in class presentation for the scramble and colonization of africa.

1. EEuurrooppeeaann CCoolloonniizzaattiioonn ooff AAffrriiccaa

2. Africa before
colonization was not
broken up into
countries.
The boundaries
created by Europeans
led to civil wars
among Africans
-Why would this cause
fighting?

3. Earliest Contact
 Europe had been interested in Africa for centuries.
 It began in the 16th century when the Portuguese gained
control of the Trans-Saharan slave trade and trade of gold
to Europe.

4. Slave Trade
 In 1551, the Trans-Atlantic
slave trade began with
thousands of Africans being
shipped to Brazil to work on
sugar plantations.
 The Portuguese were the
first major European slave
traders and were followed by
the Spanish, Dutch, French
and British.
TTrriiaanngguullaarr TTrraaddee RRoouuttee

5. European Expansion
 Much of Africa had been
unexplored until the 1880s
with European influence
restricted to the coastline:
 These were basic settlements
and trading posts
 Malaria keeping people from
exploring further
 There was no reason to
explore Africa as there was
limited African civilization with
the most large settlements
being Islamic states (did not
allow outsiders)
PPrree--CCoolloonniiaall AAffrriiccaa

6. European Imperialism – The
Scramble for Africa
 But with European
industrialization in the late
19th century, came a rush to
explore and dominate the
African continent.
 Many politicians and
industrialist believed that
annexing overseas territories
was the only way for their
nations to ensure economic
success.
 This rush was called “The
Scramble for Africa” with
new technologies such as
the steamboat, railroads and
telegraph allowing
exploration of the African
interior.

7. Commercial greed, territorial ambition, and political
rivalry fuelled the European take over of Africa. This
resulted in Africa's partition (division of land on the
continent) at the West African Conference in Berlin
November, 1884 through February,1885. The process
became known as "The Scramble for Africa".
This conference would avoid a European
conflict/war that might arise from claims.
The “Scramble for Africa” had the effect of defusing and
displacing tensions between the European powers in Europe.
However, the tradeoffs and alliances could not disguise the
fact that Imperial Germany was on a collision course with
Britain and France resulting in WWI.
-Why is this?

8. Berlin Conference of 1884-1885
The West African Conference in Berlin to divide the African
Continent among the European nations.

9. France
Great Britain
Belgium
Spain
Italy
Germany
Portugal
Independent

10. Colonial Africa as of 1914
 By 1914, 90% of Africa
was under European
control
 England took 30% of
African population
under its control
 France 15%
 Germany 9%
 Belgium 7%
 Italy 1%

11. Industrial
Revolution
Source for
Raw
Materials
Markets for Finished
Goods
European
Nationalism
Missionary
Activity
Military &
Naval Bases
European
Motives
For Colonization
Places to dump
Unwanted/Excess
Population
Social & Economic
Opportunities
Humanitarian
Reasons
Social
Darwinism
EEuurrooppeeaann RRaacciissmm
“White Man’s
Burden”

12. Economic Causes of European Imperialism
 Industrialization of European
nations led to the rush across
the African continent:
 Looking for raw-materials
 Cheap labor
 To gain access to new markets
 To invest their capital for
higher rates of return – les
developed areas gave higher
dividends European EExxppaannssiioonn -- WWoorrllddwwiiddee

13. Political Causes of European Imperialism
 Nationalism
 European leaders hoped that imperialism would win them the loyalty
of their own people.
 Competition for power & status
 European states extended their power through acquired territories
for strategic reasons – or to simply stop competitors doing so.

14. Life Under Colonized Rule
 White Settler Regions
 Areas where Europeans
were very present and
in charge
 Areas ruled by
Belgium, Portugal
 Life was most brutal.
 Labor, punishment,
taxes.
 No opportunity to
succeed.
 No choices, no life.
 Non-White Settler
Regions
 Areas where Europeans
put Africans in charge and
were not as present.
 Areas colonized by
Britain and France
 Life was bad, but easier
 Freedom… if you
labored and paid your
taxes.
 Possible for Africans to
get ahead in life.
 Able to chose
what to grow
(market economy).

15. Dutch Colonization of South Africa
 Began in 1652 with the Dutch East
India Company founding a station
at what was to become Cape
Town.
 Was a half-way fueling station
between the Dutch east Indies and
the Dutch west Indies
 South Africa unified as a nation in
1910 (mixture of British and Dutch
provinces such as Natal, Orange
Free State, Transvaal & Cape
Province)
 In 1948 the National Party was
elected to power and began the
implementation of apartheid

16. Mineral Resources
 Gold
 Copper
 Diamond
 Iron
 Bauxite
 Phosphate
 Cobalt
 Manganese

18. EXAMPLES OF CASH CROPS
Coffee
Rubber
Cotton
Kapok
Sugar
Tea

19. The
Advantages
and
Disadvantages
of Colonization

20. Positives Negatives
Tribal warfare was ended
by the colonial
administrators. The
European colonial powers
established their law and
order over large areas of
the continent.
Introduced different and
modern ideas of education,
government, and
economics
“the Scramble”
prevented the formation
of a unified national
spirit necessary to start
a new independent
country.
Left a legacy of
oppression and
economically crippled
the regions of Africa.

21. Schools were established and some
African students attended universities
abroad.
The missionaries wrote the languages and made
dictionaries for the many native languages that
had only been passed by oral tradition.

22. By the end of the 19th century Europeans were straddling
the continent with railways and roads. This made it possible
to take control – politically and commercially.
Colonial rulers built
railroads, but the tracks ran
north and south to carry raw
materials to ports.
Few rail lines went into the
interior of the continent.
Positives
Colonial rulers built
railroads.
Negatives

23. Positive
Medical and sanitary
changes were provided by
the Europeans

24. Colonial policies turned
Africans into wage earners or
cash-crop farmers.
Hundreds of thousands of
Africans were hired and
trained to operate machines
for getting minerals to surface.
The profits of all trade
and manufacturing was
not invested in Africa.
Money was needed (by
the Africans) to pay taxes
to the colonial rulers.
Many Africans became
economically dependent
on European trade.
Positives
Negatives

25. Independence or “De-colonization”
 The consequences of European
partition of the continent for Africa
were devastating.
 In the decades before World War II,
opposition to European colonial rule in
Africa gathered strength with the rise
of African Nationalist movements.
 Post World War II, the transition to
independence was relatively peaceful
in French and English colonies.
 Elsewhere, the aftermath of
decolonization displayed political
instability, economic disaster, and debt
dependence.
 The byproducts of decolonization
including political instability, border
disputes, economic ruin, and massive
debt continue to plague Africa to this
present day.
Dates of AAffrriiccaann IInnddeeppeennddeennccee

26. Push for Independence
Africans fought
with Europeans in
both World War I &
II.
WWII- “A war to
make the world
safe for
democracy and
freedom.”
Africans- “What
about us?”
WWII ends 1945

27. Political independence did not bring
economic independence.
African countries continued to export agricultural and
mineral products to their former rulers.
There was little money to build
factories. The profits of all
trade and manufacturing were
not invested in Africa – and
most of the profits or benefits
went to Europeans instead of
Africans.

28. Today’s Divided Africa