THE SCRAMBLE AND PARTITION OF AFRICA Flashcards
European states Involved:
Britain, France, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, Italy, and Germany
Reasons for the Scramble for Africa
- Economic
- Jules Ferry: colonies are for rich countries, one of the most lucrative methods of investing capital - investments
- Profit
- Industrialization
- Market
- Raw Materials
- Where did the raw materials come from ? Africa, Rubber, coacoa, palm oil,
What did Cecil Rhodes do?
- Named Zimbabwe
- Went to south Africa and encouraged people to invest in his company and promised a Huge return if they did
- Even the Queen of England invested into Rhodes Company
- Now known as Rhodes Foundation
Break down spirit nationalism
Unification of Germany
Defeat of France
- Loss of Alsace & Lorraine
- They felt it was best to colonize places in Africa to enhance their natural pride.
- Most of the land the French gained was desert
A place in the sun:
- After Germans were done fighting they also wanted their place in the sun
What is the social impact
Employment
- Many people in these small towns of Europe were loosing their jobs
- So they moved to bigger cities
- For this reason they needed to go and colonize areas in Africa
Surplus Labor
- Couldn’t find work in Europe would be sent to Africa to work
We’re the World
- Every European nation felt they were the center of the world
- This idea is called social Imperialism
- God has given them the right to go out and impose their views on other people, this is also called the White Mans Burdern
- Rudyard Kipling
- He wrote this poem for the united states, which implied god gave them the right to colonize other places and control them
- Leopold II sent troops to colonize the Congo
- He was only interested in the moral and material generation of the Congo
- Basically felt the Congolese people did not have morals
How did Religion play a role?
The church was also involved in the scramble for Africa
- The churches had various denominations
- They had different sets:
- Protestants, missionaries belonging to different group
- Completing among themselves for the souls of the Africans
- Protestant were fighting against themselves and the Catholics
- The church is also supported by the states
- Otto Von Bismarck, issued out conference so they can settle how to spread out Africa
The Berlin Conference (Nov. 14, 1884- Jan. 31, 1885)
The Berlin Conference (Nov. 14, 1884- Jan. 31, 1885)
Germany in Africa
Otto Von Bismarck
Decisions taken at the conference
- Inform other European powers of your intention to claim an area, so you don’t clash with another nation
- Annexation and effective Occupation, they knew the Africans were not inviting them and they would resist , so they had to attack Africa
- Sign treaties With African Rulers, once defeated they must sign off their territories to the Europeans, they would force to sign , the ruler or king was not the owner of the land the king is only a guarantor.
- Extend boundaries inland, the europeans came in ships, they only started the conquest on the coast,
- Free Navigation of all major rivers, sailing on the major rivers , there should be no restrictions
What was the issue with the conference?
what was the Consequences for Africa:
Africans were not invited to the Conference
Colonization and Partition
War would be declared on Africa
What was the African response
Resistance:
- Samori Ture (Mandinka)
- Behanzin (Dahomey)
- Prempeh I (Asante)
- Ghanian people
What issued from the Resistance of the africans residing the Berlin conferences rule?
French decided to take their territory
Sarituri bought guns from the English
The French signed a agreement with the English
And would take some of the Turi territory
The king of Dahomey fought the French
He had a battalion full of women
The French attacked his kingdom and looted the palace
Current king of France offered to return the objects but still has not done it.
What is the most common African art made out of?
Bronze
what caused all the African kings to be killed ?
All the African kings were defeated due to the europeans having superior guns
Ex: Maxim and Gatling gun
Arms trade:
Putting guns against the opposition’s head and taking their belongings
Winston Churchill was considered a hero of the second war but was he a hero to the Africans?
NO, he was a common criminal
