(Guide for presentation) The Scramble for Africa

Team members:
1. Regina Gordillo Quiñones
2. Sebastían Emilio Gomez Ochoa
3. Grecia Ruelas Jacinto
4. Octavio Aguirre Quintero
5. Valeria Aguilar Chavez
6. Emilio Aureoles Pavia
7. Jan Alexander Tischbier Guarneros

Presentation:

Grecia: Introduction (2 minutes)

Imagine a group of people getting together to decide how they were going to carve up your house. One
decided to take your kitchen; another declared rights to your living room; someone else believed they ought
to help themselves to a couple of your bedrooms, while the weakest was left with just your den. Sounds
audacious, no doubt, but this is essentially how Europeans, between 1881 and the start of World War I in
1914, decided they would divide Africa into territories they claimed as their own. Audacity is just one of the
words, among others such as exploitation and imperialism, that have been used to describe the period
known as the Scramble for Africa.

Imperialism (noun) : a system in which a country rules other countries, sometimes having used military
force to get power over them.
Colonization (noun) : the act of sending people to live in and govern another country.

In summary, the Scramble for Africa was the invasion, occupation, colonization and annexation of African
territories by European powers, with the objective of seizing those parts of the continent.
In 1850, there were only a few small European colonies along the coasts of Africa. By 1914, Europeans had
carved up the entire continent. Only Ethiopia and Liberia remained independent nations.

(European powers, India, Between 1885 and 1914, Britain took nearly 30% of Africa's population
under its control; 15% for France, 11% for Portugal, 9% for Germany, 7% for Belgium and 1% for
Italy.)
Why were they involved?
Many countries were industrialized, so they needed an increased amount of raw materials. Very little of
Africa had been utilized, the countries wanted access to resources to improve their economies. They also
wanted to develop the areas with transportation to make trade and transport of raw materials more easy.
They also needed colonies for trading as they could use ports to open new markets and refuel their ships.

European nations viewed Africa much as they did other less-developed parts of the world. It was a source of
ivory, copper, and other raw materials. They also saw Africa As a market for European goods. Europeans
also wanted to stamp out the slave trade and bring Christianity to Africa. By 1850, most European nations
had outlawed the African slave trade. But Arab and African traders still bought and sold slaves.

Additional reference:
Bosa, B. (2016). The Scramble for Africa. CommonLit.
https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/the-scramble-for-africa
Sebas: Partitioning Africa (2 minutes)

The first Europeans to move into the interior were explorers who mapped Africa’s rivers, mountains, and
plains. European missionaries soon followed. The goal of missionaries was to convert the native people to
Christianity and to abolish slavery. As in India, local civilizations were considered inferior to Western
culture. European merchants and settlers also moved into the African interior.

Africans often resisted these groups. The Europeans then asked their home countries for military
protections. Their governments sent troops with instructions to end the problem and build permanent
forts. Once in Africa, the military was there to stay.

Inevitably, the scramble for territory led to conflict among European powers, Rivalry between Great Britain
and France led Bismarck (Chancellor of Germany) to intervene, and in late 1884 he called a meeting of
European powers in Berlin. Fourteen European nations and the United States were represented. Not one
African nation or person was invited.

(The Berlin Conference of 1884–1885)

It marked the climax of the European competition for territory in this process. European nations began
looking to Africa for natural resources for their growing industrial sectors as well as a potential market for
the goods these factories produced.
Inevitably, the scramble for territory led to conflict among European powers, Rivalry between Great Britain
and France led Bismarck (Chancellor of Germany) to intervene, and in late 1884 he called a meeting of
European powers in Berlin.

