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Name : _____________________________ Assigned: 11/13 Due: 11/20

IMPERIALISM IN AFRICA

Assignment 1: The Berlin Conference 2-3 Assignment 2: The White Man’s Burden 4-5 Assignment 3: Sources on Social Darwinism 6-9 Assignment 4: Things Fall Apart and Direct vs. Indirect Rule 10-12

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Assignment 1: The Berlin Conference

The Industrial Revolution helped many western nations achieve unmatched economic and political power. In 1884, leaders of the European powers held an international conference in Berlin to discuss the partition, or division, of Africa. Without much knowledge of or regard for traditional African ethnic communities and territorial boundaries, Europeans drew their own borders and agreed to recognize the colonial acquisition of any other European power. Within just 30 years, almost all of Africa - a continent four times as large as Europe - was under European political control.

Directions: Examine the map below, then answer the questions on the following page. __________________________________________________________________________________________________

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1. RIGHT THERE: Generally, what area of Africa did the French control? 2. RIGHT THERE: Generally, what area of Africa did Belgium (Belgian) control? 3. THINK AND SEARCH: When do most of these countries appear to have been taken over (the year under each country is the year they were taken over)? 4. RIGHT THERE: Name two countries that resisted being taken over until the 1900’s: 5. RIGHT THERE: What countries remained independent? Read the short section below:

The Cape to Cairo Railway was an uncompleted project to cross the entire continent

Africa from south to north by railroad. This plan was begun at the end of the 19th

century, during the time of colonial rule, largely under the vision of Cecil Rhodes.

Rhodes’ dream was to create a continuous line of British territories from Cape Town,

South Africa to Cairo, Egypt.

The famous cartoon, to the left, demonstrates Rhodes dream. As you can see, he

stands on the continent of Africa with one foot on the southern tip of Africa and the

other at the northern coast. In his hand, he holds a telegraph wire, which he wanted to

build along with the railroad.

6. THINK AND SEARCH: Judging by the map, how close did Cecil Rhodes come to his dream of having the territory to create the Cape to Cairo Railway? Explain.

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Assignment 2: The White Man's Burden

The White Man’s Burden” is a poem by a British poet named Rudyard Kipling. The poem is famous, because it sums up European attitudes towards other people in the world, especially Africa. It demonstrates many of the Social Darwinist attitudes that Europeans used to justify the division of Africa. Directions: Answer the questions beside the poem below in the left hand column. Secondly, examine the political cartoons that also demonstrate Kipling’s attitude. The cartoons are meant to help you understand the poem. Finally, in your own words, describe what Kipling and others meant when they referred to the “White Man’s Burden.”

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What does it make you think of when Kipling uses the phrase “White Man?”

What does it mean for a person to have a “burden?”

These three lines are where Kipling describes what the White Man’s Burden is. He says for the “White Man” to serve their captives’ need. What do you think Kipling thought Africans “needed” from Europeans? How does that demonstrate the attitude of Social Darwinism?

What are European attitudes towards Africans if Kipling calls them “fluttered” and “wild?”

What are European attitude towards Africans if Kipling calls them “half devil” and “half child?”

The White Man’s Burden by Rudyard Kipling _______________________________________ Take up the White Man's burden- Send forth the best ye breed- Go bind your sons to exile To serve your captives' need; To wait, in heavy harness On fluttered folk and wild- Your new-caught, sullen peoples, Half-devil and half-child.”

Vocabulary burden: a heavy or important responsibility breed: in this context, Kipling means “race” bind: tie exile: sent away to another country captive: prisoner wait: serve in heavy harness: to do work fluttered: restless, impatient new-caught: newly captured, newly conquered sullen: gloomy, ill-tempered, upset

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Political Cartoons that demonstrate Kipling’s attitude:

THINK AND SEARCH: In your own words, what did Kipling think the “White Man’s Burden” was? __________________________________________________________________________________________________

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What are the two flags

labeled?

How are the two groups

different?

What are the steps that

Britain and America

labeled?

According to the

cartoon, where are they

carrying the people in

the baskets to?

Note: The two large

figures carrying baskets

are John Bull and Uncle

Sam, characters that

represent Britain and the

United States.

