103 Dbq 4 Imperialism In Africaimperialism Is A Policy Or Ideology ✓ Solved

10.3 DBQ 4: Imperialism in Africa *Imperialism is a policy or ideology of extending rule over peoples and other countries, for extending political and economic access, power and control, often through employing hard power, especially military force, but also soft power, such as brokered influence. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Suggested reading and writing time: 90 minutes It is suggested that you spend 25 minutes reading the documents and 60 minutes writing your response. Note: You may begin writing your response before the reading period is over. AP: The Essay is due at the end of the class period. 100F Rubric Honors: The Essay is due by Sunday night, March 21, at midnight.

Use this GoogleForm to self-assess your work after you are finished. 100F Directions: The following documents have been edited for this exercise. In your response you should do the following: •Respond to the prompt with a historically defensible thesis or claim that establishes and maintains a line of reasoning. •Describe a broader historical context relevant to the prompt. •Use at least one additional piece of specific historical evidence (beyond that found in the documents) relevant to an argument about the prompt. EBD •For at least three documents, explain how or why the document’s point of view, purpose, historical situation, and/or audience is relevant to an argument. AR. •Support an argument in response to the prompt using at least six documents.

E2. •Use evidence to corroborate, qualify, or modify an argument that addresses the prompt. E1. During the period 1870 to 1915, Western powers began to seek sources of raw materials that could meet the needs of growing industries. The continent of Africa appealed as one available source. To what extent did Western nations apply the ideologies* of Imperialism in their Scramble for Africa? *Remember...if you get stuck on how to group sources for a thesis and your paper, you can always resort to the PIECES.

Right? Power, Innovation/Technology, Environment, Culture, Economics, and Society. Document A The Berlin Conference of The Berlin Conference of 1884–1885 marked the climax of the European competition for territory in Africa, a process commonly known as the Scramble for Africa. During the 1870s and early 1880s, European nations such as Great Britain, France, and Germany began looking to Africa for natural resources for their growing industrial sectors as well as a potential market for the goods these factories produced. As a result, these governments sought to safeguard their commercial interests in Africa and began sending scouts to the continent to secure treaties from indigenous peoples or their supposed representatives.

Similarly, Belgium’s King Leopold II, who aspired to increase his personal wealth by acquiring African territory, hired agents to lay claim to vast tracts of land in central Africa. To protect Germany’s economic interests, German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, who was otherwise uninterested in Africa, felt compelled to stake claims to African land. Inevitably, the scramble for territory led to conflict among European powers, particularly between the British and French in West Africa; Egypt, the Portuguese, and British in East Africa; and the French and King Leopold II in central Africa. Rivalry between Great Britain and France led Bismarck to intervene, and in late 1884 he called a meeting of European powers in Berlin.

In the subsequent meetings, Great Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, and King Leopold II negotiated their claims to African territory, which were then formalized and mapped. During the conference the leaders also agreed to allow free trade among the colonies and established a framework for negotiating future European claims in Africa. Neither the Berlin Conference itself nor the framework for future negotiations provided any say for the peoples of Africa over the partitioning of their homelands. The Berlin Conference did not initiate European colonization of Africa, but it did “legitimize†and formalize the process. In addition, it sparked new interest in Africa.

Following the close of the conference, European powers expanded their claims in Africa such that by 1900, European states had claimed nearly 90 percent of African territory. Source: Oxford University Online, 2021 (England), The Berlin Conference, at site Document B Cutting the Cake of Africa Source: French caricature, 1885. German Chancellor Bismarck divides the African continent among the colonial powers. Document C The “Cape to Cairo Railway†Imperialist and entrepreneur Cecil Rhodes was instrumental in securing the southern states of the [African] continent for the British Empire. He envisioned a continuous “red line†of British control from north to south which he named the “Cape to Cairo Railwayâ€.

A railway would be a critical element in this scheme to unify the possessions, facilitate governance, enable the military to move quickly to hot spots or conduct war, help settlement and enable the trade of goods both across Africa and to other continents. The construction of this project presented a major technological challenge. British interests had to overcome obstacles of geography and climate, and regional competition with the French and Portuguese. In 1891, Germany secured the strategically critical territory of German East Africa, which along with the mountainous rainforest of the Belgian Congo precluded the building of a Cape-to-Cairo railway, effectively blocking the project’s completion.

