The document summarizes the European colonization of Africa from initial contact in the 16th century through independence in the mid-20th century. It discusses how Europeans initially engaged in slave trade on the coasts but did not explore the interior of Africa until the late 19th century, when the "Scramble for Africa" led to the continent being divided and occupied by European colonial powers at the 1884-1885 Berlin Conference. This colonization had both benefits like infrastructure development and negatives like economic exploitation and oppression, leaving Africa divided and dependent after independence was achieved in the mid-1900s.
2. Africa before
colonization was not
broken up into
countries.
The boundaries
created by Europeans
led to civil wars
among Africans
-Why would this cause
fighting?
3. Earliest Contact
Europe had been interested in Africa for centuries.
It began in the 16th century when the Portuguese gained
control of the Trans-Saharan slave trade and trade of gold
to Europe.
4. Slave Trade
In 1551, the Trans-Atlantic
slave trade began with
thousands of Africans being
shipped to Brazil to work on
sugar plantations.
The Portuguese were the
first major European slave
traders and were followed by
the Spanish, Dutch, French
and British.
TTrriiaanngguullaarr TTrraaddee RRoouuttee
5. European Expansion
Much of Africa had been
unexplored until the 1880s
with European influence
restricted to the coastline:
These were basic settlements
and trading posts
Malaria keeping people from
exploring further
There was no reason to
explore Africa as there was
limited African civilization with
the most large settlements
being Islamic states (did not
allow outsiders)
PPrree--CCoolloonniiaall AAffrriiccaa
6. European Imperialism – The
Scramble for Africa
But with European
industrialization in the late
19th century, came a rush to
explore and dominate the
African continent.
Many politicians and
industrialist believed that
annexing overseas territories
was the only way for their
nations to ensure economic
success.
This rush was called “The
Scramble for Africa” with
new technologies such as
the steamboat, railroads and
telegraph allowing
exploration of the African
interior.
7. Commercial greed, territorial ambition, and political
rivalry fuelled the European take over of Africa. This
resulted in Africa's partition (division of land on the
continent) at the West African Conference in Berlin
November, 1884 through February,1885. The process
became known as "The Scramble for Africa".
This conference would avoid a European
conflict/war that might arise from claims.
The “Scramble for Africa” had the effect of defusing and
displacing tensions between the European powers in Europe.
However, the tradeoffs and alliances could not disguise the
fact that Imperial Germany was on a collision course with
Britain and France resulting in WWI.
-Why is this?
8. Berlin Conference of 1884-1885
The West African Conference in Berlin to divide the African
Continent among the European nations.
10. Colonial Africa as of 1914
By 1914, 90% of Africa
was under European
control
England took 30% of
African population
under its control
France 15%
Germany 9%
Belgium 7%
Italy 1%
11. Industrial
Revolution
Source for
Raw
Materials
Markets for Finished
Goods
European
Nationalism
Missionary
Activity
Military &
Naval Bases
European
Motives
For Colonization
Places to dump
Unwanted/Excess
Population
Social & Economic
Opportunities
Humanitarian
Reasons
Social
Darwinism
EEuurrooppeeaann RRaacciissmm
“White Man’s
Burden”
12. Economic Causes of European Imperialism
Industrialization of European
nations led to the rush across
the African continent:
Looking for raw-materials
Cheap labor
To gain access to new markets
To invest their capital for
higher rates of return – les
developed areas gave higher
dividends European EExxppaannssiioonn -- WWoorrllddwwiiddee
13. Political Causes of European Imperialism
Nationalism
European leaders hoped that imperialism would win them the loyalty
of their own people.
Competition for power & status
European states extended their power through acquired territories
for strategic reasons – or to simply stop competitors doing so.
14. Life Under Colonized Rule
White Settler Regions
Areas where Europeans
were very present and
in charge
Areas ruled by
Belgium, Portugal
Life was most brutal.
Labor, punishment,
taxes.
No opportunity to
succeed.
No choices, no life.
Non-White Settler
Regions
Areas where Europeans
put Africans in charge and
were not as present.
Areas colonized by
Britain and France
Life was bad, but easier
Freedom… if you
labored and paid your
taxes.
Possible for Africans to
get ahead in life.
Able to chose
what to grow
(market economy).
15. Dutch Colonization of South Africa
Began in 1652 with the Dutch East
India Company founding a station
at what was to become Cape
Town.
Was a half-way fueling station
between the Dutch east Indies and
the Dutch west Indies
South Africa unified as a nation in
1910 (mixture of British and Dutch
provinces such as Natal, Orange
Free State, Transvaal & Cape
Province)
In 1948 the National Party was
elected to power and began the
implementation of apartheid
16. Mineral Resources
Gold
Copper
Diamond
Iron
Bauxite
Phosphate
Cobalt
Manganese
20. Positives Negatives
Tribal warfare was ended
by the colonial
administrators. The
European colonial powers
established their law and
order over large areas of
the continent.
Introduced different and
modern ideas of education,
government, and
economics
“the Scramble”
prevented the formation
of a unified national
spirit necessary to start
a new independent
country.
Left a legacy of
oppression and
economically crippled
the regions of Africa.
21. Schools were established and some
African students attended universities
abroad.
The missionaries wrote the languages and made
dictionaries for the many native languages that
had only been passed by oral tradition.
22. By the end of the 19th century Europeans were straddling
the continent with railways and roads. This made it possible
to take control – politically and commercially.
Colonial rulers built
railroads, but the tracks ran
north and south to carry raw
materials to ports.
Few rail lines went into the
interior of the continent.
Positives
Colonial rulers built
railroads.
Negatives
24. Colonial policies turned
Africans into wage earners or
cash-crop farmers.
Hundreds of thousands of
Africans were hired and
trained to operate machines
for getting minerals to surface.
The profits of all trade
and manufacturing was
not invested in Africa.
Money was needed (by
the Africans) to pay taxes
to the colonial rulers.
Many Africans became
economically dependent
on European trade.
Positives
Negatives
25. Independence or “De-colonization”
The consequences of European
partition of the continent for Africa
were devastating.
In the decades before World War II,
opposition to European colonial rule in
Africa gathered strength with the rise
of African Nationalist movements.
Post World War II, the transition to
independence was relatively peaceful
in French and English colonies.
Elsewhere, the aftermath of
decolonization displayed political
instability, economic disaster, and debt
dependence.
The byproducts of decolonization
including political instability, border
disputes, economic ruin, and massive
debt continue to plague Africa to this
present day.
Dates of AAffrriiccaann IInnddeeppeennddeennccee
26. Push for Independence
Africans fought
with Europeans in
both World War I &
II.
WWII- “A war to
make the world
safe for
democracy and
freedom.”
Africans- “What
about us?”
WWII ends 1945
27. Political independence did not bring
economic independence.
African countries continued to export agricultural and
mineral products to their former rulers.
There was little money to build
factories. The profits of all
trade and manufacturing were
not invested in Africa – and
most of the profits or benefits
went to Europeans instead of
Africans.