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Assignment 3: Sources on Social Darwinism

Your task: Social Darwinism was the belief that some Europeans were more advanced than others, and that that gave them a right to control “weaker” or “less advanced” groups. Read the documents below that demonstrate Social Darwinist attitudes toward Africa. Choose four quotes that you believe best demonstrate how European imperialists felt about Africa (if you choose the cartoon, describe what it is showing since you cannot “quote” a picture). Then, fill out the attached worksheet where you explain why you chose the quotes that you did.

Document 1:

"I contend that we (the British) are the first race in the world and that the more of the world we inhabit the better it is

for the human race. It is our duty to seize every opportunity of acquiring more territory and we should keep this one

idea steadily before our eyes that more territory simply means more of the Anglo-Saxon race, more of the best, the

most human, most honorable race the world possesses."

Source: Cecil Rhodes, “Confession of Faith,” 1877

Document 2:

The first step towards lightening

The White Man’s Burden

Is through teaching the virtues of cleanliness

Pear’s Soap

Is a potent factor in brightening the dark corners of the earth as civilization advances, while among the cultured of all

nations it holds the highest place – it is the ideal soap.

Source: Advertisement for Pear’s Soap, 1890

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Document 3:

The commencement of diamond-digging as a settled industry was in 1872. It was then that dry-digging was commenced, which consists of the regulated removal of ground found to be rich and diamonds. Here, within twelve miles of the river, and within a circle, of which the diameter is about two and a half miles, are contained all the mines,---or dry diggings,---from which have come the real wealth of the country. Dry digging is the future of the diamond fields in South Africa. I feel that with British industry, a huge amount of wealth can be extracted from this land.

Source: Anthony Trollope, “The Diamond Fields of South Africa,” 1870

Document 4:

Source: Cartoon in The Journal, Detriot, 1872

Document 5:

One word as regards missionaries themselves. The essential point in dealing with Africans is to establish a respect for

the European. Upon this---the prestige of the white man---depends his influence, often his very existence, in Africa. If

he shows by his surroundings, by his assumption of superiority, that he is far above the native, he will be respected, and

he will have more influence.

In my opinion---at any rate with reference to Africa---it is the greatest possible mistake to suppose that a European can

have a greater influence over the natives by convincing them that he is “one of them.” In effect, it is to lower himself to

their plane, instead of elevating them to his. The sacrifice involved is wholly unappreciated, and the motive would be

held by the savage to be poverty and lack of social status in his own country.

The whole influence of the European in Africa is gained by this assertion of a superiority which commands the respect

and inspires the savage to try and imitate his superior.

Source: Capt. F. D. Lugard, “The Rise of Our East African Empire,” 1893

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Your task: Choose four quotes from the documents that you believe best demonstrate the attitude of Social Darwinism

(if you choose the cartoon, describe what it is showing since you cannot “quote” a picture). Then, explain how your

quote demonstrates the attitude of Social Darwinism. Remember, Social Darwinism was the belief that some Europeans

were more advanced than other people, and that that gave them a right to control “weaker” or “less advanced” groups.

Quote #1:

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How this quote demonstrates the attitude of social Darwinism:

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Quote #2:

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How this quote demonstrates the attitude of social Darwinism:

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Quote #3:

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How this quote demonstrates the attitude of social Darwinism:

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Quote #4:

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How this quote demonstrates the attitude of social Darwinism:

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Assignment 4: Things Fall Apart and Direct vs. Indirect Rule This excerpt is from a book called Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. The novel traces the life of Okonkwo, a leader of the Ibo village of Umuofia, Nigeria, as he and his people deal with European imperialism and its impact on their village. It also demonstrates the different forms of control Europeans used when conquering Africa. As you read the literature excerpt, underline passages that you think illustrate examples of direct rule, indirect rule, or “divide and rule.” Use the initials DR, IR, or D&R to keep track in the annotations column, and use the chart below to help remind you what these terms mean. Finally, choose two passages from the excerpt to discuss at the end.

