Establishment of Colonialism | History Form Three
Colonialism Is the practice by which a powerful country directly controls less powerful countries and uses their resources to increase its own power and wealth.
Scramble for and Partition of Africa
Scramble is a competition 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.
Causes of the Scramble for Africa Leading to Partition
1.
Prestige (pride) of the nations
European nations scrambled for
the colonies because it was prestige for
a country having many colonies. Also, it was
considered as a sign of power.
2.
Industrial Revolution
The revolution led to the demand of
raw materials from Africa hence competition among the European nations to
obtain many colonies as possible in Africa.
Industry needed: Area for investment,
raw materials, market and labor.
3.
Religious factor
European claims that, they were
competing to dominate Africa so as to civilize them as they thought that Africans
were uncivilized. Also they needed to spread Christianity religion.
4. Need for employment:
Due to the industrial revolution
in Europe, the people were replaced by the machine and become
jobless. This pushed the Europeans to come in Africa searching for a job.
5. The scientific research:
The Europeans had curiosity to know
how the interior of Africa, they needed to observe the African people
culture and nature.
6. The Franco Prussian War:
This was the
war between France and Prussia which led to the loss of
Alsace and Lorraine of France to Prussian. This pushed France to come in
Africa to occupy some territories for the compensations.
Why Some Areas in Africa Experienced More Intensive Scramble than Others
1.
Some
areas were potential for agriculture
The objective of controlling African
continent was for the exploitation of agriculture raw materials. European
countries occupied areas with soil fertility and enough rainfall. Example of
areas which were potential for agricultural raw materials includes Niger basin,
Congo basin, Zimbabwe, Nile valley, Kenya highlands and Nyasaland. Nations
involved in the scramble includes; Britain, Portugal, Belgium and France.
2. Areas with accessibility to the
interior
Important areas which involved
navigable rivers like Nile River, Congo basin and Niger, which were
economically important to the extent to attract many imperialistic powers.
Example Niger basin scrambled by different powers like German, Britain and
France. Also Congo basin was important because of its accessibility to the interior
where agricultural and mineral potential found. It involved France, Portugal
and Belgium.
3. Because of mineral potential to some
areas
African areas which had availability
of minerals were scrambled than others, since European wanted minerals like diamond,
gold, copper etc, which were needed as raw materials in the European
industries. The places like Nigeria and Angola scrambled by countries like
Britain, France, German and Portugal.
4. Areas with high population
The populated areas attracted
Europeans since they were very important for provision of reliable market as
well as to supply enough labor. This area includes Senegal, Nigeria, Cameroon
and Gold Coast. European nations like German, France and Britain were scrambled
for the region.
5.
The
strategic areas
This includes, Egypt which was very
potential area for both strategic and economic purposes. This area becomes more
important after opening of Suez Canal in 1869. Britain and France involved in
construction Suez Canal. The European nations struggled over Egypt were Britain
and France, Latter Britain was able to colonize Egypt.
Impact of the scramble for and partition of Africa
1.
Colonization of Africa
Africa was colonized because this
conference legitimized European nations to colonize. African societies lost
their independence and they started fighting for their lost independence. For
instance, the Gold Coast which became a British colony in 1901 had to fight for
their independence till 6th March, 1957 when she became independent.
2.
Conflicts among African countries
This is because of poor demarcation of
the territories in Africa by the Europeans. There are various border disputes
between African states which can sometimes degenerate into wars. The conflict
between Mali and Burkina Faso over the Agacher strip, where the Bobo resides
illustrates the problems caused by the poor demarcation of boarders. Another
instance is the conflict between Nigeria and Cameroon over the Bakassi
peninsular. All these are proofs of conflicts as a result of the poor
demarcation of boarders among the African countries by the Europeans.
3.
It separated the same communities into
two different countries
There are some communities such as the
Maasai, who found themselves in two different countries. for example, there are
Tanzanian maasai and kenya maasai. There are also Malawian Nyasa and Tanzanian
Nyasa. There are also Tanzanians Luo and kenyas Luo.
4.
Exploitation of the natural resources
of Africans
The Europeans at the time of
colonization had no interest in developing the colonies but continued to
exploit the people’s natural resources to serve as raw materials for European
industries whilst the people had little or no benefits from their own natural
resources. In the Gold Coast, timber, cocoa, cotton, oil palm and minerals were
sent to feed European industries at lower prices and yielded very high prices
when converted to finished products and brought to Africa.
5.
