Colonization of Africa

Definitions

  • colonialism- acquisitions of and the exploitation of territory by a foreign power for its own economic and political benefit

  • imperialism- policy of exerting cultural, economical, or political influence over other societies

    • colonialism is imperialism, but not imperialism includes broader policies that are used to influence the weak

Africa and Outside World Pre 1900

  • trade- trans Saharan/ trans Atlantic

    • Atlantic ends in early 1800s

    • Britain bans slavery in 1807- considered immorality

    • US 1863-1865- emancipation

    • Brazil ends slavery in 1872

    • east Africa continues with slavery

  • Cash crops

    • things that were originally formed by slaves are no longer affordable

    • consisted of spices, coffee, peanuts, rubber, cotton, and ivory

    • small scale farmers became wealthy

    • limited industrialization

    • goods went from trader to trader and nation to nation

  • hard for Europeans to explore

  • Christian missionaries

    • convert Africans to Christianity

    • mainly in coastal areas

  • South Africa founded by Dutch- Afrikaners

    • shift towards British authority

  • Algiers- French colony

    • French retaliation

Scramble for Africa Causes

  • Industrial revolution

    • driven by raw material intake

    • clothing factories- cotton decrease after slavery

    • economy starts to struggle- increased price of primary goods

      • solved by Africans

    • made deals with Africans and African leaders

  • European nationalism

    • considered “leaders of the world”

    • extends to africa

    • growth>wealth

  • Racism

    • thought different races were biologically different

      • phrenology- study of head shape

    • white superiority

Scramble for Africa

  • Europeans slowly expand influence in Africa- diplomatic

  • more Europeans claiming Africa

  • Congo- Leopold II vs France

    • network of treaties- war between Belgium and France

  • Otto Van Bismarck- Berlin conference (1884-1885)

    • carves up Africa- no Africans at meeting

    • goal to prevent European wars over Africa

Results of Berlin Conference

  • european requirements

    • ratify other countries claims- no fighting

    • must occupy land that was claimed- seriousness

  • Congo “free state”- just under Leopold II

  • any agreements between African leaders- legal basis and claim

Establishment of Authority

  • treaties

    • agreements on a legal basis

    • promised good relations, trade, and protections from both parties

    • to team the weak together

    • Europeans have been super bad in African eyes

  • slow erosion in traditional power

  • military takeover

    • Muslim resistance- did not want to convert

    • use prior armies or guerilla warfare

    • maxim gun- most associated with the colonization of Africa

      • machine gun with 1 barrel and belt fed bullets

      • European tech advantage

      • invented by the German Maxim

      • sale denied to Africans

  • 1900, Europeans had complete control except for Liberia and Ethiopia

    • Liberia- free slave settlement

    • Ethiopia- had modern weapons

Economics of Imperialism

  • removement of the middleman

    • wanted to just take goods

  • forced growing of cash crops- used as exports

  • different economic emphasis

    • Rhodesia, Kenya, Algeria- European

      • pay workers little

      • very close to slavery

    • West Africa- independent blacks with low wages

      • forced to sell at low rates

    • Congo- mining

      • copper

      • cobalt

      • diamonds

    • Congo Free state, Cameroon, Gabon- company run

      • goal was to take money

Core Periphery Theory