Pooja Patel 5/3/15
AP World History CCOT Essay
From 1914 to the present, one of the most powerful trends of the postwar era was the importance of the developing world and their desire for independence. Nationalism was an important factor in the growing independence movements in Sub- Saharan Africa. Regardless of political changes, social conflict and tensions remained a problem. Tensions between Europeans and Africans, which had been a problem since the Europeans’ arrival and social unrest in communities didn’t change. By 1914, almost all of Africa had been carved up by European powers and became a prized colony because of cash crops and mines. After World War II, African nations began to assert their independence. Although
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Most borders were drawn by the European colonizers for their own benefit and convenience, leaving behind the varieties of ethnicities, languages, cultural practices and religions in each country. This made it more difficult for a single state to govern its people fairly. In Rwanda, there was ethnic strife, genocide and human rights violations from conflicts between two groups the Tutsi and the Rwanda. The Tutsi were 15 percent of the population and governed the Hutu, who were 85 percent of the population during German and Belgium colonial occupation. Belgian rule in particular exacerbated interethnic tensions, setting the stage for bloodshed for as soon as colonial authorities left. After Rwanda gained independence in 1962, the Hutu revolted against the Tutsi, leaving thousands dead and the two groups locked in conflict. It led to the 100 day genocide, resulting in the death of about 1 million Tutsis in 1994. The following year, 2 million Hutu refugees were sent to neighboring nations like Zaire, where many died from disease. In South Africa, there were many racial conflicts and segregation. The Union of South Africa was formed in 1910 from former British colonies, but the majority black population was granted no rights. Instead, there were restrictive laws enforced with the goal of controlling the black population and maintaining the separate societies of black and white people. This system was known as apartheid, and it was established in 1948. The whites were given the cities, the resource rich mines and the best farmland. Blacks were forced to move to homelands, or stay in the cities in segregated black slums. Under the leadership of the African National Congress, an organized resistance force was formed. In response, the government combated
At this point in history, worldly events are whizzing by at an accelerated pace and the 18th century reveals some tumultuous moments that shaped world history in the Americas. At this point South American was settled by Europeans who were still fighting over boundaries and they shared a craving for power, hence the turbulent conditions fostered by Europeans lead to instabilities in South America. Spain and Portugal claimed large South American land masses, while other nations like France and England made attempts to infiltrate sections for themselves which caused further unrest. European quarrels also seeped and influenced the political atmosphere of South America, for example the French revolution interfered with the governing plans of Spain.
The reactions made a small number of African natives was to resist diplomatic responses that promised the ability to maintain peace with the nations of Europe. When diplomacy failed, Africans resisted with violence, while others drew upon their religious traditions for strength in remaining independent. Yet another reaction among Africans was to encourage other Africans to fight back. Some Africans, meanwhile, complied with – and even willfully participated in – the continent’s colonization by Europeans.
The Scramble for Africa from 1876-1914 has influenced many Africans by violent resistance, diplomacy, and adopting traditions. During this time period, Africa was being colonized and taken over by European powers. This was caused by the The Berlin Conference and it consisted of European powers deciding what they should do about Africa. Africa didn't actually have a say in this. Therefore, Europe ended up dividing up Africa into colonies that they took over.
By 1914 seven European countries held african colonies, they controlled almost all Africa. Only Liberia and Ethiopia remained independent.
During the Age of Imperialism, Europeans colonized and conquered almost all of Africa during the scramble for Africa, lasted from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. When Europe first began asking Africa to give up their freedom, most kingdoms politely declined the offer. However, some countries surrendered and soon realized the horrific mistake they had made. The African people began to rebel against European rule, some leaders becoming desperate enough to trick their own people into joining the effort. Many Africans were not on board with the African Scramble.
During the European Scramble for Africa, in the early 20th century, Africans had a peaceful reaction with anti-imperialistic sentiments (docs. 2, 3, 4, and 7), peaceful actions through the approach of diplomacy (docs.1, 2, and 3) and also a rebellious anti-imperialistic reaction (docs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9) towards the Scramble for Africa.
