Imperialism in Africa

Source # 1 - Map of European Empires in Africa

Source # 2 - Picture of the Berlin Conference, the meeting where the European countries divided Africa between themselves

Source # 3 - Interactive Graphic of the "Scramble for Africa" - click here. Note - After you open the graphic, make sure to switch it to "Colonial".

Source # 4 - Cartoon of the Berlin Conference

Source # 5 - Map of African Resistance to European Imperialism

Biography - Cetshwayo (Zulu in Southern Africa)

Cetshwayo was born to the ruling family of the Zulu nation in southern Africa in 1826. His uncle was the king of the Zulu and his grandfather was the great Zulu king Shaka Zulu. When his uncle died, Cetshwayo’s father became the Zulu king. However, his father was angered by Cetshwayo’s popularity among the Zulu leaders and began to recognize Cetshwayo’s brother as the next Zulu king. In 1856, this action resulted in a battle between Cetshwayo and his brother over the position of Zulu chief. Cetshwayo was able to raise an army of 20,000 warriors and he defeated his brother.

During this time, white Dutch settlers called Boers began to settle on Zulu land. Cetshwayo began to develop relations with the British to gain guns to use to defend Zululand from the Dutch Boer settlers. The British recognized Cetshwayo as the king of the Zulu and his lands. In 1877, Cetshwayo’s conflict with Dutch Boers ended because the British took over the Boer’s land. However, after taking over the Boer’s lands, the British set their sights on taking over Zululand. In 1879, after a small group of Zulu warriors raided another tribe that lived in British territory, the British demanded that Cetshwayo pay for the damages with 500 cattle and that he disband the Zulu army. Cetshwayo rejected the demand and prepared for war against the British.

The British invaded Zululand with the goal of defeating Cetshwayo and taking the Zulu territory. In the beginning of the war, Cetshwayo’s Zulu army of 24,000 warriors destroyed a British unit of 1700 soldiers at the Battle of Isandlwana (only 60 British soldiers survived the battle). The British planned to defeat the larger Zulu army with their superior guns. However, the guns were untested in battle and began to jam and misfire, which allowed the Zulu to overrun the British position. While the defeat hurt British pride, the British responded by using the resources of their world-wide empire to send more troops to invade Zululand. By the middle of 1879, the British had captured most of the Zulu lands and burned Cetshwayo’s home to the ground. Soon after that, Cetshwayo was captured by the British. The British exiled Cetshwayo from Zululand and divided Zululand into 13 different kingdoms, all under British control.

After his defeat, the British kept Cetshwayo in South Africa as a prisoner of war. In 1881, the British brought him to England where he met Queen Victoria. Cetshwayo was very popular with the British public and he was restored to his position as king of the Zulu. In 1883, he returned to rule one small part of Zululand. The British would not allow him to have an army. He died the next year.

Source # 6 - Video on the Battle of Isandlwana between the British and the Zulu - click here

Biography - Menelik II (Ethiopia)

Menelik II was born to a noble family in Ethiopia in 1844. When Menelik II was a child, Ethiopia did not have a strong government and was often troubled by rebellions. Menelik’s father was killed in one of the rebellions and Menelik and his mother went to live with the Emperor of Ethiopia. The support of the Emperor helped Menelik gain power as a regional leader. However, when the Emperor was killed in a battle against the British, Menelik became involved in a civil war against the other Ethiopian leaders who wanted to be emperor.

Menelik realized how powerful the European weapons were and so he built close ties the British, French and Italians so that he could get weapons for his army. Menelik used the weapons to expand the territory under his control. Menelik declared himself emperor of Ethiopia in 1889. However, his good relationship with Italy fell apart when it became clear that Italy wanted to take over the northern part of Ethiopia. In 1894, Italy invaded Ethiopia and claimed that it had the right to use military power anywhere in the country. Menelik responded to this by spending a year building an army of 120,000 soldiers. Menelik marched this army north to take on the Italian force of 20,000 soldiers at the Battle of Adowa. The Italians believed that their weapons would give them the advantage. However, Menelik’s army was armed with modern weapons from Europe and he crushed the Italian army.

After defeating the Italians, Menelik quickly moved to sign a new treaty with Italy in which Italy recognized Ethiopia’s independence. He also signed new treaties with England and France. He used these connections with Europe to have a railroad built from the Ethiopian capital to the Red Sea. This link with the outside world led to the first western style schools, hospitals and banks being built in the country.

Menelik was also fascinated by European machinery and technology, and he took a personal interest in photography, medicine, and mechanical devices. He applied this interest to the way he ruled Ethiopia by using modern technology such as the telegraph and bridge building and ideas like the post office and to pull the parts of Ethiopia into a united country. This unity made it easier for Menelik to directly rule the country and he took power away from traditional regional rulers and replaced them with officials that he appointed.

Source # 7 - Ethiopian Painting of the Battle of Adowa

Source # 8 - European Picture of the Battle of Adowa