The partition of Africa: refers to the different steps taken by the European powers to divide Africa into territories and fixing colonial boundaries.
The major European powers that were involved in this exercise were Britain, Germany, France, Portugal and Belgium.
By 1880’s it was only Africa which was not colonized therefore it became the centre of imperialist attention which was driven by the development of capitalism.
Scramble: means stiff completion or intensive struggle for something.
THE SCRAMBLE FOR AND PARTITION OF AFRICA
Normally there are two school of thought that try to discuss about the reasons behind the scramble for and partition of Africa during the 2nd half of 19th Century which were,
1. AFROCENTRIC VIEWS
According to Afro centric views the scramble for and portion of Africa during the second half of 19th century was motivated by economic factors which paved by the impact of industrial development in Europe hence they wanted to secure industrial demands such as;
The scramble for and partition of Africa during the second half of 19th century was motivated by economic factors which motivated by the impact of industrial development in Europe hence they wanted to secure industrial demands such as, raw materials, markets, cheap labour, areas for investment of their surplus capital, areas for settlement of their surplus population and cheap land for production of raw materials
2. EUROCENTRIC VIEWS
According to Eurocentric views the scramble for and partition of Africa was not motivated by
Economic factors but the reasons for scramble for and partition were motivated by very humanity factors like spreading of christianity, abolition of slave trade and ivilizing African societies.
FACTORS FOR SCRAMBLE FOR AND PARTITION OF AFRICAN CONTINENT
Qn: Why yhe scramble for and partition of Africa took place during the 19th Century and not before or after? (Six reasons).
1. Development of capitalism: Normally the development of capitalism in Europe especially in the highest stage which (Imperialism) it has motivated high economic demands which was geared by high industrialization in European countries such as Britain, Germany, France, Italy and so many However under this factor the capitalist powers they wanted to secure industrial/economic demands such as, raw materials, external cheap markets, cheap labourers, areas for invest of their surplus capital, areas for settlement of their surplus population hence the scramble and partition for Africa.
2. The European nationalism in 1870's: Under this context European nationalism refers to the sense of European unification. Therefore soon after the Germany and Italy unification these countries become powerful military in European history which come with strong ambition of strong expansionism policy as a Means of expanding territories worldwide.
However due to shortage of land in Europe their ambiations were achieved within Europe hence this has necessitated calling for Berlin conference which resulted in to scramble and colonization of Africa
3. The European balance of power: Soon after the Germany an Italy unification become military powerful countries in Europe hence started aexpansionism policies which resulted in to destruction of European balance of power. Therefore this situation has lef for calling for Berlin conference in 1884-1885 for the aim of maintaing the European balance of power.
However during the Berlin conference most suggested issues was to divide African among the imperialist powers. Hence te scramble and partition. Example the Franco-Prussian war in 1870-1871 when Germany invaded France and took Alsace and Loraine
4. National prestige: The European powers colonized frican continent so as to meet the national prestige, because by that time it was very prestige for Europe country to have external colonies.
Hence this has led to colonization of Africa. Example Belgium colonize Congo colony so as to meet the national
5. Strategic reasons: Some parts of Africa attracted to European eyes even before the coming in Africa to having potentially to such areas, hence those places become very target to Example Congo basin, Niger Valley, Nile River and S. Africa.
6. Humanitarian reasons: The colonial powers colonized African as to civilize Africa through spreading Christianity and abolition of slavery and slave Example of humanitarianist are such as William Wilber force, David Ricardo, Adam Smith.
7. The role played by colonial agents: The colonial agents reported potential informations about the potential of African resources like the nature of Africa land, water bodies and the nature of African population.
Therefore European interested much with informations from the colonial agents, hence the scramble and partition of African continent become
CONTRIBUTIONS OF ECONOMIC DEMANDS TO THE COLONIZATION OF AFRICA
Qn: Relate the development of capitalism and colonization of Africa. Qn: Assess six economic motives for colonization of Africa.
QN: why Africa become greater deal during the 19 century. Six points.
However by the mid of 19th Century 1880's caapitalism grow up in to the highest stage called monopoly capitalism or imperialism where it has contributed to the increase in demanding for industrial needs such explained below.
1. Demanding for raw materials: Both agricultural products and mineral raw- This was because agricultural raw materials like c-coffee, cotton; sisal as well as mineral raw materials such as gold, diamond and copper were highly needed in Europe just to feed their hungry industries.
