FORM3:TOPIC 1: ESTABLISHMENT OF COLONIALISM

ESTABLISHMENT OF COLONIALISM

Scramble for and Partition of Africa
The Meaning of Scramble for and Partition of Africa

Qn.explain the meaning of scramble for and partition of Africa.

    The scramble for Africa: Acompetition among European powers to obtaining colonies.

Partition: This was a process of dividing colonies to their respective colonial masters.This acts as a solution for the scramble of Africa.

Periodisation:Scramble for Africa started more in 1870s while involving different European countries.

The Causes of the Scramble for Africa leading to the Partition

Assess the causes of the scramble for Africa leading to the partition.

“Scramble” for and partition of Africa was a result of several factors, some of which included:

European balance of power: while other European countries demanded colonies to be equal or similar to Great Britain.

Prestige (pride) of the nations: The number of colonies controlled by the colonial master/nation was the measure of wealth of a nation.

Industrial Revolution led,to the demand of raw materials from Africa hence competition among the European nations to obtain many colonies as possible in Africa.
Industrial revolution led to overproduction in Europe hence creating a need to find external markets (outside Europe) thus resulting in competition.

Change of monopoly system: In Europe few capitalists started to own land while others failed (those who failed to obtain land in Europe they started to find in Africa hence competition).

Conflicts between capitalists and labourers in Europe ,while labourers demanded bigger salaries capitalists started to look for cheaper labour thus started economic activities in Africa.
Humantalian reasons,

Strategical reasons

Why Areas in Africa Experienced more Intensive Scramble than Others

Qn:Explain why areas in Africa experienced more intensive scramble than others

During the scramble for and partition of Africa some African areas like Egypt, Congo basin, Niger delta, East Africa, Central Africa and South Africa experienced more intensive scramble than others due to their potential.

These included natural resources that existed in the colonies i.e.
minerals in South Africa, fertile soil in central Africa, water bodies in East Africa, Egypt and Congo.
The Impact of the Scramble for and Partition of Africa

Qn: Assess the impact of the scramble for and partition of Africa

The scramble for and partition of Africa affected both European powers and the African continent as well. Some of the impacts included
the Berlin conference.
i.cultural interference.
ii.disputes and rivalries.
iii.occurrence of war among European powers.
iv. establishment of colonial rule
colonial economy and monopoly companies in Africa.

The Berlin Conference (1884-85)

The Berlin conference was a meeting held in Berlin that was called by Chancellor Otto von Bismark of Germany.

The meeting took place between November 1884 and February 1885. 14 European countries were represented at this conference. USA and Denmark attended the conference as observers.

Members in this meeting drew out a map of Africa ready for partition (drawing out colonial master’s borders marking their respective colonies (African States) that they would colonise).
The Events Leading to the Berlin Conference (1884/85

Qn:Explain the events leading to the Berlin conference (1884/85).

The events leading to the Berlin conference in 1884-1885 included

i.the intervention of the late comers in the process of scramble for and partition of Africa.

ii.Military confrontation, conflicts over territorial boundaries, European nationalism.

iii. German unification, hostility relations.

iv. European industrialization, disputes and rivalries among the European powers.

The Resolutions of the Berlin Conference

Qn.Evaluate the resolutions of the Berlin conference

Representatives at the Berlin conference agreed on the following principles: (these principles were to be followed by all colonial masters).

i. To abolish slave trade on their colonies: All and any elements of slave trade in their respective colonies.
ii. They agreed to send a lot of missionaries, traders and explorers on their respective colonies.
iii. They were required to stop or to make an end of resistances that occurred between Africans and colonial government.
iv. They were required to have effective control of their colonies e.g. by building/constructing social services.
v. Colonial masters were required to notify other on the possession of colonies.
vi. They agreed to have free navigation on the navigable rivers like Congo, Nigeria etc. (In order to solve the conflict between the European Countries).
vii. They were required to open up economic activities on their respective colonies (establishment of colonial economy e.g. agriculture, trading industry etc.)
viii. The Berlin conference involved division of colonies to the imperial trading companies e.g.
BEACO - Kenya
BSACO - South Africa, S. Rhodesia, N. Rhodesia
GEACO - Tanganyika, Rwanda and Burundi
Others involved:
Germany - Cameroon, Togo
France - Congo, Kinshasa, Tunisia, Morocco, Senegal etc.
Belgium - Congo Brazzaville
Portugal - Angola and Mozambique

The Significance of the Berlin Conference to Africa

Qn. Assess the significance of the Berlin conference to Africa

The Berlin Conference had significance to Africa,

i. Addressing the colonization of Africa.
ii. Abolition of slave trade, suffering of African people under colonial administration
iii.Division of African continent.
iv.introduction of Europeanlanguage as well as land alienation.
v. Establishment of Colonial Control/Rule

The Concept of Colonialism

Qn.Explain the concept of colonialism

Colonialism: refers to a situation whereby strong nations dominate weak ones economically, politically, militarily or culturally.
Africa was subjected to colonialism in the 2nd half of 19th century as European powers acquired full control over African countries by 1900 and extended their colonial rule to the entire continent with the exclusion of Ethiopia and Liberia.

