Africa was divided amongst ethnic and linguistic groups prior to European colonization. Europeans initially only colonized coastal areas due to threats of disease, difficult river travel, and African military resistance. The "Scramble for Africa" in the late 19th century saw European powers rapidly divide and conquer Africa between 1870-1918. No African kings were involved in the Berlin Conference that divided the continent among European nations.

2. Africa Before European Domination
• Divided amongst ethnic and linguistic
(language) groups
• Europeans colonized only on the coasts
because of the threat of
– Disease
– dangerous travel on the rivers
– African military.
• Missionaries, explorers and humanitarians
were the only humans to explore the
interior of Africa

3. What was the “Scramble
for Africa?” Africa Before the “Scramble”
• “Rapid conquest of
Africa by European
powers between
1870-1918”
• Africa was divided
between Belgium,
Britain, France,
Germany, Spain, &
Portugal

4. How it all got started!
• Dr. Livingstone, a missionary, sparked the
scramble in the Congo.
– Went on a mission trip for years. People thought he
was dead.
– Henry Stanley, a U.S. reporter was hired to go find
him. He did.
– Stanley continued to explore Africa himself. He was
contacted by King Leopold II to negotiate for land.
– This sparks France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy,
Portugal and Spain to start claiming parts of Africa.

5. Forces Driving Imperialism in Africa
• The industrial revolution
– Looking for new markets and raw materials
• European Superiority
– Racism- they are better then everyone
– Social Darwinism- survival of the fittest
– To civilize and westernize the people
• Advances in technology
– Machine guns (Maxim)
– steam engines
– a drug created in 1829 to protect them from malaria
• Africa had no Unity
– Europeans used the rival groups against each other.

6. Imperialism
• extending the rule of an empire or
nation over foreign countries.
• Other examples- Napoleon, Roman
Empire

7. The Division of Africa
• Berlin Conference 1884-1885
– 14 European countries met
– Decided on how to divide the continent
– **no African King was invited and they paid
little attention to different ethnic and linguistic
differences.
• Demand for raw materials

8. African Response
• Zulus fights the British
– Shaka-Zulu chief created a large central state in S.A. with a
good military
– British and Zulu had several battles, but Britain eventually won
and took power in 1887
• Boers and the British Settle in the Cape
– Dutch were the first to settle in S.A. (Boers=farmers)
– Clash over land and slaves
• Boer War
– First modern “total” war due to “outsiders” invading and taking
political reigns.
– Black South Africans played roles in the war such as: scouts,
guards, drivers, and workers.
– Great Britain won

9. Colonial Disputes
During the late 1800s, relations between Britain and
France were strained by a series of disputes over African
colonies.
France and Britain both hoped to control Egypt and
Morocco and this caused many bitter arguments.
These were eventually settled by a “friendly
understanding” said that Britain should control Egypt and
France should control Morocco.
However, Germany strongly objected to this agreement…

10. Colonial Disputes
On two occasions, in 1905 and 1911, German claims over
Morocco raised international tension.
This crisis passed, but these disputes simply made
international relations worse.
The bad feeling they created (combined with other
factors) made the possibility of war more likely.

11. Africa After the “Scramble”

12. Effects of Imperialism in Africa
• Europeans establish new borders in
Africa
• European states exploit Africa
• European powers scramble for colonies
• Africans resist
• Western-educated African elite emerges
• African leaders forge nationalist
movements