Chapter 30: Independence Movements
Sub-Saharan Africa
• Africa was the last of the continents to come under
European rule
• malaria prevented most explorers before 1850, when a doctor
discovered quinine as a prevention
•1869 Opening of the Suez Canal (an excuse for British invasion and
occupation of Egypt when Egypt owed them $)
• Berlin Conference 1884-1885 (called by Bismarck) began the
“scramble for Africa”—every country with colonial ambitions had to
send troops to claim land in the division of Africa—see map p. 715
• South Africa formed from Dutch settlers (Afrikaners). The discovery
of diamonds lured the British, who came in contact with the Zulu and
war ensued. Britain won but expected the Afrikaners to rule.
Chapter 30: Independence Movements
Sub-Saharan Africa
• Few Europeans lived in Africa, yet their small presence had
great social and economic effects
• railroads were built from the coast to internal mines to provide raw
materials to the industrial world; Africans were forced labor
• Many Africans migrated to cities for opportunities, breaking up
families and creating segregated cities (worst in eastern and southern
Africa where whites lived)
• Christianity came with missionaries and attracted Africans with their
mission schools (taught skills and literacy leading to employment)
• Islam continued to spread by Arab and African merchants
• The contrast between liberal ideas in Western education and the
racial discrimination experienced by those educated Africans led to
the rise of nationalism
Chapter 30: Independence Movements
Sub-Saharan Africa
• A few nationalist organizations rose (African National
Congress in South Africa) but World War II had the most
profound effect on nationalism
• increased forced labor, inflation, increased demand for raw materials
• Africans also listened to Allied propaganda about European
liberation movements, the fight against Nazi racism, and new ideas
spread across Africa
• these spreading ideas alongside the rise of racism, cities, and
changes in religion awakened the next generation that would demand
independence
Chapter 30: Independence Movements
Sub-Saharan Africa
• Most of sub-Saharan African independence movements
were achieved through negotiations, but those with a
significant white settler minority had to resort to armed
struggles
• Ghana won independence from Britain through an election (partly
because GB was aware of their unpopularity and the cost of
maintaining colonies
• This led to Britain granting independence to its other West African
colonies, including Nigeria. (Kenya resisted, and the Mau Mau
movement had to be put down.)
• French colonies were more reluctant to obtain independence, which
came slowly.
• South Africa constructed a government based on apartheid, or racial
separation, promoting racism against the 74% of blacks there. The
ANC formed illegal resistance to apartheid for many years (1990.)
Chapter 30: Independence Movements
India
• India was a colony of GB from late 1700s till mid 1900s.
Under its rule India gained many modernities: railroads, cities,
cotton and steel mills, a middle class.
• This educated middle class became nationalistic, which Britain
recognized and granted India small amounts of autonomy-1885 the
Indian National Congress was formed, respectfully petitioning for
higher government positions for Indians
• 1896-1900 2 million people died of starvation because of drought;
most forests were cut for land, but each generation got less; the
economic development of Britain was unhelpful to most Indians
• Hindu Indians were divided into hundreds of castes and occupations
• ¼ of Indians were Muslim and discriminated against
• the eastern area of Bengal was divided into two, leaving the Hindus
there outnumbered by Muslims, beginning serious protests—the AllIndia Muslim League was created in response
Chapter 30: Independence Movements
India
• Nationalism grew as India’s steel production rose, and when
India supported Britain in WWI
• Many Indians expected their support in WWI to be rewarded with
independence. Instead, millions died in the flu epidemic and Indians
were killed in protests by the British
• For 20 years after WWI India was on the verge of war, prevented
mainly by Mohandas Gandhi also known as Mahatma “the great soul”,
a western educated man in the Indian National Congress.
• In the 1920s the British began to give education, the economy, and
public works over to Indians; India began to industrialize creating a
class of wealthy Indian businessmen.
• Indians were allowed in regional elections but were excluded from
the viceroy’s cabinet, the center of power. When the viceroy declared
war in WWII without Indian approval, many Indians left government.
Britain promised independence after the war, which Gandhi declared
as too little, too late.
Chapter 30: Independence Movements
India
• After WWII the British prepared for Indian independence—
complicated by Muslim-Hindu conflict
• the Indian National Congress refused to share power with the
Muslim League; Ali Jinnah demanded a Muslim country: Pakistan
• By 1947 the INC had accepted this divided India concept and two
governments were formed
• Muslims and Hindus then fled from areas where they were the
minority, causing conflicts where there had been none for centuries
• the Hindu state of Kashmir still contained a majority of Muslims;
annexed by India because it held the headwaters of the rivers that
irrigated most of the subcontinent.
• The consequence of this annexation of Kashmir is the cause of
bitterness between India and Pakistan now
Chapter 30: Independence Movements
Latin America
• Mexico underwent a traumatic social revolution while
Argentina and Brazil evolved more peaceably
• Mexico: “so far from God, so close to the United States.” The
difference between rich and poor was wide in Mexico.
• Mexico was most influenced by Spain during colonial times and then
U.S. and Britain owned most of the big companies afterwards. The
middle class was small and insignificant.
• Under Porfirio Diaz there was much material progress, but it
benefited only a few businessmen. The average Mexican’s standard
of living dropped in 1910.
• Revolution did not come through a well-defined party—it came
through a series of ambitious leaders: some famous ones: Emiliano
Zapata and Pancho Villa—peasant leaders.
• Constitutionalists won the battles and promised universal suffrage
and one-term presidency, the end of Catholic church rule
Chapter 30: Independence Movements
Latin America
• In the 1920s Cardenas set into motion the reforms promised
in the 1917 Constitution
• Mexico became a leading oil producer, but most was sold by U.S.
and British companies. In 1938 Cardenas seized the oil companies.
• The Mexican Revolution accomplished these things:
• more of the population could participate in politics; presidential terms
were six years, one time only; promises of free education, higher
wages, security for workers, redistribution of land; they were not all
done immediately, but laid the foundation for later industrialization
Chapter 30: Independence Movements
Latin America
• Argentina:
• the pampas (plains) contained numbers of cattle and sheep,
producing famous beef and wool, transported on American and British
run trains
• the urban middle class had gained the secret ballot and universal
male suffrage in 1916, and elected a politician they liked. During the
World Wars it prospered, trading with the U.S. and Europe.
• the Depression hit Latin America hard—they couldn’t afford to trade
like before, and turned to leaders that promised to resolve their
economic problems.
• Juan Peron, inspired by the Nazi victories in Europe, desired to take
over Latin America. He was elected as president in 1946 but was
unable to create a stable government, eventually overthrown by
another military coup
Chapter 30: Independence Movements
Latin America
• Brazil:
• before WWI Brazil produced most of the world’s coffee and cacao,
using their money on lavish buildings and cities
• 1930 Vargas proclaimed himself president of Brazil. He industrialized
the country, created labor unions, pension plans, but largely ignored
the peasants
• When he was limited by his own Constitution, Vargas abolished it
and declared himself supreme ruler. He harmed Latin America with
this example.