Scramble for Africa

Imperialism and The Berlin Conference

Age of Imperialism

• 1880-1914• Imperialism- The quest for colonial empires

Motives for Imperialism

1. Economic gain

2. Political and military competition

3. A belief in the superiority of the Anglo Saxon race..

Factors that Drove Imperialism

Industrialization

The need for markets

The need for raw materials

The desire for power

The desire for prestige

Scramble For Africa

• Western European nations race to divide Africa among themselves.

• They draw territorial boundaries without regard to African’s ethnic, linguistic, and cultural divisions.

• British rule gives rise to nationalist feelings and to resistance movements

Africa

Circa Before Colonization Scramble for Africa

Berlin Conference

• 1884-1885• 14 European countries try to set up rules to

prevent nations from fighting each other for the division of Africa

• Called for by Portugal and organized by Otto von Bismarck, first Chancellor of Germany

Countries of the Conference• Austria-Hungary• Belgium• Denmark• France• Germany• Great Britain• Italy• the Netherlands• Portugal• Russia• Spain• Sweden-Norway (unified from 1814-1905)• Turkey• United States of America (did not participate)

Africa 1914 (Before WW1)

Africa 1918 (After WW1)

Any new or additional countries added to the “colonization” of Africa?

Africa 1945 (After WW2)

Political Cartoons