Decolonization in Africa

Why did countries want to decolonize?

  • After WWII, African leaders wanted to create their own independent countries

  • More than 50 countries gained independence from their colonizers

  • Some struggles were violent, while others were peaceful

  • Negritude Movement: a movement to celebrate African culture, heritage, and values

  • Decolonization of Ghana

  • Formerly a British colony

  • First colony south of the Sahara to gain independence (1947)

  • Leader: Kwame Nkrumah

  • New schools, roads, hospitals, and industrial programs were developed but were very costly

  • Tactics used:

    • Non violent

    • Organized strikes and boycotts

  • Decolonization in Algeria 

  • Formerly a French colony

  • After WWII French refuse to share power with native Algerians

  • Gains independence in July 1962

  • Leader: Ahmed Ben Bella 

  • Attempts to make Algeria socialist state, unsuccessful modernization attempts

  • Tactics used:

    • violent civil war

  • Decolonization of Kenya

    • Formerly a British colony

    • Gained independence in 1963

    • Leader: Jomo Kenyatta

    • Kenyatta tried to modernize the country, but Kenya still struggles with poverty and conflict

    • Tactics Used: violent struggle; the Mau Mau Uprising led to 10,000 deaths

  • Apartheid Ends in South Africa

    • South Africa first gained self-rule in 1910

    • By 1931, South Africa had a constitutional government

    • BIG PROBLEM: the system set up in South Africa gave whites all the power

      • Apartheid: a complete separation of races

        • No social contact between whites and blacks

        • Segregated schools, hospitals, and neighborhoods

    • The African National Congress was formed to fight for equal rights

    • The government banned the ANC and put Nelson Mandela in prison for 27 years

    • Apartheid ends in South Africa

    • Archbishop Desmond Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize for campaign to end apartheid

    • 1989, F.W de Klerk was elected as president of South Africa

    • Under his leadership, the government repealed apartheid laws

    • In 1994, all races were allowed to vote, and Nelson Mandela was elected 

  • The Partition of India

    • New nations emerged from the British colony of India

    • It was expensive to maintain a colony

    • After WW2, people in India began to press for their freedom

    • Religious groups in India were also struggling against each other (Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs)

    • The British decided to “break apart”  (partition) India

    • In the summer of 1947, 10 million people were on the move

    • Over 1 million people died in the scramble to move to the country they desired

    • Pakistan was formed for Muslims

    • India was formed for Hindus

    • Ceylon became Sri Lanka

    • East Pakistan became Bangladesh

  • After the Partition

    • The world’s largest democracy

    • Jawaharlal Nehru becomes first prime minister

    • Indira Gandhi takes over

    • Assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards

    • Religious strife, social, and gender inequality cause issues