“I do not want to
miss a good
chance of getting
us a slice of this
magnificent
African cake.”
- King Leopold II of Belgium
Thoughts to consider…
Why do you think that there was
such a demand for African land?
► Which nations do you think were
most fought over among the
European powers?
► Does this act of imperialism relate
to any other acts in world history?
►
Defining Key Concepts…
►
IMPERIALISM: the policy of extending the
rule or authority of an empire or nation over
foreign countries, or of acquiring and
holding colonies and dependencies
►
COLONIZATION: the control or governing
influence of a nation over a dependent
country, territory, or people (to settle an
area and take control)
Africa in the 1800’s
► Continent
made up
of hundreds of
ethnic groups and
languages
► Slave trade
► European trading
posts only along
coasts
► Emissaries sent to
investigate
Europeans Colonize Africa
►
Why Africa?!
 Natural resources & raw materials (industrialization)
 To build empires (nationalism)
NATIONALISM: Devotion to one's nation; love of your
country & willingness to sacrifice anything for it
►
 Spread Christianity
 Racism?
►Superiority
v. Inferiority
►Civilized v. Uncivilized
►
Three “G’s”: GOLD, GLORY, & GOD
“The sun never sets on the British
Empire…”
► European
competition for colonies leads to
establishing empires…
Factors Enabling Colonization
Inter-European power struggles and
competition for preeminence (the fact of
surpassing all others; superiority)
► Ethnic conflicts in Africa
► New advances in medicine
►
 Malaria vaccine, Penicillin
►
Industrialization
 New technology among the Europeans
►Weapons,
Steamships, Railroads
 Social problems?
Industrial Revolution
►
INDUSTRIALIZATION:
the development of
a society
► It
refers to the
large-scale
production process
of machines and
new technologies
that allow a society
to move forward.
Industrial Revolution
► European
countries needed natural
resources & raw materials (rubber, metals,
minerals)
► Africa
had a plethora (overabundance) of
natural resources
► New
markets for goods
Everyone wants a piece of the
magnificent African cake…
►
“Scramble for Africa”: Prospects of
exploiting African resources that resulted in
nationalist rivalries between European
empires for control of Africa
►
Berlin Conference: Meeting proposed by
German chancellor Otto von Bismarck to
devise ground rules with 14 European states
for the colonization of Africa
SCRAMBLE FOR
AFRICA
The “scramble for Africa” took place
between 1875 and 1900
► Geographical information compiled by
explorers & adventurers held great interest
for European imperialists
► Henry Stanley of Belgium established a
colony called Congo Free State, 18070’s
► Taking advantage of Egypt’s unrest, Britain
occupied Egypt, 1882
►
Berlin Conference
►1884-1885
►European leaders wanted to avoid war…
 Agree upon carving up African continent into
colonies
 Drawn up without African participation
 Provided the basis for the subsequent partition
(break up), invasion, and colonization of Africa
by various European powers
 European armies sent to consolidate their
claims & impose colonial rule
Berlin Conference
►RESULT:
a transformation of political
& economic Africa, with virtually all
parts of the continent colonized by
1900
 European colonies embraced all of Africa
except Ethiopia & Liberia
Simulation…
Debriefing…
What areas did you get for your
country?
►
►What
get?
areas did your country actually
►How
fair was this for Europeans?
►How
fair was this for Africans?
Impacts & Effects of European
Rule
African people had little power in their
governments
► Europeans gained power in part by
encouraging rivalries among ethnic groups
► Europeans took the best land to farm
► Drew political boundaries that divided
ethnic groups & forced different groups to
live together
►
Ticket to Leave…
►Complete
AFRICAN
COLONIZATION TICKET-TO-LEAVE
►When finished, stick in period 7
bin!
►If time, you may begin your
homework: Berlin Conference Diary
Entry Assignment…