2.7 Consolidation And Expansion Of British Empire In Africa Flashcards
What changed with British policy in Africa from 1890
It became more assertive
Why had Britain colonised parts of Africa in the past?
-strategic or trade purposes
-claiming an area British traders had already established themselves
-reacting to initiatives of other powers (Germany or France)
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How did Britain control areas of land pre 1890?
Through chartered companies
Why did Britain’s aim in Africa turn to expansionism?
The conservative government elected in 1900 was determined to uphold Britain’s position in every part of the world(brought wars, threats of wars and ambitious plans to consolidate empire)
-Britain’s protectorates we’re expanded to provide security to pre-existing ports, markets and new territories
What ground rules were established at the Berlin conference 1884-85?
Imperial powers had to show evidence of ‘effective occupation’ of African territories
(Emphasising both their administration and defence) in order to claim them as a formal colony
What % of African land was owned by Africans at the time of the Berlin conference and 20 years later
At the time of the conference 80%
20 years later 10%
What is a condominium?
The joint control of state affairs from other states
When was Sierra Leone established as a protectorate?
1896
When was Ashantiland incorporated into the Gold Coast colony?
1902
When was the British union of South Africa created?
1902
When was Sudan a condominium of Britain and Egypt?
1899
When was the Royal Niger company converted into the British colony of Nigeria?
1906 in southern Nigeria
1900 in northern Nigeria
When was the British east Africa company replaced with a formal protectorate?
1895
When were southern and northern Rhodiesia established into the British South Africa company?
1901 for southern
1911 for northern
Describe the ‘peripheral theory of imperialism’?
Idea that Britain was pulled into Africa by local crises or events which threatened its interests and credibility
How did British expansionism occur?
Through a mixture of treaties, intimidation and aggression
This was driven by regional disorder or perceived threats
Who were the Asante?
Ethnic group who once possessed a large empire across the Gulf of Guinea
-strongly resisted attempts by Europeans to conquer them
Had 5 wars with British from 1823-1900
What was Ashantiland added to?
Colonies of Gambia, Sierra Leone and the Gold Coast (area penetrated by Goldie’s Royal Niger company
How did the British gain control of Ashantiland?
Was continued resistance form the Asante so Britain demanded the King Prempeh hand over the remainder of his empire, he refused
Britain conquered the Asante and the 4th Anglo-Asante war and forced King Prempeh from his throne
How were Britain able to gain control of Nigeria?
By virtue of their occupation and 1890 agreement with the French who agreed to recognise the British claim in return for Britain recognising the French claim of Madagascar
How did Britain gain control of Zanzibar?
1890 Britain and Germany establish a treaty that gave Britain a sphere of influence over Zanzibar and Germany over Tunisia
-Britain implement a puppet sultan
-revolt that last 38 minutes when sultan is mysteriously killed, Britain regain control
Who are the Buganda?
Ethnic group in east Africa who formed one of the largest and most powerful states in East Africa during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
What was Britain’s initial involvement with the Buganda people?
Christian missionaries were converting them and in 1886 King Mwanga executed 30 catholics a Protestants causing a civil war which caused Mwanga to flee
He promised sole of his empire to the British and was brought back to power in 1889
Control given to British east Africa company in 1890 through a treaty Uganda becomes a protectorate in 1894
Describe the Uganda railway?
Done to connect the coast with the fertile lands of Lake Victoria
660 miles of track took 5 years and £5 million to build -workers paid badly in applying conditions
What was the justification for the Ugandan railway(6 points)
-enabled access to new markets
-encouraged colonial settlement
-facilitated both the export of tea and coffee
-protected the source of the Nile against Britain’s potential enemies
-promoted British tourism
What did the Ugandan railway become known as and why?
Lunatic lime because of the difficulties in ins construction and ingenuity(clever and inventive)
Describe Brtain’s involvement in Kenya?
Partitioned into Britain’s sphere of influence in the Berlin conference 1884-85
Seen as useful because it offered a land route from the coast to Uganda
-war lasts nine months opposition funded by Germany
Became part of east Africa protectorate on 1895
When did the Mahdist revolt break out?
1881
Where and when did General Gordon die?
1885 at Khartoum
When did Salisbury become priminster?
1895
What did Salisbury believe about Egypt?
It was vital to Britain’s security route to India, hence they needed to reconquer parts of Sudan
What was the treaty between Britain and Germany about in 1890?
Britain takes Uganda and Kenya and Germany gets Tanganyika-done because Britain feared other powers may get near the base of the Nile which was crucial for Egypt
What was Britain’s excuse for the campaign in Sudan?
Italian forces defeated trying to seize Abyssinia in 1896 and to avenge General Gordon
What was the maxim gun?
Invented in 1884- one of the earliest machine guns
-heavily used by the British in Africa
What was the initial force for the invasion of Sudan?
10,000 Egyptians transported up the Nile and they constructed a railway in the heart of the Dervish territory
Dervish?
Member of a Muslim order committed to a life of poverty and defence of their faith
Who was appointed commander in chief of the army going into Sudan in 1896?
General Sir Herbert Kitchener
What were the orders given to Kitchener in Sudan and what did he actually do?
Orders:Penetrate Sudanese territory as far as Dongola
However Kitchener was keen on taking the whole region and made use of the maxim guns in the battle of Omdurman 1898 where he won a decisive victory
What orders did Salisbury give to Kitchener after the battle of Omdurman 1898?
Go to Fashoda on the headwaters of the Nile-where French expedition had arrived pressing its claim to the area
France back down due to internal problems and in 1899 agreed to stay out the territory in return for territory further west
What happened in 1899
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan is established
Sudan to be run by the British with Egyptian support with Lord Kitchener as Governor-general
Why did Kitchener set up the Gordon college?
To train young Sudanese for government
Rhodesia: who controlled the area of south Zambia initially?
Ndebele under King Lobengula -Britain discover there was gold in the area
What did Cecil Rhodes and the British South Africa company do to south Zambia?
Given permission from British to create a protectorate
-resistance of 80,000 warriors but they got soundly defeated by British maxim guns
Why was the campaign for a confederation taken up in the 1890s
Cape priminister Cecil Rhodes and Joseph Chamberlain the colonial secretary were eager to counter German territorial gains and the new found confidence of the Boers win their gold in Transvaal
What was the excuse for British intervention in the Transvaal area?
Gold seeking untilanders denied rights by Kruger because they didn’t live there for 14 years and over 40-leads to the Jameson raid
What did the Jameson raid do 1895?
Brought discredit to the British gov and stiffened the Boers resistance to the British
-Kruger became a people’s hero and the boers still living in cape formed an anti British Afrikaner bond to show their solidarity with the Boers in Trasvaal
What actually happened in the Jameson Raid ?
-500 mounted police -easily defeated and forced to surrender in 4 days
-Jameson and companions sent to imprisonment by a British court
When did negotiations with the Boers break down 1899?
Breaks down at the Bloemfontein conference in 1899
When does Cecil Rhodes become cape priminister?
1890
How struck first in the Boer war?
The Boers invaded British territory and besieged Ladysmith in Natal
How many troops did Britain sent for the boer war
400,000 at a cost of £250 million
What was the military tactics used by Britain?
Scorched earth policies to counter Boer guerilla warfare as most British deaths were not in military action -thousands sent to concentration camps where they did end from starvation and diseases
War ends in 1902
What officially needed the Boer war in 1902?
The peace of Vereeniging
Boers acknowledged themselves at British subjects and the Boer republics became British colonies with the promise of self government-granted in 1905 to Transvaal and 1908 to orange free state
When does South Africa become a single territory?
1910