The Tactics Used to Impose Colonial Control /Rule in Africa

Qn.Explain the tactics used to impose colonial control /rule in Africa

The process of colonial occupation in Africa by the Europeans that started from the 19th Century involved different techniques, these techniques were depending on the nature of colonial Government and Africans.
These techniques included:

i. Treaty making
ii. Force
iii. Collaboration
iv. Dual tactics (Treaties and force)
v. Treaty making.These were bogus agreements that were signed by European agents and African rulers (African rulers signed without understanding what they were signing or what the agreement meant) on signing these treaties African rulers were promised to be given luxurious things by the Europeans (1880s)
Examples of these treaties:
Carl Peters signed a treaty with the chief of Usagara, Kilosa, Pangani etc.
French Lochner (BSACO) signed a treaty with Lewanika (N. Rhodesia 1860)
Maffat signed with Lobengula on taking Matobele land while Lobengula was promised to be given: £ 100 £ 500 (instead of gunboat) 100 Rifles
Savognan De Brazza signed with Makoko Chief (Congo Brazzaville) 1881 –1882

Why the use of treaties.
African rulers signed the treaties due to:

i. Some African rulers were weak economically and politically thus they were in need of assistance.

ii. African rulers were ignorant as they signed without understanding what they signing.

     Forces/ violence

This was a method, which involved the use of weapons to occupy colonies. T

he method was highly used in the strongest African societies. Example
Germany Vs. Hehe
Germany Vs. Abushiri and the Coastal people
Germany Vs. Bwana Heri and Coastal people
Germany Vs. Mahemba and Yao.

qn.Why the use of force
African rulers use force/violence due to:
Some states African rulers were strong economically and politically
The nature of colonial Government believed they had to use force e.g. Germany

Collaboration (Alliance)

In this method Europeans tended to form an alliance with some African societies to oppose other Africans.

The method was used on those areas with conflict. Example:
Mangi Marealle and Germany against other Africans. E.g. Mangi Sina, Mangi Meli
Sangu, Bena and Germany Vs. Hehe
Shona and the British against Ndebele (Matebele)
Herero and Germany against Nama

Qn.Why the use of collaboration
The African rulers use collaboration because

i. Some Africans were weak politically and economically. Hence they were in need of assistance.

ii. Some Africans were ignorant

The Causes of and Reasons for the Different African Reactions

Account for the causes of and reasons for the different African reactions

    Violence
This involves Africans who tended to use weapons against colonial rules. This method was highly used by the strangest African societies such as:
Abushiri and Coastal people against Germans
Hehe against Germans
Ndebele against British
Jaja of Opobo against British

Qn.Why the use of violence
The reasons are:

i. Some Africans were politically and economically strong and ere able to resist the Europeans.
ii. Harsh treatment from colonial rulers forced Africans to use violence.
iii. Africans were exploited for natural and human resources and started to fight back.

   Non violence

Some Africans decided to flee their homes our of fear of European colonialists and some of them decided to boil seeds before planting them, striking against the colonial rule. Example, non-violence was used by the Maasai and Haya (in East Africa).

Qn. Why the use of non violence
The reasons are:

i. Africans who used this system were politically and economically week.
ii. Nature of economic activities, It was not easy for nomadic pastoralist to use violence.
iii. Some Africans were affected by diseases e.g. Jiggers for the Haya.
Mercenary
iv. This was a response where some African societies started to hire soldiers from other societies e.g. Nyamwezi tribe used to hire soldiers from the Ngoni tribe (soldiers known as Rugaruga) to fight against the colonial rulers.

Qn. Why the use of mercenaries

i.Some of the societies were weak hence they needed assistance from other soldiers.

        Adaptation
Some African societies tended to copy the methods of fighting from the European colonial masters during their friendship.These African societies started to use the methods to fight against colonial rule e.g. Menelek of Ethiopia who fought against Italians using this method.

Qn. Why the use of adaptations

i.It was due to the weakness of some African societies who tended to copy the methods of fighting.

The Factors which Determined the Nature of African Reactions

Qn.Assess the factors which determined the nature of African reactions

Factors which determine the nature of African reactions included

i. military strength
ii. ideological beliefs.
iii. diseases
iv. economic strength
v.existence of missionaries
vi. geographical position
vii. nature of the state
viii. the role of leaders
ix. level of colonial exploitation and political
x. awareness among the African