Changes

1.  Establish colonies, like the British colonies in America, whereby the European power had direct influence or control over the colonies.

1.  Establish colonies, like the British colonies in America, whereby the European power had direct influence or control over the colonies.

2.  Establish protectorates, whereby the region has its own government and is an independent country, but is protected by a larger country.  Puerto Rico and Guam today would be an example of that, as they are protected by the United States.

2.  Establish protectorates, whereby the region had its own government and was an independent country, but was protected by a larger country.  Puerto Rico and Guam today would be an example of that, as they are protected by the United States.

3.  An even less direct form of imperialism was “spheres of influence,” in which the European country had special trading privileges over the region.

3.  An even less direct form of imperialism was “spheres of influence,” in which the European country had special trading privileges over the region.

The invention of the steam engine encouraged Europeans to explore the interior of the African continent, and cables and railroads facilitated communications and transportation as well.

The invention of the steam engine encouraged Europeans to explore the interior of the African continent, and cables and railroads facilitated communications and transportation as well.

Africa was an easy and attractive target for the Europeans.  It was easy because Europeans had better weapons and could easily defeat African tribes, who were divided among themselves.  The many different ethnic groups and languages spoken in Africa also made it difficult for the continent to unify and defend itself.  Meanwhile, Africa was attractive because it had a profitable slave trade, and the rivalries created by the slave trade made it easier for European countries to divide and conquer.

Africa was an easy and attractive target for the Europeans.  It was easy because Europeans had better weapons for defeating African tribes, who were divided among themselves.  The many different ethnic groups and languages spoken in Africa also made it difficult for the continent to unify and defend itself.  Meanwhile, Africa was attractive because it had a profitable slave trade, and the rivalries created within Africa by the slave trade made it easier for European countries to divide and conquer.

Malaria was historically a problem in Africa (and still is today), but the discovery of quinine, which can be used for both the prevention of and treatment of malaria, made European activity in Africa possible.

Malaria was historically a problem in Africa (and still is today), but the discovery of quinine, which can be used for both the prevention of and treatment of malaria, made European activity in Africa possible.

Aided by all of the above, the Scotsman explorer and missionary David Livingstone explored central Africa in the late 1860s.  He was searching for the source of the mighty Nile River.  Because the Nile is unusual in flowing south-to-north, its source could only be in central Africa in the vicinity of the Congo.

Aided by all of the above, the Scotsman explorer and missionary David Livingstone explored central Africa in the late 1860s.  He was searching for the source of the mighty Nile River.  Because the Nile is unusual in flowing south-to-north, its source could only be in central Africa in the vicinity of the Congo.

But Livingstone was gone for years without any communication.  A news reporter from America, Henry Stanley, decided to travel to Africa to look for him.  Upon finding a stranger who stuck out like a sore thumb in the middle of central Africa, Stanley uttered the famous line, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”  Indeed, Stanley had found Livingstone alive and well, and Stanley later returned to Africa to sign treaties with chiefs near the Congo River.  Belgium King Leopold II used these treaties to gain control for himself (not Belgium) over the region.

But Livingstone was gone for years without any communication.  A news reporter from America, Henry Stanley, decided to travel to Africa to look for him.  Upon finding a white stranger in the middle of central Africa, Stanley uttered the famous line, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”  Indeed, Stanley had found Livingstone alive and well, and Stanley later returned to Africa to sign treaties with chiefs near the Congo River.  Belgium King Leopold II used these treaties to gain control for himself (not Belgium) over the region.

Belgium King Leopold II exploited this region of Africa for personal profit, building large rubber plantations for the natives to work on.  This destroyed the farming community and compelled the workers to toil for unreasonably low wages.  The working conditions on these plantations were very harsh.  Eventually an international outcry caused the Belgian government to take over the region, and rename it the Belgian Congo.  But this also increased competition among European powers for African colonies.

Belgium King Leopold II exploited this region of Africa for personal profit, building large rubber plantations for the natives to work on.  This destroyed the farming community and compelled the workers to toil for low wages.  The working conditions on these plantations were very harsh.  Eventually an international outcry caused the Belgian government to take over the region, and rename it the Belgian Congo.  But this also increased competition among European powers for African colonies.

France was another European power competing for control of the Congo, which contained valuable copper and tin deposits.  Further to the south, in what is South Africa today, there were even richer gold and silver deposits.    The European powers saw much wealth in Africa in the form of minerals and wanted this for themselves.  They also wanted plantations that could produce rubber, palm oil and even cocoa (chocolate) for the European factories.

France was another European power competing for control of the Congo, which contained valuable copper and tin deposits.  Further to the south, in what is South Africa today, there were even richer gold and silver deposits.    The European powers saw much wealth in Africa in the form of minerals and wanted this for themselves.  They also wanted plantations that could produce rubber, palm oil and even cocoa (chocolate) for the European factories.

To minimize armed conflict the Europeans held the Berlin Conference in 1884-1885 to divide Africa among themselves, without regard to what the tribes of Africa wanted.  Ethnic and cultural differences within Africa were also ignored, and lines of demarcation were arbitrarily drawn for the sole benefit of the European nations.  All of Africa except for Ethiopia (which successfully resisted Italian control in 1896) and Liberia were divided and taken by European nations.

To minimize armed conflict the Europeans held the Berlin Conference in 1884-1885 to divide Africa among themselves, without regard to what the tribes of Africa wanted.  Ethnic and cultural differences within Africa were also ignored, and lines of demarcation were arbitrarily drawn for the sole benefit of the European nations.  All of Africa except for Ethiopia (which successfully resisted Italian control in 1896) and Liberia were divided and taken by European nations.

One of Africa’s biggest and wealthiest countries today is South Africa, located on the southern tip of the continent.  It has a very advantageous location for trade routes by sea from Western Europe to India and the Far East.  As a result, there was far more immigration by Europeans to South Africa than any other region of Africa, and whites of European ancestry completely ruled South Africa until the late 1900s.  Since then, democracy has brought representative government to the African ethnic groups, but since then violence has plagued this country and many have left it.  The World Cup (a soccer tournament) was played in 2010 in South Africa, the first time it has ever been held in Africa.

The nation of South Africa has valuable minerals and an advantageous location for trade routes by sea from Western Europe to India and the Far East.  As a result, there was far more immigration by Europeans to South Africa than any other region of Africa, and whites of European ancestry completely ruled South Africa until the late 1900s, when democracy brought representative government to the African ethnic groups.  Since then violence has plagued this country, and many educated citizens have left it.

The Dutch (or Boers) were the first to establish a European settlement in southern Africa, at Cape Colony on the very southern tip in 1652.  This port supplied ships on the way to the Indian Ocean.  The Dutch exploited the labor of African slaves and set up farming communities that displaced the native Africans.  In the 1800s the British arrived and took over Cape Colony, and disfavored the continuation of the Dutch slavery system.  The Dutch then moved inland, further north, in what is called the Great Trek.  This created further conflict with the native Africans.

The Dutch (or Boers) were the first to establish a European settlement in southern Africa, at Cape Colony on the very southern tip in 1652.  This port supplied ships on the way to the Indian Ocean.  The Dutch exploited the labor of African slaves and set up farming communities that displaced the native Africans.  In the 1800s the British arrived and took over Cape Colony, and disfavored the continuation of the Dutch slavery system.  The Dutch then moved inland, further north, in what is called the Great Trek.  This created further conflict with the native Africans.