The southern section was completed during British rule before the First World War and had an interconnecting system of national railways. Construction started from Cape Town and went parallel to the Great North Road to the town of Kimberley, through a part of Bechuanaland to Bulawayo. From this junction the link proceeds further north to the Zambezi crossing. The Victoria Falls Bridge was completed in 1905. Source: Journal of the North and South Rhodesia* and Nyasaland Study Circle, at site Note: Rhodesia was named for Cecil Rhodes.

The name was formally changed back to its historical African name of Zimbabwe in 1980. Document D Photograph of Congolese Man: Nsala Source: Alice Seeley Harris. Don’t Call Me Lady: The Journey of Lady Alice Seeley Harris, 1902. A Congolese man named Nsala looks at the severed hand and foot of his five-year-old daughter who was killed, and allegedly cannibalized, by the members of the Belgian-Congolese India Rubber Company militia, also called the Force Publique. “He hadn’t made his rubber quota for the day so the Belgian-appointed overseers had cut off his daughter’s hand and foot.

Her name was Boali. She was five years old. Then they killed her. But they weren’t finished. Then they killed his wife too.

And because that didn’t seem quite cruel enough, quite strong enough to make their case, they cannibalized both Boali and her mother. And they presented Nsala with the tokens, the leftovers from the once living body of his darling child whom he so loved. His life was destroyed…†They had partially destroyed it anyway by forcing his servitude but this act finished it for him. All of this filth had occurred because one man, one man who lived thousands of miles across the sea, one man who couldn’t get rich enough, had decreed that this land was his and that these people should serve his own greed. Leopold had not given any thought to the idea that these African children, these men and women, were our fully human brothers, created equally by the same Hand that had created his own lineage of European Royalty.†Note: The Congo Free State was a corporate state in Central Africa privately owned by King Leopold II of Belgium founded and recognized by the Berlin Conference of 1885.

In the 23 years () Leopold II ruled the Congo he was indirectly responsible for the massacre of 10 million Africans by permitting his state-sponsored Force Publique to cut off hands and genitals, flog natives to death, starve them into forced labor, hold children ransom, and burn villages. Document E The Belgian Force Publique Under Leopold II the Force Publique was described as an "exceptionally brutal army". One major purpose of the Force was to enforce the rubber quotas and other forms of forced labor. Armed with modern weapons and the chicote - a bull whip made of hippopotamus hide—soldiers of the FP often took and mistreated hostages. The militia was composed of native Congolese serving under Belgian and mercenary officers, tasked with maintaining peace and maximizing rubber production.

Any Congolese soldier who discharged their weapon was required to provide the hand of their victim as proof when they had shot and killed someone, as it was believed that they would otherwise use the munitions (imported from Europe at considerable cost) for hunting or to stockpile them for mutiny. Source: Belgian Force Publique. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2021, at site. Document F The “White Man’s Burden†In this poem, Rudyard Kipling taps into the imperialist mindset and what he, and others, saw as the “white man’s burdenâ€: to bring western “civilization†to the people of nations that were less advanced. Kipling presents the reader with inherently racist images of dominance, cast as “help†provided to native people.

Image: Christian Minister in South Africa, London Missionary Society, 1900. Take up the White Man's burden-- Send forth the best ye breed-- Go bind your sons to exile To serve your captives' need; To wait in heavy harness, On fluttered folk and wild-- Your new-caught, sullen peoples, Half-devil and half-child. Take up the White Man's burden-- In patience to abide, To veil the threat of terror And check the show of pride; By open speech and simple, An hundred times made plain To seek another's profit, And work another's gain... ...Take up the White Man's burden-- Ye dare not stoop to less-- Nor call too loud on Freedom To cloak your weariness; By all ye cry or whisper, By all ye leave or do, The silent, sullen peoples Shall weigh your gods and you.

Poem Source: Rudyard Kipling. White Man’s Burden (excerpt). England, 1899. Document G Source: Gustave Freensen. In the German South African Army, . This story is by a soldier in the German army telling of his experiences in the campaign against the indigenous people of southwest Africa in .

