Unit 3: New Imperialism Africa
The Berlin Conference
14 European industrialized countries met to discuss the Scramble for Africa. These countries want to take the land peacefully and the meeting help lay down the rules for the division of Africa. This also lay down the rules for free trade.
King Leopold II
A bad man who committed crimes against the Berlin Act. He was in charge of the Congo "Free" State for over two decades. He violates free trade by stealing land and imposing taxes. He enslaves Congolese and this is exploitation. Congolese are supposed to collect rubber. However, if they don't enough, they will be killed or mutilated.
Industrial Revolution
A change in the way people work. It was an increase output of machine-made goods that began in England in 1700s.
The Force Publique
A force created by King Leopold to take down the revolts and manage the Congo Free State's frontiers.
Hutus
A group of people that made up 84% of the population in Rwanda. They were farmers and had conflicts with the Tutsis over the years. The Rwandan Genocide was the Hutus's revenge on the Tutsis because Tutsis were in power for too long. Hutus took over power in government.
Tutsis
A group of people that was favored by the Belgians in Rwanda. They had the privileges of government jobs, education, and receive an identity card. They were cattle herders, made up 15% of the population, and held most of the land in Rwanda. In the Rwandan Genocide, they were being killed because Hutu extremists said that they will destroy Rwanda and kill all Hutus.
The colonized mind
A mind that has been influence by European values and your own cultural values start to disappear. An individual admires European life.
Compass rose
A symbol on a map that represents the directions of North, South, East, and West.
Africa's geography
Africa's geography is very unique. There is online navigational and it's the Nile River. The weather in Africa is either temperate or tropical depending on the region. There is a huge desert called the Sahara Desert. There also many jungles and different types of landforms.
Quinine
Anti malaria medications that enable Europeans to explore and establish outposts deep in central Africa.
Social Darwinism
Believed that "fittest" for survival is superior to everyone else. Thought non Europeans was a lower scale compared to Europeans because non Europeans didn't have cultural development, physical development, and technological progress.
Belgium's model colony
Britain was wanting/enforcing change in the Congo while ruling over the Congolese. Some positives are education expanding and medicine. The negatives are segregation/racism and white Europeans controlling everything.
Prime Meridian
Divides the Earth into Eastern and Western hemisphere. The significance is that it helps us evaluate time.
Equator
Divides the earth into Northern and Southern Hemisphere. The significance is that it helps us identify different climate zones.
The Scramble for Africa
European countries trying to control as much of Africa as possible so that they have a source of land for raw materials and a market to sell products.
Patrice Lumumba
First elected and voted prime minister by the people for the people. He was called a "communist puppet" by the United States because he got help from the Soviet Union. He needed help because Katanga broke away from Congo. He couldn't make that change because he was assassinated. The United States supported his assassination.
ED Morel
He was an upstander of the Congo "Free" State from Great Britain. He finds out about the wrong doings in the colony because he's a book keeper and sees that they aren't practicing free trade properly. The imports are rubber and ivory. The exports are guns. The raw material and the product aren't related to each other. He becomes an advocate and raises awareness about atrocities in Congo. He held meetings and create organization called Congo Reform Association.
George Washington Williams
He was an upstander of the Congo "Free" State from the United States. He goes to the Congo to write about the great humanitarian efforts, but he finds human rights being abused. He writes letters to King Leopold and President of U.S. to do something about it. He also appeals to signers of Berlin Act to do something about it. He dies too early to create change.
Henry Stanely
Hired by King Leopold II of Belgium. He signed treaties with local chiefs at the north bank of Congo River for Leopold to control lands. He was tricked by Leopold because Leopold was exploiting the Congolese by making them collect rubber. If they didn't collect enough, they will be dismembered.
Lines of Latitude
Imaginary lines on the Earth's surface that run east and west. It tells the distance North and South of the Equator.
Lines of Longitude
Imaginary lines on the Earth's surface that run north and south. It tells the distance East and West of the Prime Meridian.
Ways King Leopold II violated Berlin Act
King Leopold II violated Berlin Act by not doing free trade. Ivory and rubber were being exported out of the Congo and guns were being imported. King Leopold steals land and imposes taxes. He enslaves Congolese and this is exploitation. Congolese are supposed to collect rubber. However, if they don't enough, they will be killed or mutilated. King Leopold supported slavery. Only harvested products can be sold to the state and there could be no private business.
The Congo Free State
King Leopold II's name for the Congo. This was Belgium's colony where they dismembered the Congolese if they didn't collect enough rubber.
Democratic Republic of Congo
Laurent Kabila renamed Zaire to this name for the country. This is the current name of this country.
Raw Materials
One of the economic reasons why industrialized European countries colonized different parts of the world. They use this for their own benefit, so the Europeans are able to do free trade.
Bystander
Person who witnesses the crime and does nothing.