Occurrence of first world war
Some nations were not satisfied with
the number of given colonies. For example, Germany was dissatisfied with the
number of colonies given to him and this led to the outbreak of the First World
War.
6.
accelerated the construction and
development of infrastructure
Those infrastructures are: schools,
hospitals, roads and bridges.
The Berlin Conference
The Berlin conference was a meeting
held in Berlin that was called by Chancellor Otto von Bismarck 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.
Task
Explain the events leading to the
Berlin conference of 1884-1885.
The Resolutions of the Berlin Conference
European powers, at a Berlin meeting,
they agreed to the following resolutions:
1. To abolish slave trade on their colonies.
2. They agreed to send a lot of missionaries, traders and
explorers on their respective colonies.
3. They were required to stop or to
make an end of resistances that occurred between Africans and colonial
government.
4. They were required to have
effective control of their colonies e.g. by building/constructing social
services.
5. Colonial masters were required to
notify other on the possession of colonies.
6. They agreed to have free navigation
on the navigable rivers like Congo, Nigeria etc.
7. They were required to establish
colonial economy.
Significance of Berlin Conference to Africa
1.
It resolved Europeans conflict over Africa.
2.
It speeded the partition of Africa.
3.
It opened African continent for colonization.
4.
Setting of colonial boundaries in Africa.
5.
It promoted unity and cooperation among European
powers.
6.
It avoided slave trade.
Tactics Used to Impose Colonial Rule in Africa
Europeans used different tactics to
introduce colonialism in Africa: These techniques were depending on the nature
of colonial Government and Africans. They included:
1.
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.
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).
Moffat signed with Lobengula on taking
Matebele 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.
2.
Forces/
violence
This was a method, which involved the
use of weapons to occupy colonies. The 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 and Germany Vs.
Mahemba and Yao.
3.
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.
African reaction to colonial rule
Reaction means response to something.
Africans reacted against colonial rule.
Forms of African reaction
1. Active
resistance
Active resistance was a kind of
resistance whereby Africans decided to take weapons to fight against the
occupation of the whites. For example, Hehe fought Germany and Nandi fought
British.
2. Passive
resistance
Passive resistance was a form of
Africans resistance whereby Africans did not fight actively, but they had no
cooperation with the colonial government. For example, the Hadzabe and Tindiga
of Tanzania who were very far from the Europeans, resisted passively.
3. Collaboration
or adaptive resistance
Some Africans allied with the Europeans,
such chiefs were: Marealle of Marangu, Merere of Sangu and chief Kahigi of
Buhaya.
In Uganda, Semei Kakunguru and Apolo
Kagwa allied with the British.
They did
this so that they could not be ruled by whites, and also, so that they could get
protection against their enemies.
Factors which determined the nature of African resistance
Some
societies resisted actively, passively and others collaborated. Those who
collaborated, fought actively and passive resistance, were influenced by the
following reasons:
1. The
level of development
Society which achieved great
development such as weapons like gun, strong leaders and high production,
decided to fight. Nyamwezi under Isike, Yao under Machemba had developed during
the 19th Century, so they had to fight actively.
2. Ignorance
of some rulers
Some rulers were ignorant about the
Europeans ambitions. They thought that European could be friend who could
provide them with security and presents. Communities which cooperated with
the Europeans like the Sangu and Bena, were ignorant and
did not know the true purpose of whites.
3. Missionaries
presence
Missionaries urged their converts to
refrain from resisting because that action was sin. Semei Kakunguru of Buganda
allied with the British because of this reason.
4. Individual
interest
Those who fought were trying to
protect their political positions. African leaders
were not ready to relinquish their power. They
felt better to fight to protect their leadership rather than accepting
colonialism. Mkwawa is an example of African leaders who fought actively to
protect their power.
5. The
environmental problem
Some communities were unable to fight
and decided to cooperate because of environmental problems such as diseases.
For example, Maasai in Kenya might have fought against the British, but in 1879
so many people had died of Cholera.
Small Scale Active African Resistance
It was early primary African reaction
in which different ethinic groups took up arms against the colonists.
Reasons for Small Scale Active Resistance
- The desire to protect land against
the occupation of white men.
- Political interests among the
leaders.
- To defend trade routes.
Examples of Small Scale Resistance
In Tanganyika: The coastal resistance
under Abushiri and Bwana Heri, Hehe, Yao and Chagga.
In Uganda: Bunyoro under Kabarega in
1893.
In Kenya: Mazrui Dynasty
Large Scale Active African Resistance
Was a form of resistance in which many
ethinic groups joined together to fight against colonialists.