2. Demanding for markets: for the European Manufactured goods. This caused the scramble for and partition of African continent simply because with invention of new technology together with application of heavy
3. Demanding for cheap labour: Cheap laborers were needed to Europeans plantations and mines. This caused the Scramble for and partition of African continent since they opened up large plantations which needed Intensive
4. Demanding areas for investment of their surplus capital: This was because European powers since primitive accumulation of capital had invested heavily surplus capital hence they wanted areas to
5. Demanding areas for settlement of their surplus population: This was because with better Improvement of social services like medical care, water supply, as well as good housing
6. Demanding for cheap land: Cheap land was much deeded for production of raw materials to feed their
THE NATURE OF SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICAN CONTINENT
Normally during the scramble and partition of Africa, some areas witnessed serious conflicts/among the imperialist powers for example the Congo Niger basin. There were various factors that determined the pattern of the scramble for and partition of Africa.
REASONS FOR INTENSIVE SCRAMBLE AND PARTITION OF SOME PARTS OF AFRICA
Qn: Why some parts African colonies witnessed intesive conflicts among the colonial powers? Six points.
Accessibility to the interior of Africa: The imperialist powers scrambled for those areas that offered means of transport into the interior of These powers were interested in the interior because they wanted raw materials and markets where they can sell their manufactured goods.
This explains why the Congo River was competed from the Belgium, France, and Portugal and the Niger River were competed for by France, Britain and Germany.
Strategic factors: This is one of the factors that determined the pattern of the scramble and the partition of Britain controlled Egypt because of the Suez Canal which was used to transport raw materials and manufactured goods into and outside Africa.
Britain also controlled Uganda because it wanted to protect the source of river Nile which is found in Uganda.
Agricultural potentialities: The imperial powers struggled for areas that had fertile soils that could support the growth of cash Various powers struggled for the Congo and Niger rivers because the areas around the rivers were very fertile and therefore suitable for cash crop production.
Mineral potentialities: The imperials powers struggled for areas that had minerals in large Colonies such as Zimbabwe, Congo were very vital because it had large amounts of gold and diamond.
Population size : Population was one of the major factors that determined the nature of the scramble and partition of Africa.
The colonial powers struggled for those areas with high population size because they ensured constant supply of cheap labour and cheap reliable markets for the European manufactured Example Nigeria.
Good climatic condition: Some colonies wndowed with good climatic conditions were highly experience intensive since the colonial powers wanted area where they can establish their Example Kenya highlands, south Africa.
Example of some areas that were experienced stiff scramble include
- Congo basin.
- Niger
- East Africa
- River
- South Africa
PARTITION OF EAST AFRICA
The partition of East Africa was the outcome of the development of European monopoly capitalism. The partition was done from 1886 to 1890’s and it involved only Britain and Germany.
STAGES IN THE PARTITION PROCESS OF EAST AFRICA
The partition process of East Africa began in the Berlin conference ( 1884 – 1885) and it was completed with the partition between Germany and Britain which took place between1886s – 1890s. The partition between German and Britain was completed in two stages of agreement between them.
In East Africa, there was stiff antagonism between:-
- German
- Britain
- Sultan of Zanzibar
STAGES IN PARTITION OF E. AFRICA
The two stages in the partition of East Africa were: -
- Anglo – Germany agreement (1886) (Delimitation treaty)
- Anglo – Germany agreement (1890) (Heligoland treaty)
1. ANGLO – GERAMAN AGREEMENT (1886) (DELIMITATION TREATY)
It was an agreement (treaty) between Germany and Britain and the Sultan of Zanzibar the area of East Africa.
REASONS FOR HOLDING THE DELIMITATION TREATY
Presentation of treaty by Karl Peters: On 5 th Feb 1885, Karl Peters presents his treaty to Bismarck and President Kaiser William I in Berlin. Then he was granted a charter ( imperial) that stated that “ any area visited by him was to come under German colonization, hence led to formation of GEACO. Therefore, this led to stiff contradiction with IBEACO who claimed that East Africa was its area of influence hence, Delimitation Treaty.
German recognition of Karl Peter’s treaty: The Sultan appealed to Sir John Kirk ( A British Consul in South Africa) for assistance. This led to the Anglo – German treaty of 1886.
Companies interference. The British and German companies interfered each other especially in commerce and treaty making, hence Anglo – German treaty of
RESOLUTIONS/ TERMS OF THE DELIMTATION TREATY (1886)
The Anglo German agreement (1886) had the following resolutions: -
German and Britain recognized the Sultan spheres of influence which were to be Zanzibar, Pemba, Lamu, Mogadishu, Brava, Mafia and 10 miles of the coastal
Germany and British spheres of influences were to be divided by Lake The territory of Britain was to expand northward to Tana River.
