dutch territory

– renamed Cape Colony Boers moved inland

What were the economic reasons?

Wanted to expand global markets Need for cheap labor and a steady

supply of raw materials Directly controlled these areas Problem

New colonies were too poor to buy European goods

What were the military and political reasons?

Colonies crucial to military power, national security, and nationalism

Needed naval ports to take on coal and supplies

Britain needed to protect the Suez Canal

Possession of colonies was an indication of a nation’s greatness

What were the humanitarian and religious goals?

Should civilize “The White Man’s Burden” – Kipling

Civilize the uncivilized Spread Christianity

Why was Social Darwinism a reason?

Charles Darwin’s – survival of the fittest Applied to human societies and nations

White race was dominant and only natural to conquer the inferior

Why was Western Technology a reason?

Better medicine Could survive tropical diseases and

mosquito-infected interior of Africa and Asia

Steamboat and telegraph Quick response

Machine gun Military advantage

What were the motives?Economic Military/Political Humanitarian/

ReligiousTechnology

Need for markets Need for military bases

White man’s burden

New medicine

Raw materials National security Spread of Christianity

New weapons

Source of investments

Source of pride-nationalism

Social Darwinism Transportation

What did Great Britain’s control of the Suez Canal lead to?

Bought shares from Egypt, France owned others

1882- established a protectorate over Egypt

Set off “African fever” in Europe Great Britain extended its control over

the Sudan as well

What impact did the exploration of the Congo have?

Raised questions about the political fate of Africa south of the Sahara

European nations were fearful that Leopold II of Belgium would want to extend control over the entire area

What factors led to the scramble for Africa?

Congress of Berlin (1884-1885) Established the principle that European

occupation of African territory had to be based on effective occupation that was recognized by other states, and that no single European power could claim Africa

Between 1878-1914, European powers divided up the entire African continent except for the independent counties of Ethiopia and Liberia