Scramble
for Africa
Chapter 11
Section 1
Main Idea
Ignoring claims of African
ethnic groups, kingdoms,
and city-states, Europeans
established colonies.
 African nations continue to
feel the effects of the
colonial presence more
than 100 years later.

Introduction
Industrialization stirred
ambitions in many European
nations.
 Europeans wanted more
resources to fuel their
industrial production.
 They competed for new
markets for their goods.

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Many looked to Africa.
Imperialism
Colonial powers seized vast
areas of Africa during the
19th and early 20th century.
 This seizure of a country or
territory by a stronger
country is called
imperialism.
 Stronger countries
dominated the political,
economic and social life of
the weaker countries.

Africa Before
European Domination
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Mid 1800s, African
peoples were divided
into hundreds of ethnic
and linguistic groups.
Most continued to follow
traditional beliefs.
 Some converted to
Islam or Christianity.
Spoke more than 1,000
different languages.
Ranged from large
empires to independent
villages.
Europeans in Africa

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Europeans had contact
with Africans as early as
1450.
Europeans controlled 10%
of Africa’s land.
 Mainly on the coast.
Europeans had a difficult
time going into the
interior.
 Rivers were hard to
navigate.
 Disease
Steam powered ships
made it possible to explore
the interior.
Forces Driving Imperialism
1. Economic Factors – Industrial
Revolution provided Europeans the need
for larger markets
 2. Political Factors – Territory = power
 3. Social Factors – Empires were viewed
as a measure of national pride

Belief in European Superiority
Race for colonies also
grew out of a strong
sense of national pride.
 Empire = measure of
national greatness.
 As competition
intensified, each
country was determined
to plant its flag on as
much of the world as
possible.

European “Superiority”
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Europeans believed that they were better than
other peoples.
The belief that one race is superior to others is
called racism.
This was a reflection of Social Darwinism.
Charles Darwin’s idea of survival of the fittest
was applied to society.
Those who were the fittest enjoyed wealth and
were superior to others.
Push for Expansion
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Missionaries also pushed for
expansion.
They worked to convert
peoples of Asia, Africa and the
Pacific Islands to Christianity.
Missionaries believed that
European rule was the best
way to end evil practices,
such as the slave trade.
They also wanted to “civilize”
or “westernize” the peoples
of the foreign land.
Factors Promoting
Imperialism in Africa

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Several factors contributed to the
European’s conquest of Africa.
The main factor – Technological
superiority
 Maxim gun – world’s first
automatic machine gun
 Africans – outdated weapons
 Steam Engines
Africans lacked a sense of
nationalism.
 Easy to play rival groups against
each other.
Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Why did the Europeans colonize Africa?
What is the seizure of a country or
territory by a stronger country called?
Explain the factors driving imperialism?
How did Social Darwinism play a role in
imperialism?
What factors contributed to the
Europeans conquest of Africa?
The Division of Africa
Scramble for Africa began around 1880.
 The discoveries of diamonds (1867) and
gold (1886) in South Africa increased
European interest in colonizing the
continent.
 No European power wanted to be left out.

Berlin Conference
Divides Africa
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The competition was so fierce that European
countries feared war among themselves.
To prevent potential conflict, 14 European nations
met at the Berlin Conference in 1884-1885 to
lay down the rules for the division of Africa.
They agreed that any country could claim land as
long as they notified other nations and showed
they could control the area.
Dividing a Continent
Europeans divided the
continent without
considering the native
groups.
 African rulers were not
invited to attend the
conference.
 By 1914, only Liberia
and Ethiopia
remained
independent.

Africa
Shaping Colonies
Africans did not buy European products.
 Europeans turned colonies into
plantations and mineral mines.

Three Groups Clash over
South Africa
South Africa’s history consists of fighting
over its land and resources by Africans,
Dutch and British.
 Ethnic groups had been competing over
the lands of Africa for 100 years.

Zulus Fight the British

Zulu chief, Shaka,
organized a highly
disciplined army but
still lost control of
southern Africa to the
British.
Boers and British
Settle the Cape
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Boers = Dutch farmers
Settled the Cape of Good
Hope.
British and Boers
disagreed on policies
regarding land and slaves.
Great Trek – forcing of
thousands of Boers from
the southern tip.
Boers were unable to keep
out invaders and blamed
the British.
Boer War
First modern “total” war.
 Total war = war against
armies and civilians
 British burned Boer
farms, imprisoned women
and children in
concentration camps.
 1902 – British established
the Union of South
Africa.

Questions
1.
2.
3.
What increased the interest in
Africa in the 1800s?
What was the purpose of the
Berlin Conference?
What is a total war?