World History Questions
Chapter 11, Section 1, The Scramble for Africa
1. By 1900, how many different European
countries had colonies in Africa?
337
2. Which country had the biggest world wide
empire as of 1900?
337
Name: ____________________________
3. Western imperialists were driven to take control of
countries in Africa and Asia by what two industrial needs?
4. Define: Imperialism
339
5. How many languages existed in Africa before
the European colonists arrived?
339
6. Before European countries arrived, Africa was
not divided into countries. How was it divided?
339
7. Europeans first contacted Sub-Saharan Africa
(Africa south of the Sahara desert) around 1450.
What kept them out of most of Africa for the next
400 years?
339
336
1.
8. Name two reasons it was difficult for Europeans
to explore inland parts (parts away from coast) of
Africa?
339
9. Why do you think the stories written by the
first explorers of Africa about their experiences
were so popular to readers back home?
339
An
10. King Leopold II of Belgium claimed he wanted
to control the Congo to spread Christianity. What
was he really after?
340
11. African workers who did not collect rubber
sap fast enough would have their hands cut off by
King Leopold’s men. How many Congolese died
from such abuses?
340
12. Europeans viewed the size of their empire
(colonies) as a measure of what?
340
13. Define: racism
341
14. According to Social Darwinists, what proved
that non-Europeans were inferior to Europeans?
341
15. Why do you think missionaries wanted to
convert the African natives to Christianity?
341
An
2.
16. What weapon helped European armies defeat
African resistance?
341
17. How did the steamship help Europeans
colonize Africa?
341
18. What drug helped Europeans colonize Africa
by protecting them from malaria?
341
19. At what conference did the Europeans divide
up Africa amongst themselves?
342
20. What was the purpose of the Berlin
Conference?
342
21. How was the Berlin Conference unfair to the
people of Africa?
342
22. What problems might result from rearranging
groups of people without regard for ethnic or
linguistic (language) traditions?
342
An
23. Why do you suppose Africans were not very
interested in buying European products?
342
An
24. What four minerals did colonists steal from
the Congo and in South Africa?
342
25. What was the name of the South African tribe
formed by chief Shaka that almost defeated the
British?
342
26. Which two Europeans countries fought over
South Africa in the Boer wars? Which country had
been there first (since 1652)?
342
27. How did imperialism in Africa change between
1878 (map lower left) and 1913?
343
28. Write how many countries each of the
countries listed controlled as of 1914.
29. What tactic later used by the Nazis against the
Jews was actually first used against civilians (=non
soldiers) in the Boer War in South Africa?
343
344
30. What British leader, who later led the British
fight against Hitler, first became famous during the 344
Boer war?
Belgium:
Germany:
Boer (Dutch):
Italy:
Britain:
Portugal:
France:
Spain: