Unit 3 Review: 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.

Hutus

85% of the Rwanda population, mostly farmers

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.

Democratic Republic of Congo

A force created by King Leopold to take down the revolts and manage the Congo Free State's frontiers.

The Force Publique

A force created by King Leopold to take down the revolts and manage the Congo Free State's frontiers.

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.

Raw materials

Because these were abundant throughout Congo, Europeans were influenced by their economic desires to colonize the area and start a free trade market. Unfortunately, countries like Belgium abused their power to obtain these for their products. Some examples include rubber and ivory.

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.

Tutsi

Cattle herders who were favored by the Belgians

Political maps

Depict countries, states, provinces, territories, and cities.

Physical maps

Depict different land elevations and ocean depths as well as major physical features, mountain ranges, and rivers.

Equator

Divides earth into Northern and Southern hemisphere. Its significance is to help us identify different climate zones.

Prime Meridian

Divides the Earth into Eastern and Western hemisphere. The significance is that it helps us evaluate time.

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 Stanley

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 Earth's surface that run East and West as well as tell the distance North and South of the equator.

Lines of longitude

Imaginary lines on Earth's surface that run North and South as well as tell the distance East and West of the Prime Meridian.

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.

Quinine

One of the technological advancements that allowed Europeans to conquer Africa. It was an anti malaria medication that enabled Europeans to explore and establish outposts deep in central Africa.

Maxim gun

One of the technological advancements that allowed Europeans to conquer Africa. It was the first ever made in the world, and specifically enabled Europeans to explore central Africa and suppress the African resistance. Africans were only equipped with non-modern weaponry.

Assimilation

Policy in which a 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.

Bystander

Someone who witnesses a crime and does nothing something to address it. Some examples include individuals and countries in the Congo like Great Britain and missionaries.

Upstander

Someone who witnesses a crime and does something to address it. Some examples include individuals in the Congo like George Washington Williams (USA) and E.D Morel (Great Britain).

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.

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.

What is the concept of Social Darwinism and its justification for Imperialism?

The concept of Social Darwinism was that those who were "fittest for survival" enjoyed wealth and success. Because of these benefits, they would considered more superior in comparison to others who were not as fortunate. In regards to the justification of Social Darwinism for Imperialism, Europeans believed that they were better than other people. With this being said, it was their responsibility to bring the results of their progress to other countries through Imperialism.

What is the connection between the Industrial Revolution and Imperialism?

The desires of European nations from the Industrial Revolution included searching for raw materials and establishing a market for products. Such desires of improving their economy lead to Imperialism. Imperialism was the seizure of a country or territory by a stronger country. In other words, the Industrial Revolution caused the uprise of Imperialism. Specifically in Africa, its weaker countries were politically, economically, and socially dominated by stronger European nations.

How did African geography shape its history?

The history of Africa was shaped by its geography because it was land locked, but it contained many natural resources.

What were the long term effects of colonialism in the Congo (both positive and negative)?

The long term effects of colonialism in the Congo included the loss of land, loss of African culture, establishment of an unhealthy colonized mindset, and multiple wars as artificial boundaries combined or divided tribes.

What were some short-time effects of colonialism in Africa?

The short term effects of colonialism in the Congo were the improvements in education, advancements in modern medicine, uprise of segregation and racism, and powerful white European influence over industries.

Exploitation (and examples)

Treating someone unfairly in order to benefit from their work. In Africa, the Europeans forced the Congolese people into harsh labor and grew wealthy from the natural resources (rubber, ivory, gold, diamonds) that the workers obtained. Another example includes the sweat shops and factories laborers are placed in to make high demand products like clothing and footwear.

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 _________.