Purpose:
The primary objective of the Berlin Conference was to establish guidelines for other partition of Africa. The
European powers sought to outline the rules of engagement to prevent conflicts between themselves while
disregarding the interests and wishes of the African people. The conference aimed to address the following
key aspects:

1. TERRITORIAL CLAIMS
The conference allowed European powers to assert their claims based on various factors, such as trade
agreements, occupancy, and exploratory missions.
2. FREE TRADE
European participants aimed to ensure open access to African markets and resources by prohibiting tariff
barriers and other trade obstacles between their colonies.
3. ENDING SLAVE TRADE
Despite its exploitative nature, the Berlin Conference did make efforts to address the issue of slave trade in
Africa. Several European powers agreed to work together to eradicate slavery and enforce anti-slavery
measures across the continent.

Additional references:
Heath, E. (2010). Berlin Conference of 1884-1885. Oxford University Press.
https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780195337709.001.0001/acref-9780195337709-
e-0467

Original Berlin Tours. (2023). THE SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA: EXAMINING THE BERLIN
CONFERENCE OF 1884-1885. Original Berlin.
https://originalberlintours.com/the-scramble-for-africa-examining-the-berlin-conference-of-1884-1885/
Jan : Partitioning Africa Pt. 2 (2 minutes)
Consequences:
The Berlin Conference had far-reaching consequences for both Africa and the European powers involved:

1. COLONIAL PARTITIONING
The conference effectively divided Africa into distinct colonial spheres of influence. European powers,
primarily Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, and Italy, gained control over vast territories without
the consent or consideration of African communities.

2. EXPLOITATION OF RESOURCES
European colonial powers exploited Africa’s abundant natural resources, such as rubber, gold, diamonds,
and ivory, to fuel their industrial revolutions. This exploitation caused immense environmental damage and
led to economic disparities between Europe and Africa.

3. RISE OF NATIONALISM
The Berlin Conference indirectly contributed to the rise of nationalism in Africa. As Africans became
increasingly subjected to foreign rule and exploitation, resistance movements against colonial powers
emerged, culminating in the struggle for independence in the 20th century.

Conclusion:
In the subsequent meetings, Great Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, and King Leopold II
negotiated their claims to African territory, which were then formalized and mapped. During the conference
the leaders also established a framework for negotiating future European claims in Africa. Neither
the Berlin Conference itself nor the framework for future negotiations provided any say for the peoples of
Africa over the partitioning of their homelands.

The Berlin Conference did not initiate European colonization of Africa, but it did legitimate and formalize
the process. Germany and Great Britain agreed on the division of East Africa. King Leopold of Belgium
personally took control of Central Africa. Portugal’s claim to territory was also recognized. Some earlier
claims of nations, such as those of France, were also recognized. Between 1885 and 1914, European nations
continued to divide the African continent among themselves.

Additional references:
Heath, E. (2010). Berlin Conference of 1884-1885. Oxford University Press.
https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780195337709.001.0001/acref-9780195337709-
e-0467

Original Berlin Tours. (2023). THE SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA: EXAMINING THE BERLIN
CONFERENCE OF 1884-1885. Original Berlin.
https://originalberlintours.com/the-scramble-for-africa-examining-the-berlin-conference-of-1884-1885/
Regina: Colonial Rule

European nations mainly chose one of two ways to rule their new colonies. The British favored indirect
rule. Most other nations used direct rule.
The British ruled through existing rulers and local officials. The British believed it would be easier to
maintain law and order if the people were allowed to keep some of their traditions and customs. This
included their political system. British officials, however, made all the decisions. Local African officials
simply carried them out.

The French used direct rule. The government in France appointed a governor for each colony. Below him
were a number of government officials. The highest levels were filled with men sent from France.
Lower levels, down to the local villages, were filled by native Africans.

The French wanted to assimilate their African subjects. The French government set out to introduce French
culture, including its political system, to its colonies. The goal was to have Africans think and act like French
men and women. As in India, the British and French encouraged the ruling elite- the upper class -to send
their sons to school in Europe. These young men provided educated rulers and officials in later years.
Most Africans, however, were little affected by assimilation.

