history-african imperialism Flashcards
Factors promoting Imperialism in Africa
Europeans’ technological superiority (weapons, communication, transportation)
No unity in Africa (diff ethnic groups) ->Europeans learned to turn rival groups against e/o
Why had European previously avoided exploring inland Africa
Could not navigate African rivers
disease
David Livingstone
Scottish doctor and missionary that went deep into central africa->sent reports back to GB about explorations
Henry M. Stanley
Sent to find Livingstone when they thought he was dead -> eventually went on expeditions in Africa too -> him and Livingstone sent back reports about abundance of resources in Africa ->peaked interest of European nations
Berlin Conference
European nations met and didn’t invite Africa to decide how to split up Africa between them->not split evenly
The Congo : what nation imperialized it
Belgium
Congo: why and how did Belgium imperialize it
Stanley said Congo resource= commerce ->sparks King Leopold II of Belgium ->Leopold hires Stanley ->Stanley tricks chiefs of Congo to sign treaty that gave Leopold control of lands ->Leopold claims it as his own private plantation
What did King Leopold II do to the Congo/ Congolese?
He enslaved the Congolese people -> had licensed companies do it for him so “he’s not doing it”
Cut down forests for rubber trees
10 million Congolese died due to the abuse
Killed elephant herds for ivory tusks
Result of Leopold in the Congo
Stripped Congo of resources and ppl->humanitarians demand change->Belgian govt takes it away from Leopold ->becomes the Belgian Congo
Egypt: who took it over and why
Britain bc interested in Suez Canal -> shortcut to their Indian colonies
Suez Canal location and who made it and significance
Connects the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea ->shortcut to Asia (instead of going around Africa)
Made by France
How was Cape Colony formed
Dutch settlers established it on southern tip of Africa ->way station on their way to Asia
Which imperial power took over cape colony and why
Britain bc of strategic value ( must go around southern tip of Africa to get to Asia at that time)
Boers/Afrikaners
Dutch that lived in South Africa
Relationship between boers and British in South Africa
Boers hated British rule(especially anti-slavery laws)->migrated inward->developed Transvaal and Orange Free State
The Zulu
Powerful African group that conquered a large empire in South africa->fighting with boers ->British step in ->eventually British defeat Zulu ->Zulu nation fell to the British
What resource was found in British and boer lands in South Africa
Diamonds and gold
Cecil Rhodes
British imperialist
Made a fortune in diamond mining
Established DeBeers mining company
Took over lots of South Africa
Used his influence to strengthen British control there
Wants to expand British control thru boer lands ->war
DeBeers Diamond Company
Established by Cecil Rhodes
Controls 90% of worlds diamonds
South African War (Anglo-Boer War)
War bc British wants to expand thru Boer lands
British, Boers, and Africans involved
Modern warfare (Maxim Gun) used; guerrilla tactics used by boers (weaker side)
British put women and children in concentration camps to protect them->unintentionally died of disease and starvation
British eventually won but at great cost (brought 500,000 soldiers)
Union of South Africa->what is it/who ruled it
Cape Town, Transvaal, Natal, and Orange Free State unite as Union of South Africa
Dominion of British empire ->self rule granted , Boers in charge-not blacks
What legal policy was instituted in South Africa
Apartheid -> when National Party came to power
Define apartheid in SA
Legal separation of the races, “apartness “
Goals of apartheid in SA
Keep white minority in power
Keep the races separate
Four classes of ppl in South Africa
Afrikaner/white
Colored -“mixed” races
Indian/Asian
African/Black - MAJORITY of pop
Pass books in SA
Non-whites were required by law to carry these
Identified who you were, where you lived, where you worked, and where you had to be @diff times ->had to request govt to be somewhere else
Failure to show pass book= jail
Restrictions on blacks bc of apartheid in SA
Couldn’t vote
Mixed marriage banned
Inferior education
Low skilled jobs w low wages
Can’t own property->blacks are 75% of pop, only 13% land set aside for them
Kept in poverty
Segregation in public places and separate living areas
SA
What happened to some blacks and the area they lived in
Forced removals->area declared “white only” ->forcibly remove blacks and bulldoze their homes/businesses
SA
Where were blacks assigned to live
Townships
SA
African National Congress
Goal- equality for all races
Banned by govt->met secretly
