Essential Background
African History
Objectives
• Identify causes for European imperialism
in Africa
• Analyze trends of colonization through the
use of maps
• Identify the effects that European
imperialism has had on Africa
• Read and closely analyze a poem and
make broader connections to class
content
Warm Up
• How do the
climate and
geography of
Africa contribute to
its peoples way of
life?
Setting the Scene:
vocabulary
• Imperialism
• The domination by one
country over another
country or region
• Protectorate
• Local rulers that were
left in place but were
expected to follow the
advice of European
advisers on issues
European imperialism
• Exploration
• Dias & DaGama: Discovery
• 1500-1700’s: Supply & trade
• Mid 1800s:
• Business Leaders –
resources/markets
• Missionaries – convert; build
schools and medical clinics
• Nationalists – empire building
• Scramble for Africa
• King Leopold II of Belgium
•
Video
•
http://app.discoveryeducation.com/search?Ntt=the+scrambl
e+for+african+colonie
Activity: Map Analysis
• Using the 5 maps
from different times in
African history,
answer the questions
that correspond.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJe1W_HIWmA
European imperialism
• 1884 Berlin Conference
• Euro powers & US (no
African)
• Rules for colonization
• Effectively occupied, defend
& administer
• African Resistance
• Millions die weapons &
disease
• Ethiopia is exception
T-P-S
• How would you define European
colonization of Africa?
• Quick
• Complete
• Absolute
• Exploitive
Effects of European Rule
• Colonial Govt
• Direct & indirect rule
• New legal systems
• Colonial Economics
• Raw out/Finished in
• Single cash crop
• Money econ
• Improvements
•
•
•
•
http://app.discoveryeducation.com/search?Ntt=scramble+for+afri
ca
Transportation & communication
Hospitals & medicine
Water & sanitation systems
Education
African Nationalism
• Pan-Africanism
• Post WW1
• “Africa for the Africans”
• Leopold Senghor
• Independence
•
•
•
•
Post WW2
Colonial powers weak
US & USSR anti-colonial
UN self-determination
• Colonial Legacies
Reading
Political Cartoon Analysis
• Describe what the
political cartoon
about?
Poem Analysis and reflection:
Why did Kipling consider imperialism to be
beneficial?
“Take up the White Man’s burdenSend forth the best ye breedGo bind your sons to exile
To serve your captives’ need…
Take up the White Man’s burdenThe savage wars of peaceFill full the mouth of Famine,
And when your goal is nearest
(The end for others sought)
Watch sloth and heathen folly
Bring all your hope to nought.
-Rudyard Kipling
“The White Man’s Burden”
Closure
• What do many African
nations need to do in
an effort to modernize
or develop?
• Political stability
• Economic diversity &
independence
• Control population
• Increase education
• Improve services
Wiki Post
• According to those interviewed in this BBC article what
are the biggest problems Africans’ have faced in this
post-colonial world?