EMPIRE BUILDING IN AFRICA

EMPIRE BUILDING IN AFRICA

CHARACTER COUNTS: CARING

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OBJECTIVE: Comprehend what factors were behind the scramble for Africa and what impact did it have on the continent.

From Slavery to "legitimate trade" in Africa

The slave trade in the Atlantic declined during the first half of the 19th century. European interest in what was sometimes called "legitimate trade" in natural resources increased. Exports of peanuts, timber hides, and palm oil from West Africa increased substantially during the first decades of the century, while imports of textile goods and other manufactured products rose.

Multiple Choice

What was the impact of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade on the economy of West Africa in the 19th century?

• A decline in the export of raw materials

• Increased demand for manufactured goods

• Growth in intercontinental trade routes

• Shift from agrarian to industrial economy

• The heightened European presence in West Africa led to the emergence of a new class of Africans educated in Western culture and often employed by Europeans.

• Some people of Africa became alarmed at the exploitation suffered by their fellow Africans and began to call for efforts to defend African interest, including the formation of nation-states on the Western model

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Multiple Choice

In the 19th and 20th centuries, what exemplifies the phenomenon of cultural assimilation in Africa?

• Educational Reforms

• Economic revolution

• Political resistance

• Linguistic preservation

the scramble for africa

• ​This was when European countries raced to take over African territories in the 19th century.

• Imagine different European nations trying to claim parts of Africa like a competition.

• Think about how this might have affected African people at that time.

• The Berlin Conference took place in 1884-1885 and was a meeting among European powers held in Berlin, Germany.

• Its primary purpose was to regulate European colonization and trade in Africa during the New Imperialism period.

• The conference aimed to establish ground rules for the effective division of African territories among European powers to avoid potential conflicts among themselves.

• This led to the arbitrary drawing of boundaries on the map of Africa, often without regard for the cultural, ethnic, and linguistic makeup of the indigenous African populations.

• Consider the impacts of this division on African societies, including the disruption of traditional communities and the subsequent conflicts that arose from the artificial demarcation of territories.

Division of Africa

Multiple Choice

When did the Berlin Conference take place, and what was its main objective?

• 16th century, to facilitate trade routes with Asia

• 20th century, to promote African independence

• 19th century, to establish political dominance in Africa

• 18th century, to regulate European alliances

Multiple Choice

What were some of the consequences of the decisions made during the Berlin Conference?

• Promotion of indigenous leadership

  
  

• Integration of diverse African cultures
  

• Peaceful coexistence among European powers
  

• Arbitrary division of African territories
  

What Happened After the Scramble?

​Drawing random lines on the map caused fights among different African groups.

Conflicts

​Europeans took valuable things from Africa and made Africans work hard without giving them much in return.

Exploitation

African cultures and traditions were sometimes lost or changed because of European influence.

Changes

Multiple Choice

What was the primary reason behind the Scramble for Africa in the 19th century?

• Spread of European culture
  

• Access to advanced technology

• Economic gain and resource exploitation

• Promotion of African unity

Multiple Choice

Which of the following was a major consequence of the Scramble for Africa?

• Peaceful coexistence among African nations

• Preservation of indigenous cultural practices

• Resistance to European colonization

• Conflicts among different African groups

Multiple Choice

How did the Scramble for Africa impact the indigenous communities?

• Improvement of social structures

• Empowerment of local leaders

• Preservation of traditional values

• Disruption and alteration of cultural norms

READING PLAN:

GREEN BOOK: 629-634