The inconsistencies in the implementation even partly contributed to the outbreak of the Second World War (xxx, xxx). The European powers mobilized their African subjects with propaganda vilifying the racial-supremacist ideology of the Fascist powers. This set-in motion a process in which “Fascist nationalism produced the opposed reality of anti-Fascism; and anti-Fascism became antiracism; and antiracism led in due course to an end of colonization” (Davidson, 1992). The result was the erasure of European colonial rule from large swathes of the African continent within a relatively short period of time (xxx, xxx). Consequently, this led to the development of a decolonized version of the self-determination concept. The decolonization version of self-determination was based on the following three principles: i) all dependent peoples are entitled to freedom; ii) the peoples so entitled are defined in terms of the existing colonial territories, each of which contains a nation; and iii) once such a people has come to independence, no residual right of self-determination remains with any group within it or cutting across its frontiers (Emerson 1964). This version of self-determination had numerous implications. The concerned entities often did not find it necessary to demonstrate effective legitimate authority to gain and
European countries decided to rule over Europe because it would benefit their economy and increase their power. Only two countries on the African continent, Ethiopia and Liberia, remain untouched and independent of Europe. For example, territories like the Congo were not divided based on tribal or ethnic groups, conversely, they were divided by which foreign European country ruled over them. Consequently, the European reign and Imperialism, “destroyed African societies and re-drew the African map” (Big History Project). Nonetheless, the power of imperialism broke apart African societies because of the powerful force that reigned over the people and countries of Africa.
In the early 1880’s, the powers of Europe started to take control of regions in Africa and set up colonies there. In the beginning, colonization caused the Africans little harm, but before long, the Europeans started to take complete control of wherever they went. The Europeans used their advanced knowledge and technology to easily maneuver through the vast African landscape and used advanced weapons to take control of the African people and their land. The countries that claimed the most land and had the most significant effect on Africa were France, England, Belgium, and Germany. There were many reasons for the European countries to be competing against each other to gain colonies in Africa. One of the main reasons was that the
Between 1870 and 1914, European countries ceased about ninety percent of Africa. Native Africans faced political, military, and imperialism pressure from various European countries. After the end of the profitable slave trade in Africa, due to abolishing of slavery, Europeans explored for new guaranteed markets, and heavily profitable investments. In addition, European countries were under industrialization, the demand for raw materials heavily increased. Europeans as well faced power struggles with one another and competition for political influence in Africa. European power struggle ultimately lead to the “Scramble for Africa.” Europeans undertook the process of imperialism in Africa in the late 19th century by exercising political, economic, and military power on their African colonies. Some African leaders and societies welcomed Europeans in hopes to protect and develop their native land. Some African leaders and societies responded to European occupation by gathering resistance groups in attempt to fight off foreign imperialists.
Before the Europeans began the New Imperialism in Africa, very little was known about the inner parts of the continent. However, after some explorers delved deeper into the heart of Africa, the Europeans soon realized how economically important this area was, and how much they could profit from it. At the time, Britain had only small occupations of land in Africa, but after they realized that they could make money from the rich resources from the inner regions of Africa, they wanted to invade the African countries and take over. This led to the scramble and ultimately, the partition of Africa. During the Age of Imperialism, from 1870-1914, Britain was a major country, which proved to be true in
Beginning in 1880, there was a growing desire for European countries to expand and control their rule. The only continent at that time that was left uncontrolled and, in the European's eyes uncivilized, was Africa. This was the start of Western Imperialism. All European countries wanted their piece of Africa and to get it, they would let nothing stand in their way. They would change the entire government, religion, market, and behavior of most of the African nation and affect almost every person living there. An account of the impact of Imperialism is given in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. This book shows the changes that occurred in Africa during Imperialism and its affect on the community and the people
“African Perspectives on Colonialism” is a book written by A. Adu Boahen. This book classifies the African responses to European colonialism in the 19th century. Boahen begins with the status of Africa in the last quarter of the 19th century and follows through the first years of African independence. This book deals with a twenty year time period between 1880 and 1900. Boahen talks about when Africa was seized and occupied by the Imperial Powers of Europe. Eurocentric points of view dominated the study of this era but Boahen gives us the African perspective. There are always two sides of the story and Boehen tells us the side less talked about informing us of what he knows.
Africa has had a long and tumultuous road of colonization and decolonization the rush to colonize Africa started in the 17th century with the discovery of the vast amounts of gold, diamonds, and rubber with colonization hitting a fever pitch during World War I. However, the repercussions of colonization have left deep wounds that still remain unhealed in the 21st century. Early on, European nations such as Britain, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany and Belgium scrambled for territories. Countries wanted land so they could harvest the resources, increase trade, and gain power. The European colonization of Africa brought racism, civil unrest, and insatiable greed; all of which have had lasting impacts on Africa.
This section seeks to determine the factors responsible for the origins of self-determination accounts in Africa. Indeed, many of the concepts examined above focussed specifically on Europe. The extent to which the conclusions derived from the European context are applicable to the study of self-determination in Africa needs, therefore, to be further investigated. The following paragraphs present the factors generally deemed to have been responsible for the rise of nationalism in Africa, a process that led to the continent's eventual self-determination. It reviews the legacies of Western colonization and briefly discusses the impact of the African-American struggle for racial equality, and highlighting the roles played by Western-educated elites in the march towards national self-determination.