Upstander
Person who witnesses the crime and does something.
Assimilation
Policy which nation forces or encourages a subject people to adopt its institutions and customs.
Laurent Kabila
President after Joseph Mobutu. He is a Tutsi refugee who seizes power in the Congo. He doesn't create change fast enough and seems ok. His bodyguard assassinated him. He renamed Zaire to Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Imperialism
Seizure of a country or territory by a stronger country.
Concept of Social Darwinism and justification for Imperialism
Social Darwinism is that the fittest for survival is the most superior to all. The moral justification for Imperialism is that industrialized European countries are trying to bring their technological progress to unindustrialized countries and bringing their ideas to help influence the native people. Industrialized countries think that their ideas are better than no industrialized countries.
Examples of Exploitation
Some examples are slavery, cutting off of hands/dismember, and etc. This happens because of unfair regulations from employer.
Reasons why geography shaped Africa's history
Some reasons are that a third of African countries are landlocked. This means that they aren't near water, so they aren't able to trade. Crops can be planted only in specific areas because of the climate. Africans weren't able to domesticate animals because they are larger and wilder. They weren't able to have technological development because they didn't have available resources within the continent.
Joseph Kabila
Son of Laurent Kabila and current president of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is committed to democracy.
Joseph Mobutu
Supported by the United States. He acted more like a dictator than a president. He kept about 4 billion dollars for his personal use. He cause corruption, violate human rights, and cause misery throughout the Congo. He also cause malnutrition for the people and renames Congo, Zaire. He died of natural causes.
Belgian Congo
The Belgian government renamed the Congo Free State this name. During this time, there wasn't much change. Belgian government ruled the Congo during this time.
Connection between Industrial Revolution and Imperialism
The Industrial Revolution brought money and power to industrialized countries. Countries need other land to collect raw materials and a market to sell the products. Countries try to claim as much land as possible.
The Berlin Act
The act which the 14 countries agree to. This includes the end to slavery and free trade being use properly. Countries need to tell other countries that they have claim land to avoid conflict.
Effects of imperialism have played role in modern issues and conflicts
The effects of imperialism have played a role in modern issues and conflicts because the Congo is now a mess from the colonization of Europeans. The Congo doesn't how to self-govern themselves since they were always under a country's power. There is also problems Rwanda enough after the genocide. The problems include poverty and etc.
Choices that individuals and international community had and ultimately what choices were made in relation to the Rwandan Genocide
The international community and individuals didn't do anything about the Rwandan Genocide. The Tutsi-led Rwandan Patriotic Front stop assaults against the government and halt massacres. This was one of the bloodiest in the world. The UN, USA, and other countries didn't do anything about it. They thought it would be too dangerous and risky.
Positive short and long effects of colonialism in Congo
The type of short effects of colonialism in the Congo is the improvement of education and the improvement of medicine. There aren't these type of long effects of colonialism in the Congo.
Negative short and long effects of colonialism in Congo
The type of short term effects of colonialism in the Congo is segregation/racism and White Europeans controlling everything. The long term effects of colonialism in the Congo is chaos because people of the Congo are still getting used to governing themselves since they have a country rule over them for many years. Neighboring countries are trying to get a piece of Congo since it has many valuable natural resources. President Kabila can't stop it because no government and no military. There are refugees going into the Congo. There are also loss of land, loss of culture, a colonized min, and war.
Choices that individuals and international community had and ultimately what choices were made in relation to King Leopold's Congo Free State
There were bystanders in the King Leopold's Congo Free State and they include Great Britain and missionaries. Missionaries saw what was happening, but didn't want to leave. Missionaries thought they were going to get kicked out if they criticize King Leopold. In the beginning, Great Britain didn't want Belgium to side with France and conquer their colonies. Great Britain was trying to avoid their enemies to create alliances. The upstanders are George Washington Willams and ED Morel. They choose to do something and be activists, which brought criticism to King Leopold II. Great Britain soon heard their civilians' voices and took action. GB's action force King Leopold II out of power and the power is now given to the Belgian government in the Congo.
Political Map
This is a map that depicts countries, states, provinces, territories, and cities.
Physical Map
This is a map that depicts different land elevations and oceans depths as well as major physical features, mountain ranges, and rivers.
Exploitation
Treating someone unfair in order to benefit from their work.
Somalia syndrome
U.S. troops conflicted with Somalia militia in a bloody firefight. 18 U.S. troops dead and their bodies were dragged along the streets of the capital city of Mogadishu. This was broadcasted for the world to see. The U.S. pulled out peacekeepers and were outraged. This event changed U.S.'s humanitarian response especially in Africa. The United States' reluctance to get involved in certain conflicts, often those involving ethnic strife, is called _________.
Maxim gun
World's first automatic gun and it enabled Europeans to explore central Africa and suppress African resistance.