Organized protests, boycotts, and strikes
SA
What was the Spear of The Nation and why was it formed
ANC’s peaceful protests not working (still open fire on crowd)->form SofTN within ANC->use violent protests along with peaceful ones
SA
Nelson Mandela
ANC leader/ part of SofTN
Arrested for treason against apartheid->life imprisonment
SA
What happened when SA held their first universal election
All adult citizens of all races vote->ANC wins majority of seats in National Assembly
SA
How was the Republic of South Africa formed
Nelson Mandela elected president
SA
What two main things did Nelson Mandela do when elected president
Passed a new democratic constitution
Guaranteed equal rights to all citizens
Blood/Conflict Diamonds
Diamonds that Cecil Rhodes/DeBeers didn’t have control over
Why were the called blood diamonds
They funded weapons and terrorism
Current problems in SA
Extreme poverty for majority of blacks High crime and rape rates High unemployment High aids/HIV rates Not enough housing
Where were blood diamonds found
Angola, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and the Congo
What affect did the presence of blood diamonds have on the conflict areas
Suffered atrocities like kidnapping, murder, rape, child drug addiction, etc
Explain the Rwandan genocide
Two groups in Rwanda ->Hutu and Tutsi
Rwanda Becomes protectorate of belgium-> Belgians measure Rwandans faces->more European looking = Tutsi and others= Hutu
Hutu majority in Rwanda
Given identity cards (Hutu or Tutsi)
Tutsis get benefits->Hutus oppressed->Hutu come to power in govt->Tutsis flee to surrounding countries ->Tutsis form RPF (Rwandan Patriotic front) ->Hutus spread propaganda about Tutsis and oppress them and won’t let them come back home -> Hutus start to plan genocide of Tutsis ->Tutsis come back in country and genocide begins ->eventually RPF declares victory bc they get help from French troops->jails overcrowded with Hutus
What role did the UN / US play in the Rwandan Genocide
Didn’t do anything even though they could->racist
Explain Cecil Rhodes’ involvement with blood diamonds
Wants to purchase all of them so DeBeers has control of all diamonds (monopoly)
What happened in Ethiopia
Emperor Menelik II successfully kept Ethiopia free of imperial European rule
ONLY NATION TO STAY FREE OF ANY IMPERIAL RULE
How did Menelik II keep Ethiopia independent
He played the Italians French and British against each other-> in the meantime he built up a large arsenal of modern weapons purchased from France and Russia
he signed a treaty with Italy-> after signing, I noticed differences between the wording of the treaty in both languages-> he thought he was just giving up a little bit of Ethiopia, Italians thought he was giving them all of Ethiopia-> Italians advance into Ethiopia-> he declares war-> Ethiopians successfully defeated talion’s and continue to stockpile weapons to stay independent
Describe what happened in Liberia
American colonization Society (ACS) Believe freed black slaves are a threat to slavery-> send them back to Africa-> first group of freed black slaves are sent to Liberia-> called Americo-Liberians because they are very different than local Liberians-> Americo-Liberians start creating an American society (plantation style houses with plantations)-> need slaves to work on plantations-> enslave local Liberians-> declare independence from the US, but US doesn’t recognize independence-> America Liberian government overthrown-> lead to civil wars funded by blood diamonds -> ruins Liberian infrastructure
Current problems in Liberia
85% of Liberians live under poverty line because of civil wars with Americo-Liberians
Negative effects of imperialism
Died of new diseases; died while resisting Europeans; famine caused by the change to cash crops; homes and property is transferred; men forced to leave villages to support families; unstable societies and identity problems (bc forced to be European culture) ; new borders combined or separate and groups unnaturally
Positive effects of imperialism
Reduced local warfare; improved sanitation and hospitals-> longer life spans; More schools-> improved literacy rates; African products become valued internationally; railroads, dams, telephone and telegraph lines are built
What were the only two nations free from European rule
Ethiopia and Liberia
SA
How did apartheid end
Anti-apartheid protests and pressure from other countries to end it (ex: trade restrictions) -> F.W. De Klerk elected president ->legalized ANC ->released Nelson Mandela from prison -> began negotiations for multi-racial govt
Sierra Leone
Taken over by Britain
Colony for former slaves
Next to Liberia (Britain copied America with slaves here)
Blood diamonds here