The territory of Germany was to expand South wards to Ruvuma
Britain agreed to support German’s claims to establish a custom -house at Dar es Salaam.
Britain agreed to recognize Germany possession of Witu ( a small market town in the Lamu County of Kenya , East Africa . Formerly it was the capital of the Witu
2. ANGLO – GERMAN AGREEMENT 1890 (HELGOLAND TREATY)
Anglo-German treaty 1890: Refers to the second German agreement with the Britain over East Africa. The treaty was signed in 1890. The treaty was held due to various contradictions that arose after the delimitation treaty. The main contradictions were Germany possession of Witu and the 10 miles coastal strip of the Sultan.
REASONS FOR ANGLO – GERMAN TREATY 1890
>> German wanted to establish a protectorate in Zanzibar and eliminate
>> German wanted to occupy the island of Helgoland in the North She wanted to establish a naval base.
>> A treaty between Kabaka Mwanga and Karl In Jan 1890, Kabaka Mwanga signed a treaty of protectorate with Karl Peters that placed Buganda in the hands of the Germans. By then, Britain had already colonized Egypt, Britain did not want the source of River Nile to be under other powers. This led to Anglo – German agreement 1890.
>> Britain wanted the Sultan to cede to the Germans the 10 miles coasted
TERMS/ RESOLUTIONS OF ANGLO-GERMAN AGREENMENT OF 1890
> The Sultan agreed to cede the coastal strips to the Germans for the equivalent of two hundred thousand
> German agreed to abandon all claims of Witu island ( North of Britain sphere)
> Tanganyika mainland, Uhutu and Utusi become German sphere of
> Zanzibar, Pemba, Kenya and Uganda become British sphere of
IMPACTS OF ANGLO - GERMAN AGREEMENTS OF 1890
> Dar es Salaam and Mombasa become important main ports linked by railways
> From 1890 and 1894 Zanzibar and Uganda were under British control
> Tanganyika was under German rule by
> German bought the coastal strip from the Zanzibar
> These treaties culminated colonialism in East
AFRICAN COLONIES AND THEIR COLONIAL MASTERS
BELGIANS COLONIES
Congo Free State (Belgian Congo) Now is called or known as Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
Ruanda (Rwanda) and Urundi (Burundi) since 1922
FRENCH COLONIES
i. French West
- Mauritania
- Senegal
- Gambia a( 1681 – 1857)
- French Sudan ( Mali)
- French Guinea (Guinea)
- Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory coast)
- Niger
- French upper Volta ( Burkina Faso)
- French Dahomey (Benin)
- French Togoland ( Togo).
ii. French Equatorial Africa
- Gabon
- French Cameroon (1922- 1960)
- French Congo (Republic of Congo)
- Oubangi – Chari (Central African Republic)
iii. French North Africa
- French Algeria
- French Protectorate of Tunisia
- French Morocco
- iv. French East Africa
- Madagascar
- Comoro
- Re-Union Island
GERMAN COLONIES
- German Kameron (Cameroon)
- German East Africa (Rwanda, Burundi and Tanganyika from 1885 – 1919).
- German South - Western Africa ( 1884 – 1915)
- German Togoland ( Togo 1884 – 1915).
PORTUGUESE COLONIES
- Portuguese West Africa ( Anglo).
- Portuguese East Africa ( Mozambique)
- Portuguese Guinea ( Guinea – Bissau)
- Cape Verde.
- Sao Tome principle
BRITISH COLONIES
- Egypt, Anglo – Egyptian Sudan (Sudan)
- British East Africa (Kenya colony, Uganda and Zanzibar Protectorate (1920)
- Bechuanaland ( Botswana)
- Southern Rhodesia ( Zimbabwe)
- Northern Rhodesia ( Zambia)
- British South Africa
- South – Western Africa ( Namibia – 1915)
- Sierra Leone
- British West Africa (Nigeria and British Gold Coast ( Ghana)
- Cameroon ( 1922 – 1960)
- Nyasaland ( Malawi)
- Basutoland ( Lesotho)
- (Eswatine)
EFFECTS/CONSEQUENCES OF SCRAMBLE FOR AND PARTITION ON AFRICA
QN: Assess six effects of the scramble for and partition in Africa.
It brought Berlin conference: Normally after the scramble followed by calling the Berlin conference so as to put some agreement among the imperialist powers.
It lead to the outbreak of WWI: due to the dissatisfaction with division for
It lead to the colonization of
It brought intensive exploitation of African
Destruction of African
Changing of African continent