The Scramble For Africa Flashcards
Which two African countries remained independent?
Liberia
Ethiopia
Which 7 countries colonized the African continent?
Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Belgium
When did the Berlin conference take place?
1884
Which 3 countries received the largest pieces of Africa?
Britain
France
Germany
Which new technologies did Europe develop before colonization?
Navigation
Better ships
Better weapons
When did Europe develop the new technologies that allowed them to colonize Africa?
The European Renaissance
What is colonialism?
The occupation and control of nation by another
In what year was the colonization of Africa completed?
1914
On which continent did humans originate?
Africa
Who controlled Africa before European colonization?
Africa was firmly under the control of Africans
When did complete African rule of Africa end?
The late 19th century
Which African kingdoms were rich and powerful before colonization?
Egypt Mapungubwe Great Zimbabwe Mali The Swahili
How did ordinary African societies live?
Hunting
Gathering
Herding
Farming
Which African nation had the biggest trade network that even extended across the Indian Ocean?
The Swahili
What percentage of Africa was colonized?
98%
Why are historical cartoons useful?
Their drawings show a particular point of view at a particular time in history
During which decade were the European powers competing for control over Africa?
The 1870’s
Who arranged the Berlin Conference?
Prime Minister Otto Von Bismarck
What was the purpose of the Berlin Conference?
To divide Africa amongst the European countries without a war between European countries
What is an empire?
A group of countries ruled by a single government
What were the areas the Europeans took over called?
Colonies
How many colonies were created in Africa during the Berlin Conference?
46
Why is colonization considered a turning point in the history of Africa?
Because colonization brought such a drastic change that Africa would never be the same again and the effects would last for hundreds of years
What were the reasons for European colonization of Africa?
Search for raw materials and profits
Growth of nationalism in Europe
Christian missionaries
The discovery of quinine
Define the term “cash crops”
Crops that are grown to be sold at a profit
Name 5 raw materials Europe wanted from Africa?
Ivory Rubber Diamonds Gold Cotton Cocoa Coffee Vegetable oils
What types of goods did Europe produce and sell to the Africans?
Cloth Clothing Alcohol Guns Knives Forks
Define the term “nationalism”
Competing to be the richest and most powerful nation and being proud of the achievements of the country you come from
How did European countries prove that they were richer and stronger than other countries?
By taking over more and more land in other parts of the world, they became richer and strengthened their power over one another
Why were Christian missionaries interested in Africa?
They wanted to spread their beliefs and European customs among African people
When did Christians first become missionaries?
During the 15th and 16th centuries
What was the purpose of quinine?
To protect Europeans against malaria
How effective was quinine?
It reduced European deaths from malaria by 80%
How do you get malaria?
Malaria is contracted when you are bitten by a malaria carrying mosquito
When was quinine discovered?
1850’s
Why were European powers able to colonize Africa so quickly?
Rivalries between different African leaders
Natural disasters
The invention of the machine gun
New diseases
How did European powers take advantage of the rivalries between African leaders?
They persuaded some African leaders to side with them against other African leaders
Which natural disasters hit Africa in the 1890’s?
A severe drought
A locust plague
Rinderpest
When did the drought take place?
1895
What was the result of the drought of 1895?
Hardly any crops were produced which led to a food shortage. This caused the death of many people and animals
How did the locust plague make things worse for Africans?
The locusts destroyed what little crops were left to the people
What is rinderpest?
A cattle plague
When did rinderpest break out in Africa?
The 1890’s
Which animals were affected by rinderpest?
Cattle
Sheep
Goats
What percentage of the cattle in Africa died due to the rinderpest outbreak?
95%
How did natural disasters enable the Europeans to colonies Africa so quickly?
As a result of the natural disasters, African people were weak and unable to fight against the colonizing powers
What was the first machine gun called?
The Maxim gun
When was the Maxim gun invented?
1880’s
What methods did European powers use to take control of land that belonged to other people?
Force
Violence
Why didn’t Africans just buy some Maxim guns for themselves?
The European countries had made an agreement with each other that they would not sell Maxim guns to Africans
How many bullets could the Maxim gun fire?
Eleven bullets per second
What was the result of denying Africans access to the Maxim gun?
This meant that Africans were at a military disadvantage against the colonizing countries
Which new disease did Europeans bring to Africa?
Smallpox
What is an epidemic?
A widespread outbreak of an infectious disease. Many people are infected at the same time
When did smallpox break out in Africa?
1890’s
What is immunity?
Resistance to disease
Why were African weakened by smallpox?
This disease weakened the African population as they had not been exposed to it before. Many people became sick and died
What is a turning point?
A great change in the course of history