The Scramble for Africa

What does the title mean?

European Imperialism: 3 Motives

•Religious

•Economic

•Political

How did Europe justify imperialism?

“…to civilize the

uncivilized”

Religious

Christianity Civilization

•Bring superior religious beliefs to Africa

•Example of Ethnocentrism

True reason for imperialism in

Africa?

Economic

The Industrial Revolution ended the slave trade.

Why?

•From farms to factories

•Slave labor became unprofitable

•Raw materials = Profits

Other Reasons for European Success

• New innovations of the Industrial Revolution

–Medical – treatment for malaria, yellow fever

–Military – Machine gun

The Industrial Revolution> the need for raw materials and

new markets> Imperialism

If Africans are left in Africa

they will:

•Provide the raw materials for Europe’s factories

•European’s used Africans as cheap labor in their own countries

And buy the products the

factories produce (Market)

Why would they want European products?

Westernization•If the Africans are westernized they will need the products of western factories.

•PoliticalEuropean nations began competing with each

other to claim and conquer territory.

The competition was leading to war in Europe.

1884 Berlin Conference 14 nations in Europe meet to divide Africa between them.

Africans were never seriously

consulted.

What did European competition mean for sub-Saharan

Africa?

Sub-Saharan African Culture became a mix of traditional African, Islamic, and Western

culture.