EUROPEAN COLONIALISM IN
AFRICA
SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA
“CARVING THE MAGNIFICENT AFRICAN CAKE”
European Colonialism in Africa
Prior to mid-1800s = Imperialism
What is Imperialism?
 literally the act of building an
empire, but has the connotation of
one country economically dominating
another
Imperialism / Maritime Empires
1450-mid~1800s
 Motivated by spice trade (profit motive)
 Expansion was gradual
 European enclaves existed along coasts
 Indirect rule (subjugated local rulers)
 Little to no influence on local culture
Mid-1800s
Transition from
Imperialism to Colonialism
After mid-1800s = Colonialism
What is Colonialism?
 the act of building colonies, areas in
which a country has total economical
and political (direct or indirect)
control over a given region. However,
the connotation of the word usually
only refers to Europe
Colonialism / Land Empires
mid~1800s-1914
 Motivated by competition (empire motive)
 Expansion is rapid
 Europeans move inward to rule whole countries
 Direct rule
 Heavily influenced the “inferior” local cultures
(taught European languages, customs etc)
From…
To
What caused European colonization?
1.
Gold =



Industrial Revolution
 Allows for the quick consumption &
production of goods.
Desire for Raw Materials
Desire to sell goods to new people
Example of Economic Motives
Railroads built in
Africa by
colonial powers
What caused European colonization?
2.
God =
 Desire to spread Christianity &
European culture
 Shows belief in racial superiority
 Deliberate Westernization
Example of Cultural Motives

“The White Man’s Burden” by Kipling
“White Man’s Burden” Analysis
The White Man’s Burden
By Rudyard Kipling
TAKE up the White Man's burden Send forth the best ye breed Go bind your son's to exile
To serve your captives' need;
To wait in heavy harness
On fluttered folk and wild Your new-caught sullen peoples,
Half devil and half child.
Take up the White Man's burden In patience to abide
To veil the threat of terror
And check the show of pride;
By open speech and simple,
An hundred times made plain,
To seek another's profit,
And work another's gain.
Take up the White Man's burden The savage wars of peace Fill full the mouth of famine
And bid the sickness cease;
And when your goal is nearest
The end for others sought,
Watch Sloth and heathen Folly
Bring all your hopes to nought…
Analyze the Cartoon
Analyze the Cartoon
Social Relations b/t
Colonizer & Colonized
What caused European colonization?
Glory =
3.
Nationalism among European countries
fuels competition
 Superior weapons of Europeans
 Internal rivalries & weakness of
African governments (result of slave
trade)

Reason for Change


Innovations:
Maxim Gun
Quinine
Steamship, railroads, telegraphs
Allow Europeans to move inland
more effectively
Berlin Conference

1884 meeting to clarify European claims to
African lands


Symbolic of:




Attended by: Britain, France, Germany, Portugal,
Denmark, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden,
the Ottoman Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire,
and the U.S.
“Colonialism”
Formalized the scramble for Africa
Growing European nationalism
Who was not represented at the conference?
Why?
African Borders before Conference
European Borders after Conference
Modern Africa
Boundaries
(set by
Conference –
note similarity to
previous slide)
Document Analysis
Treaty
Directions: Answer the following questions based on
the treaty document.
1.
What are the Africans (chiefs) getting from the
treaty? What are the Europeans (Royal Niger
Company) getting?
2.
Why were Africans interested/willing to sign such
a treaty? Europeans?
3.
What does this treaty say about the actions of
Europeans during this time period?
Types of African Colonies


Tropical Dependencies
Settler Colonies
Effects of Imperialism
1.
African economy became dependent on trade with
Europe


2.
African culture is westernized



3.
Collapse of local economies
Africans focus on using natural resources to trade for
manufactured goods
Breakdown of local culture
Spread of Christianity
Improved local healthcare & education systems
European control & boundaries create civil wars and
government weakness