6.2 State Expansion from 1750-1900

Suez Canal

Suez Canal

A shipping route that provided secure, easy, and safe transportation of goods, allowing for easier access to resources and new markets.

British Imperialism in Africa

The expansion of British colonies into West Africa, including Sierra Leone and Gambia, with the goal of ending the export of slavery and establishing trade terms.

Infrastructure development

The construction of railways, roads, bridges, and ports by the British in Africa, facilitating trade and communication and leading to economic growth.

Education and healthcare

The establishment of schools and healthcare facilities by the British in African colonies, providing access to education and medical services for the local population.

Political stability

The establishment of centralized administrations, legal systems, and conflict resolution by the British, contributing to political stability in some African regions.

Abolition of slavery

The active role played by the British in the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade and slavery in Africa, leading to the liberation of many enslaved Africans.

Exploitation of resources

The British exploitation of Africa's natural resources for economic gain, often resulting in the depletion of resources and the impoverishment of local communities.

Cultural and social disruption

The imposition of British values, customs, and languages, leading to the erosion of indigenous cultures and the loss of cultural identity for many Africans.

Land dispossession

The implementation of land policies by the British that resulted in the displacement of indigenous communities from their ancestral lands, contributing to social and economic inequalities.

Forced labor and taxation

The imposition of forced labor and heavy taxation on Africans by the British, causing significant hardships and exploitation.

Divide and rule policies

The use of divide-and-rule tactics by the British, exploiting ethnic and tribal divisions to maintain control over their colonies, leading to tensions and conflicts between different groups.

French Imperialism in Africa

The expansion of French colonies in Algeria, Guinea, Ivory Coast, and Niger, driven by the desire for control, rivalry, national prestige, and religious missionary zeal.

Scramble for Africa

The invasion, occupation, division, and colonization of African territory by European powers during the period of New Imperialism, resulting in 90% of Africa under European control by 1914.

Berlin Conference

A conference hosted by Otto von Bismarck where European powers agreed on colonial boundaries in Africa without the participation of Africans, leading to the forced merging or separation of different ethnicities and languages.

Napoleonic Wars

The British replaced the Dutch in Cape Colony, introducing English while allowing the use of Dutch language. Conflict between Dutch-speaking Afrikaners and indigenous groups, including the Zulus, led to wars and later conflicts over land.

Boer Wars

Wars fought between the British and Afrikaners over land, resulting in the establishment of concentration camps where poor conditions and starvation led to the death of thousands of people, particularly in black camps.

King Leopold II of Belgium

Oversaw the invasion and pacification of the Congo, personally owning the colony and exploiting its resources through brutal labor practices, resulting in the death of millions of Congolese people.

Congo Free State

The personal colony of King Leopold II, characterized by brutal conditions for laborers, including severing of hands, beatings, and forced labor without payment, resulting in the death of millions of people.

Belgium's control of the Congo

Belgium took over control of the Congo as a regular colony in 1908, leading to some improvements in conditions.