Africa Imperialism

Imperialism

• A government’s policy of ruling over a foreign country

• Mr. M’s defintion– Acquiring colonies

Cultural Motives

1. Genuine concern for their “little brothers”

2. Missionaries, doctors, and political leadersA. duty to spread western

civilizationB. Including medicine,

law, and Christianity

3. “Civilize the Natives”

Political Motives

1. Nationalism– Pride & Prestige

2. Competition– halt others expansion

3. Needed for national security – Naval bases

Economic Motives

Invade other nations for resources

Exploit the natives for

labor

Sell back to those “new”

markets.

How did they do it?

• Technology1. Railroads2. Communication3. Weaponry

• The Maxim Gun (automatic machine gun, over 600 rounds a minute)

• the most powerful weapon of the day, forever changing military tactics (hint of WW1)

King Edward of England firing Maxim gun, Maxim stands

Scramble for Africa• 90% of the continent

gobbled up in a massive European land grab (Ethiopia & Liberia)

• Berlin Conference – (1884)– created the rules for

“effective occupation” of conquered lands

• ensuring that the division of Africa would take place without war

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Afrikakonferenz.jpg

• How is the Name of these falls an example of Imperialism mentality?

Rudyard Kipling (Ruhd – yerd)

• Wrote the Jungle Book & White Man’s Burden

• Glorified Imperialism – appealing to spirit of

superiority – Perpetuated the racist

ideas of the day

http://wsu.edu:8080/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_reader_2/kipling.html

Cecil Rhodes

• English business man & politician with interests in Africa– Obsessed with power and

personal achievement – Cared little for rights of

blacks in Africa • Founder of De Beers

Diamond Co. – controls 90% of the diamond industry, now only 40%

Cecil Rhodes

• influential in pushing into Boer lands

• Boer War–> British win• Goal was to connect

“Cape Town to Cairo”

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Punch_Rhodes_Colossus.png

King Leopold II of Belgium

• Used Henry Stanley to lay claim to Congo

• Founder and sole owner• Forced labor and

brutality on the natives• 5-25 million killed• Amassed a huge

personal fortune-lease land 50% profit

Children had their hands amputated when they didn't meet demands for the Belgians

Ethiopia

• Only one of two countries to retain their independence (Liberia)

• acquired European weapons & training

Emperor of Ethiopia

• Menelik II• profits from ivory sales

to buy modern weapons

• Hired European advisers to teach his soldiers

• a stunning victory over Italy

• I have no intention at all of being an indifferent spectator, if the distant Powers hold the idea of dividing up Africa, Ethiopia having been for the past fourteen centuries, an island of Christianity in a sea of pagans...

Menelik II, in a letter to Queen Victoria• Adopted Christianity officially in 4th Century• 60% Christian (2009 CIA)

• "Ethiopia has need of no one, she stretches her hand unto God."

“Dr. Livingstone I presume?”

• Committed Missionary 1. End Slavery2. Source of the Nile

• Disappeared for 6 years• Henry Stanley– Ordered to find him

• 8 months later in 1871 first words were…