The Scramble for Africa

The New Imperialism

• New Imperialism was not based upon the settlement of colonies

• Europeans wanted to directly govern• Driven by economic interests, political

competition and cultural motives

Economic Interests

• Slave trade was abolished and the industrial revolution meant that people needed raw materials for factories.

• Africa had plenty of land and plenty of resources.

Political Interests

• As each European country began to obtain land in Africa, the other Nationalistic European countries would try to obtain land to keep their competition in check.

• Belief = The more colonies you have, the more respect you will receive

Cultural Interests

• Europeans felt superior to non-Europeans

• This justified their rule in Africa

• Their noble duty was to educate and to civilize the Africans

Science and Imperialism

• Quinine protected Europeans against malaria.

• Anticipate: How do you suppose automatic machine guns, telegraphs, railroads, and steamships helped the Europeans to be Imperialistic in Africa?

Suez Canal• Canal that links the

Mediterranean to the Red Sea

• Eliminates the need for ships to sail all the way around Africa

• Egypt was unstable in 1882 and the British made Egypt a protectorate to ensure canal access

Suez Canal

Berlin Conference

• 1884-1885 European leaders were trying to prevent conflicts among themselves

• If a European nation claimed a new African territory, it had to notify the other members

The Boer War

• Boers = Dutch settlers who had been living in southern Africa since the 1600s.

• Boers discovered gold there in the 1800s and refused to grant political rights to foreigners.

• The British wanted southern Africa and began imprisoning British women and children and burned Boer farms

The Boer War

• The Dutch replied with guerilla warfare• 20,000 Boer women died in the prison camps

from disease• Ultimately the British defeat the Boers

Belgian Congo

• Leopold II – King of Belgium, claimed the Congo for himself and began exploiting their natural resources

• Leopold forced the Congolese to work in rubber plantations and millions died from being overworked.

• 1908 – the Belgium government takes control

African Resistence

• Shaka and The Zulu• Menelik II in Ethiopia

The Zulu• The Zulu resisted for more

than 50 years• Shaka Zulu was a strong

leader• 1879 – British invasion• Zulu were under the

leadership of Cetshwayo (Shaka’s nephew)

• It took the British about 6 months to annex Zulu lands as a British colony

Ethiopia and Menelik II

• Menelik II tried to establish a modern army

• Ethiopia was invaded by the Italians

• Menelik defeated the Italians at the Battle of Adwa

Other African Rebellions

• French West Africa: Toure led the Malinke to resist the French for 15 years, but the Malinke ultimately lost

• German East Africa: rebelled against the Germans for growing and exporting cotton– Maji = magic water– The Maji Maji rebellion– Germans killed tens of thousands and won