Indirect Rule Direct Rule “Divide and Rule”

- Local leaders were used - Allowed limited self-rule - Goal was to extract wealth without trying to “civilize” Africans - Governments allowed for local customs / laws

- Europeans brought in to rule - No self-rule - Goal was assimilation (make people more like Europeans) - Governments only used European laws

- Borders drawn by Europeans didn’t take into account traditional borders - Many times, hostile groups were put together in the same territory - The Europeans often played these groups against each other in a policy called “divide and rule”

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The church had come and led many astray. Not only the low-born and the outcast but sometimes a worthy man had joined it. Such a man was Ogbuefi Ugonna, who had taken two titles, and who like a madman had cut the anklet of his titles and cast it away to join the Christians. The white missionary was very proud of him and he was one of the first men in Umuofia to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion, or Holy Feast as it was called in Ibo. Ogbuefi Ugonna had thought of the Feast in terms of eating and drinking, only more holy than the village variety. He had therefore put his drinking-horn into his goatskin bag for the occasion. But apart from the church, the white men had also brought a government. They had built a court where the District Commissioner judged cases in ignorance. He had court messengers who brought men to him for trial. Many of these messengers came from Umuru on the bank of the Great River, where the white men first came many years before and where they had built the center of their religion and trade and government…. Okonkwo's head was bowed in sadness as Obierika told him these things. "Perhaps I have been away too long," Okonkwo said, almost to himself. "But I cannot understand these things you tell me. What is it that has happened to our people? Why have they lost the power to fight?" "Have you not heard how the white man wiped out Abame?" asked Obierika. "I have heard," said Okonkwo. "But I have also heard that Abame people were weak and foolish. Why did they not fight back? Had they no guns and machetes? We would be cowards to compare ourselves with the men of Abame. Their fathers had never dared to stand before our ancestors. We must fight these men and drive them from the land." "It is already too late," said Obierika sadly. "Our own men and our sons have joined the ranks of the stranger. They have joined his religion and they help to uphold his government. If we should try to drive out the white men in Umuofia we should find it easy. There are only two of them. But what of

Annotations:

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our own people who are following their way and have been given power? They would go to Umuru and bring the soldiers, and we would be like Abame." He paused for a long time and then said: "I told you on my last visit to Mbanta how they hanged Aneto." "What has happened to that piece of land in dispute?" asked Okonkwo. "The white man's court has decided that it should belong to Nnama's family, who had given much money to the white man's messengers and interpreter." "Does the white man understand our custom about land?" "How can he when he does not even speak our tongue? But he says that our customs are bad, and our own brothers who have taken up his religion also say that our customs are bad. How do you think we can fight when our own brothers have turned against us? The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart. _______________________________________________________________ There were many men and women in Umuofia who did not feel as strongly as Okonkwo about the new religion. The white man had indeed brought a lunatic religion, but he had also built a trading store and for the first time palm oil and kernel became things of great price, and much money flowed to Umuofia. And even in the matter of religion there was a growing feeling that there might be something in it after all… This growing feeling was due to Mr. Brown, the white missionary… ..He built a school and a little hospital in Umuofia. He went from family to family begging people to send their children to his school. But at first they only sent their slaves or sometimes their lazy children. Mr. Brown begged and argued and prophesied. He said that the leaders of the land in the future would be men and women who had learned to read and write. If Umuofia failed to send her children to the school, strangers would come from other places to rule them…. In the end Mr. Brown’s arguments began to have an effect. More people came to learn in his school, and he encouraged them with gifts of singlets and towels. They were not all young, these people who came to learn. Some were thirty years old or more. They worked on their farms in the morning and went to school in the afternoon. And it was not long before the people began to say that the white man’s medicine was quick in working. Mr. Brown’s school produced quick results. A few months in it were enough to make one a court messenger or even a court clerk. Those who stayed longer became teachers; and from Umuofia churches were established in the surrounding villages and a few schools with them… Mr. Brown’s successor was the Reverend James Smith, and he was a different kind of man. He condemned openly Mr. Brown’s policy of compromise and accommodation. He saw things as black and white. And black was evil. He saw the world as a battlefield in which the children of light were locked in a mortal conflict with the sons of darkness. He spoke in his sermons about sheep and goats and about wheat and tares. He believed in slaying the prophets of the Devil.

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1.) Choose two of the things you underlined in the literature excerpts and copy them into the spaces below: 2.) Identify whether you think it is an example of direct rule, indirect rule, or “divide and rule.” 3.) Explain why you think so.

Literature Excerpt 1: _________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Direct rule, indirect rule, or “divide and rule?” _________________________________________

Explain:

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Literature Excerpt 2: _________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Direct rule, indirect rule, or “divide and rule?” _________________________________________

Explain:

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