“African Independence”

Africans in WWIRole:• Served w/allies (colonial powers)• Served as front line troops• Served in auxiliary roles• Only saw action in Africa

WWI Impact on Africa:• Africans who served return to villages with new ideas about freedoms• Western ideas taught in African schools• Africans organize nationalist groups

Africans in WWIIRole:• Served as front line troops and in auxiliary roles• Provided resources to the Allies• Saw action in Middle East, Italy, Burma, Italy, and North and East Africa

WWI Impact on Africa:• Turning Point in African History!!!!!• Post-war: Africans no longer satisfied to remain under colonial control• Wave of nationalism seeps across Africa

African Nationalism

Nationalism: loyalty and devotion to a nation or culture

Pan-Africanism: A movement, founded around 1900, to secure equal rights, self-government, independence, and unity for African peoples

The British ColoniesBackground: • First colony to gain independence• Colonial name: The Gold Coast

Process:• Use civil disobedience• 1948 riots in Accra = British reforms• Convention People’s Party created• 1951 British allow free elections = CPP wins majority• 1957 British grant independence

Leader(s): • Kwame Nkrumah: nationalist & independence leader

The British ColoniesBackground: • Inspired by Ghana’s independence• Colonial name: British East Africa

Process:• 1950’s British allow role in govt. • whites oppose = loose land/crops• Mau Mau Rebellion: violent rebellion against British• 1963 Kikuyu win elections and declare independence

Leader(s): • Jomo Kenyatta: independence leader/kikuyu• Kikuyu: largest ethnic group• Mau Mau: Kikuyu guerilla group

The British ColoniesBackground: • Colonial name: British Central Africa• 1953 Federation of Rhodesia & Nyasaland created (multiracial)

Process:• 1963 African majority votes to withdraw• 1964 Zambia & Malawi created• 1965 Southern Rhodesia breaks away = civil war (whites vs. Africans)• 1979 elections held• 1980 Mugabe leader & land renamed Zimbabwe

Leader(s): • Robert Mugabe: African leader in civil war; 1st prime minister

The British ColoniesBackground: • Igbo people ruled from 10th C. to 1911 when British took over• 1914 divided south (wealthy) & north (poor)• 1936 slavery outlawed in north

Process:• 1960 British grant them independence• 1966-1970 Nigerian Civil War• 1970-1979 Military rule = oil boom• 1979-1999 Democracy to Military rule (back and forth)

Leader(s): • Nnamdi Azikiwe: first president

The French ColoniesBackground: • French Goal: integrate African colonies into post-WWII French Union• Colonial name: French West Africa

Process:• Nationalist parties form• 1958 French ultimatum = Join French Union or Independence• 1958 Guinea breaks away• 1960 Senegal & Ivory Coast granted independence

Leader(s): • Sekou Toure: independence leader of Guinea • Charles de Gaulle: French leader

The French Colonies

Background: • French colony since 1800’s

Process:• National Liberation Front (FLN) demands independence• 1954 Algerian War of Independence• 1958 de Gaulle offers 3 options• 1962 France grants independence

Leader(s): • Ahmed Ben Bella: FLN leader and 1st president• Charles de Gaulle: French leader

The Belgian ColoniesBackground: • Congo rich in resources & minerals• Congolese people are tribal = WWII brought unity

Process:• 1955 Belgium sets 30 year timetable• 1959 violent protests in capital• June 1960 gain independence• 1960-65 civil war = new govt. vs. military• 1965 Mobutu and military seize control

Leader(s): • Patrice Lumumba: independence leader & 1st prime minister• Joseph Mobutu: military leader & dictator; seizes power after civil war

• name changed to Zaire• 70’s-90’s poor economy• 1994 Rwandan genocide = refugees & destabilization• Mobutu forced out & exiled• 1997 renamed Dem of Congo

The Portuguese Colonies

Background: • Post-WWII = Liberation Armies est.• Colonial Name: Portuguese Guinea, West Africa, and East Africa

Process:• 1950’s-70’s bloody revolts = Portugal vs. Liberation Armies• 1974 coup in Portugal = colonial withdrawal from Africa• Independent nations of Guinea-Bissau, Angola, and Mozambique

Leader(s): • Liberation Army: military units created to fight for independence

South AfricaBackground: • 1795 British seize land (Dutch)• 1806 becomes a British colony• Boers settle in Orange Free State and found Boer Republic• 1880 1st Boer War: Boers (Natives) vs. British for mineral wealth• 1899 2nd Boer War• 1909 South Africa Act places all areas under British control• 1931 South Africa granted independence from Britain• Afrikaners = 75% of population 13% of land & poor• Whites = 25% of population 87% of land & wealthy

Leader(s):

• Nelson Mandela: ANC leader and 1st African president of South Africa

• Steven Biko: anti-apartheid leader in South Africa

• Desmond Tutu: Anglican bishop and anti-apartheid crusader who preached non-violence • F.W. de Klerk: military leader & dictator; seizes power after civil war

South AfricaProcess: • Apartheid: legal racial segregation in South Africa (1948)• African National Congress created; political party against apartheid• 1961 South Africa becomes a republic• 1976 govt. crackdown against protests• 1980’s world leaders & nations place sanctions on South Africa b/c apartheid• 1989 K.W. de Klerk becomes president; makes reforms in South Africa• 1994 free elections held; Nelson Mandela elected first black president