TIME LINE

African Regional Scenario

The Berlín Conference 1884 - 1885

Scramble for Africa1886

Role of explorers, traders and

christian missionares

EuropeanImperialism in

Africa.1870 - 1898

ColonialRule in Africa

The Berlín Conference 1884 - 1885* The European powers claimed to virtually all of Africa.

• Parts of the continent had been "explored," but now representatives of European governments and rulers arrived to create or expand African spheres of influence for their patrons. • In late 1884 a conference was convened

in Berlin to sort things out. • This conference laid the groundwork for

the now familiar politico-geographical map of Africa.

Mambu Ma Nzambi Kabinda , The Scramble for Africa:Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 to Divide Africa, recovered in Oct. 11 2010, URL :http://www.cabinda.net/Berlin_Conference.htm

• In November 1884, the imperial chancellor and architect of the German Empire, Otto von Bismarck, convened a conference of 14 states (including the United States) to settle the political partitioning of Africa.

• Bismarck wanted not only to expand German spheres of influence in Africa but also to play off Germany's colonial rivals against one another to the Germans' advantage.

• Of these fourteen nations, France, Germany, Great Britain, and Portugal were the major players in the conference, controlling most of colonial Africa at the time.

Scramble for Africa

• The Scramble for Africa (1880-

1900) was a period of rapid

colonization of the African

continent by European

powers. But it wouldn't have

happened except for the

particular economic, social,

and military evolution Europe

was going through.

Alistair, Boddy-Evans. What Caused the Scramble for Africa? Why was Africa so rapidly colonized?, recovered in Oct. 11 2010, URL :http://africanhistory.about.com/od/eracolonialism/a/ScrambleWhy.htm

….but why was Europe interested in Africa?

• They were moved by a crusading zeal, the desire for gold, the search of spices, thirst for adventure and knowledge.

• But Ali Mazrui said: - Gain scientific knowledge,- Ethnocentrism or racism,

spread of the faith.- Imperialism.

What did the europeans did once they gained control ?

• Determine the lands

available.

• Rationalization, by taking

the land based in public

interest.

• The europeans said that

the native governments

were not representative,

they used this as an alibi.

Khapoya, Vincent. Coloniallism and African experience, in The African Experience book. 1998. Prentice-Hall. Pp. 135 – 137

The Role of Explorers, Traders & Christian Missionaries.

Explorers:• Mungo Park, explored the Niger

river.• David Livingstone, intrigued by

the mysteries of vast unexplored areas of South Africa, started as a missionary and was believed death for years until Henry Stanley was sent to look the whereabouts of Dr. Livingstone, he was succesful and they both explored central Africa for a time. Stanley returned to civilization and Dr. Livingstone died in Africa in 1873

Mungo Park was a Scottish explorer who led one of the first expeditions to investigate the course of the Niger river in Western Africa.

Traders:• European trade with the coastal Africans

attracted many Africans from the interior and

diverted the flow of trade across the Sahara to

the Atlantic Coast of West Africa. This shift

contributed to the fall of the Sudanese states.

• They introduced many new world crops into

West Africa and expanded trading opportunities.

• They also left their slave castles which often

changed hands in the battles between the

European states for control of the slave trade

• Navigational and ship building advances helped

them.

• The complex societal structures of the African

societies helped them to trade as equals with

their European traders.

Think Exist. From Africa to Europe, recovered in Oct. 11 2010, URL: http://library.thinkquest.org/13406/ta/2.htm

Christian Missioners:• The introduction of the church into

Africa by the Portuguese took place in the late years of the 1400´s The missionaries facilitated the establishment of commercial routes and the unification of the african kingdoms.

• The Christian missions, promoted the establishment of schools that provided literacy and the raise of “productivity”.

• By the year 1875 European possessions in Africa consisted of fortifications and trading posts along the coast. But between 1880 and 1910, Africa was divided up among the European nations.

• For the next 50 years Africa was almost totally controlled by the European powers. Mali and West Africa came under French rule.

• Britain's colonies were scattered throughout the continent. Although the French controlled the most territory, Britain ruled the greatest number of people.

European imperialism in Africa

Jim Lloyd. Colonialism and Imperialism, recovered in Oct. 11 2010, URL : http://www.fresno.k12.ca.us/divdept/sscience/history/imperialism_colonialism.htm

• The Europeans began to

build plantations where

they grew peanuts, palm

oil, cocoa, and rubber.

• The Congo produced

copper and tin. South Africa

had gold and diamonds.

• The British won control of

the Dutch colony on the

southern coast.

Mc Dougal, Litell, (1999) , TELESCOPING THE TIMES: The Age of Imperialism, 1850-1914Recovered in October 11, 2010. URL: http://mclane.fresno.k12.ca.us/wilson98/assigments/impch11.html

• There were four administrative styles used by colonial powers in the African continent:• 1-. Indirect rule (used by the British).• 2-.Direct rule (used by the French, Germany and Portugal).• 3-. Company rule (used by the belgians).

• 4-. Hybrid approach,called Indirect Company rule. (Rhodesia and South Africa).

Colonial Rule in Africa

Khapoya, Vincent. Coloniallism and African experience, in The African Experience book. 1998. Prentice-Hall. Pp. 126

There are five benefits of colonial rule, according to some (western, of course) scholars.

1-. Introduction of western medicine.2-. Introduction of formal education.3-. Establishment of infraestructure,

development of new skills.4-. Introduction of Islam and

Christianity “simplified” African spirituality.

Khapoya, Vincent. Coloniallism and African experience, in The African Experience book. 1998. Prentice-Hall. Pp. 126

Negative implications of colonial rule in Africa

1-.The breaking down of the indigenous culture.

2-. Physical harm of native population.

3-. Major exploitation of local resources

4-. The Europeans introduced their ruling system and then left this system when they withdrew, without having empowered the local population in order to be able to seize effectively this ruling system.