European Colonization

of Africa
Africa Before Europeans
Africa had many empires that
existed
Songhai, Mali, Ghana Empires
prospered quite well
Kings were strong, wealthy
rulers
Large organized armies

Prospered from the trade of

gold, diamonds, and salt
 In about 1434, Prince Henry the
Navigator sailed down the west
coast of Africa in search of a
short cut to India, where they
knew they would find gold,
gems, spices, and silk.

Around 1488, Captain Dias

rounded the Cape of Good Hope.
Ten years later, Vasco da Gama,
a famous Portuguese explorer,
rounded the Cape of Good Hope
and continued on to India.

When Portugal showed the world that it was easier to sail

around the coast of Africa than travel though the desert, the
cities and towns that had sprung up along the Trans-Sahara
Trade Route began to decline in influence. This led to the
downfall of many of the great African Empires.

Trade did not stop, but it did slow down considerably. It was
As Europeans were traveling around Africa they began
to discover the many things that Africa had to offer. The
Portuguese were the first Europeans to set up shop and
trade posts along the coasts of Africa.
This was the beginning of
The Scramble for Africa
 The New Imperialism
Imperialism What is it?

Prior to the late 1800s European countries controlled

only small parts of Africa ; but by 1914 only Ethiopia,
Liberia remained independent (had not been colonized).

Period known as Scramble for Africa

3 reasons:
Economic Interests/Natural Resources Gold!
Cultural/Religious motives (spreading Christianity)
Gospel
Political Competition (claiming land) Glory!
 Reasons for Colonialism
Why would the Europeans
want their land too??
- After some nations passed laws
abolishing the slave trade,
Europeans looked to Africa as
source for raw materials
Industrial Revolution = more
raw materials Africa has
them!!
Inventions increased the speed
of making goods

Little was known about the

interior of Africa
Missionaries went to Africa to
convert Africans to
Christianity often resulting in
destroying African traditions.
(GOSPEL)
 Economic Interest or Gold
Natural Resource
Remember how Locations

many natural
resources Africa
has: gold, metals,
salts
The Europeans saw

the opportunity to
make $$ off
Africas stuff, so
they did
 The want of Gold ($$)

led to slavery
Before early 1800s, several
in the Americas
European nations profited from
the slave trade in Africa
WHY???
Intense labor was needed to
cultivate sugar and cocoa and
harvest crops
Europeans already had
laborers: the Native Americans
BUT
The diseases Europeans
brought with them nearly
wiped out the Native
American population = No
labor = Need to get labor
from somewhere else
Europeans found labor by
raiding towns in Africa or by
trading irons for weapons in
exchange for Africans slaves
 Cultural Motives (including Gospel)
European felt superior to non-
European peoples
Some began to argue that
humanity divided people into
distinct races, Europeans (human)
Africans (non-human)
Claimed biological differences
existed between races

As result, some Europeans believed their rule in

Africa was justified
They believed they were saving the Africans by
educating them and teaching them Christianity
Competition for Africa (GLORY)
Each European nation
wanted the biggest or
richest colonies =
control of trade
To prevent war, the
Berlin Conference took
place in 1884
Discussed how to divide
Africa without
consulting Africans
By 1912, all of Africa
was colonized except
for Ethiopia and Liberia
 How did Imperialism Spread?
European rule came to Africa in many different ways.
Sometimes a European trading company made agreements with Africa
chiefs permitting the company to trade and keep order in the area. The
traders then put pressure on their government in Europe to take over in
order to protect them.
In a few cases tribal chiefs voluntarily asked for the protection of one
European nation in order to avoid being taken over by another European
nation. Sometimes the Africans even asked for European protection
against other African tribes. Treaties were signed by the African chiefs
in which they gave the European company or government the right to
keep order (govern) and to take over the land and resources in their
area.
Thousands of treaties were signed by African rulers giving away most of
their rights to the Europeans, but the Africans never really understood
these treaties and did not realize what they were giving away.
 Impact of Colonial Rule
Europeans only cared about gold,
diamonds, and other resources
Europeans looked down on African
culture and tried to change them
Worsened conflicts between ethnic
groups (tribes)
Created boundaries that promoted and
added to conflict between ethnic groups
Example: In Rwanda, Belgians
established a system where people
were to carry identity cards
Hutu and Tutsi
Belgians decided anyone who owned
more than 10 cows was a Tutsi and
got special treatment
Hutus were resentful and led a
massacre and started a civil war
Effects of Colonial Rule in Africa
Europeans stole
resources.
Impact
of
Colonial Europeans didnt treat
the Africans with
Rule respect.

Created tension
between Ethnic,
Religious and/or Tribal
groups.