Maji maji War in Tanganyika (1905 - 1907)
The war got its name from the Swahili
vocabulary maji, which meant magic water that was used by Kinjekitile Ngware
from river Rufiji. Kinjekitile gave the Africans fighter’s magic water which he
believed could turn the bullets into water.
Tribes which fought this war were:
Wamatumbi, Luguru, Mbunga, Pogoro, Zaramo etc.
Reason for the Rise of Maji maji War
1. Compulsory
cotton growing
Headmen were ordered to open cotton
farms and use their people to work on such farms. The people could not obey
this order.
2. Forced
labour
Africans were forced to work in
plantation, road and railway constructions.
3. Taxation
Africans were forced to pay tax in
form of money of 3 rupees. In looking for money to pay tax, men left their
families to plantation where they worked under hardship conditions.
4. Land
alienation
Germany took Africans land to set up
plantation. People remained landless, as a reason they decided to fight.
5. Low
wages
The wages failed to satisfy Africans
daily needs in colonial system.
6. Colonialism
Colonialism was one of the major
causes of uprising. People of Tanganyika
hated the German administration and therefore wished to regain their lost
political independence.
Impact of Maji maji War
1. Germans
made some reforms in government to avoid another uprising
Reforms made were: abolition of forced
labour, reduce of tax and few Africans were appointed to work in German
administration.
2. Death
of people
More than 120,000 people were killed.
3. Hunger
Crops were uprooted during the war by
the German soldiers.
4. It
inspired nationalistic leaders such as Julius Kambarage Nyerere
Nyerere gained a lot from the failure
of Maji-Maji uprising. He used these
lessons to form a national political party called TANU. It was this TANU that
finally led Tanganyika to independence.
5. Confidence
in African traditional chiefs was lost
After the failure of Maji maji war,
Africans lost their confidence to the medicine men like Kinjekitile because
their tactics had failed. Many Africans
lost lives because the magic water could not protect them against the German
bullets.
6. The Africans equally learnt a lot from
the uprising
Africans realized
that the Germans were better organised and militarily superior to them. They discovered the mistakes in their
organisation hence rather than fight, they resorted to use of diplomacy and
negotiations with the Germans. It took
long before Africans picked up arms to fight the Germans again.
Why African Resistance Failed?
1. Disunity
Africans did not unite to fight the
whites. For example, samori Toure of Mandika asked Ahmadu of Tukolor to join
with him to fight the French in West Africa, but Ahmadu rejected to appear.
2. Militarily
superiority of the Europeans
They had a well standing army than
that of the Africans. They used sophisticated weapons like gun, bombs and
modern artillery while Africans used clubs, spear and bows.
3. Poor
beliefs
Africans believed in witchcraft
instead of fighting. For example, Maji maji fighter believed magic water could
turn bullet into water.
4. Natural
calamities like famine, drought and epidemics
Natural calamities made people avoid
active resistance. For example, the Maasai suffered from Cholera in 1879, so
they failed to fight.
5. Betrayal
Some Africans decided to collaborate
with the whiteman to attack their fellow Africans. Merere of Usangu allied with
Germany to defeat the Hehe in 1873.
Revision questions
1. What took place in Europe between
1750s and 1850s?
A. Industrial revolution B. Scramble for
Africa C. Mercantile capitalism D. Emergence of slave trade E. Monopoly
capitalism
2. Colonialism was established through?
A. Post-colonial political changes. B.
Violence and coercion C. Piracy and plundering D. revolution and violence E.
waylaying and bogus treaties.
3. Why the Germany colonial agents would
not forget the Hehe resistance?
4. Why some historians consider
Chancellor Otto Von Bismarck as the architect of the partition of the African
continent?
5. By using six points, explain how the
Berlin Conference of 1884/1885 helped the European countries to prevent war
that would have occurred due to the scramble for colonies.
6. Examine six effects of Majimaji
uprising in Tanganganyika.
7. Who convened the conference which
legalized the colonization of Africa?
A. David Livingstone. B. Carl Peters. C.
Otto Von Bismarck. D. Charles Darwin. E. Adolf Hitler.
8. The leader of Chimurenga uprising
of 1896-1897 in Rhodesia were:
A. Mkwati
and Kinjekitile B. Siginyamatish and Lobengula. C. Mkwati and Siginyamatish. D.
Mkwati and Lobengula. E. Lobengula and Rumunguru.
9. With examples, explain six reasons
for African resistances to colonial rule.
10. Outline five significances of
Berlin Conference.