Colonial rule imposed new political structures, introduced foreign languages, and disrupted traditional
African social systems. This led to long-lasting cultural, economic, and political consequences that still
impact Africa today.
Octavio: Menelik II (1844-1913)

Ethiopia remained independent while other African kingdoms were seized by Europeans. Why? The answer
is Emperor Menelik II. He came to the throne of Ethiopia in 1889. By that time, France and Italy had set up
colonies on Ethiopia's borders. He knew that to stay free, his kingdom would need to modernize and
quickly.
Menelik began with education. He used European teachers to modernize the curriculum. He upgraded the
Ethiopian army. He played Italy off against France to buy new weapons from both. He also strengthened ties
with local leaders of different groups across Ethiopia.
In 1895, Italy went to war against Ethiopia. At the Battle of Adowa in 1896, the Ethiopians overwhelmingly
defeated the invading Italians. Menelik led an army of 90,000 soldiers against a badly outnumbered Italian
army. Italy was forced to sign a peace treaty recognizing Ethiopia's independence. Europe was shocked that
an African nation had defeated a European power.
 Valeria: African Resistance
The educated elite saw both the good and bad side of Westernization - the acceptance of Western culture.
They learned about Western ideas like freedom and democracy. Yet, they saw how Western democracies
refused to extend these rights to their colonies. By the early 1900s, groups of nationalists in many colonies
were working for independence from imperialist rule.
In some areas, local groups fought European rule. In 1885, Muhammad Ahmad al-Mahdi and his followers
crushed British forces led by General Charles Gordon at Khartoum in Sudan. The British ended the uprising
13 years later.
The Asante fought the British in West Africa and lost. Britain annexed the region in 1901. In East Africa, the
Maji-Maji rebelled against the Germans in 1905 but were defeated. Each time, the superior weapons of the
Europeans ended African defiance.

https://www.khanacademy.org/_render
Pavia: Results of the scramble
The African continent was changed completely by the Europeans. Africans lost control of most of their own
affairs. They were affected by new diseases that were introduced, they fought many wars, and their
traditional ways of life were changed forever. The European countries gave up control of their colonies over
time, but they left many problems behind. The people of Africa have spent many years trying to restore their
economies and establish stable countries of their own.

What was the impact on Europe?

The Scramble for Africa largely resulted in the Naval Arms Race. This was a significant cause of WW1.
Entente Cordiale= As they both felt threatened by German expansion and development, Britain and France
signed the Entente Cordiale, which settled their rivalry and differences. The Kaiser believed that this new
friendship threatened Germany's international influence, so he tried to destroy their friendly relationship.
What was the impact on Africa?
The creation of nations which divided tribal groups and, in some cases, increased tribal/ethnic conflict.
Europeans established indirect and direct control of their colonies, based on racial hierarchy, this reflected
and reinforced European beliefs that Africans were inferior to them.
The destruction of traditional tribal structures.
European control of African economies meant that Africans were forced to grow goods for export. This
limited economic diversity and kept African economies weak.
Europeans introduced diseases such as smallpox, measles and cholera to Africa. Africans had no resistance to
these diseases. This led to many deaths.
Europeans exploited African resources such as precious metals, timber, rubber, oil, ivory and cash crops like
cotton and coffee. These raw materials were taken to support European economic growth. This prevented
Africa from developing industries of its own and thus, economic growth.
Most of the transportation systems that Europeans built were created to move raw materials to the coast.
Therefore, they were built to benefit European merchants rather than the native inhabitants.
Europeans introduced Western-style education, clothes, architecture, religion and their own languages. This
undermined traditional African culture.
The education provided by Europeans was often based around literacy – reading and writing. It failed to
enable Africans to improve their technological skills and, therefore, their technological development.

Additional reference:
Tillott, J. (2023). Scramble for Africa. History: From one student to another.
https://www.historyfromonestudenttoanother.com/as-level-international-history-1870-1945/empire-and-t
he-emergence-of-world-powers-1870-1919/scramble-for-africa