Paper for above instructions

The Extent of Western Imperialism in Africa (1870-1915)
The Scramble for Africa from 1870 to 1915 epitomizes the rise of Western imperialism, where burgeoning European powers sought to exert control over the continent for economic gain, political dominance, and national prestige. This period saw imperialism manifest through both aggressive military tactics and subtler forms of persuasion, characterized by ideologies that justified the subjugation of African peoples. This essay contends that Western powers extensively applied imperialistic ideologies in their endeavors in Africa through economic exploitation, military domination, and cultural assimilation, shaping the continent's socio-political landscape.
Contextualizing the Scramble for Africa
The late 19th century presented an array of factors prompting European nations to pursue African resources. The industrialization wave that swept through Europe heightened the need for raw materials needed for manufacturing. Notably, the rate of industrial growth in Europe required constant resources, leading into a significant need for exploitation and the establishment of colonies in Africa (Pakenham, 1991). The Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 further exemplified the systemic approach to colonialism, as it sought to regulate the division of Africa among European powers. The conference underscored the lack of African agency in these decisions, highlighting the racial ideologies that rationalized the colonial quest (Anstey, 1966).
As dominating powers staked claims over African territories, they justified their actions through notions of superiority and a perceived obligation of "civilizing" the colonized. The phrase "White Man's Burden," coined by Rudyard Kipling, encapsulated this paternalistic ideology, portraying imperial endeavors as selfless acts aimed at improving the lives of "sullen," "wild" peoples (Kipling, 1899). Such narratives perpetuated the notion that European dominance was a benevolent force, masking the brutal realities of oppression faced by African natives.
Forms of Imperialism in Africa
The economic motivations behind imperialism were profoundly evident, especially in the extraction of resources. The Congo Free State, controlled by King Leopold II of Belgium, serves as a striking example of this exploitation (Hochschild, 1999). The imposition of rubber quotas resulted in the use of violent methods to enforce compliance among the Congolese, exemplifying the brutal realities associated with economic imperatives. Document D details the tragedy of Nsala, a Congolese man whose family suffered at the hands of Leopold's enforcers, revealing the horrific consequences of exploitation (Harris, 1902). Such accounts demonstrate not just the economic rationale behind imperialism but also the extent of human rights abuses that accompanied it.
Military power also played a critical role in enforcing imperial control in Africa. The Belgian Force Publique and similar military units exemplified how brute force was used to subdue and terrorize indigenous populations (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2021). Document E illustrates the violent retributions against citizens who failed to meet production quotas, emphasizing a harsh discipline enforced through torture and intimidation. In addition, imperialism was intertwined with technological innovation, notably through transportation projects like the "Cape to Cairo Railway" aimed at facilitating resource extraction and troop movement (Journal of the North and South Rhodesia Study Circle, 2021). This reflects the interdependence of military planning and infrastructural development as integral aspects of imperial strategies.
Culturally, European powers endeavored to impose their values upon colonized societies. Missionaries and educators sought to "civilize" indigenous populations through religious conversion and Western education, aligning with imperialistic ideologies that rationalized African subjugation as a moral imperative (Benedict, 2009). Conversely, these cultural interventions often involved the erasure of existing spiritual beliefs and traditional practices, further solidifying the power dynamics inherent in imperial relationships.
Analyzing Perspectives on Imperialism
The perspectives presented in the primary sources extol both inspirational and disturbing themes associated with imperial ambitions. Document C highlights British entrepreneur Cecil Rhodes' grand vision aimed at creating a continuous line of British control; this aspiration reflects a blatant disregard for the people whose territories were claimed (Rhodes, 2021). This aligns with Document F, Kipling's "White Man's Burden," which frames imperialism as a noble enterprise – an outlook that dehumanizes those being colonized and perpetuates stereotypes that justified oppression (Kipling, 1899).
Contrasting documents reveal the tragic consequences for Africans subjected to this "civilizing mission." Document D provides a firsthand account of extreme violence, underscoring that the proclaimed ideologies of uplift often masked the brutal reality of exploitation and systemic violence. The narrative in Document D highlights profound human suffering as a direct result of Leopold's oppressive regime and the dehumanizing effects of European imperialism (Harris, 1902).
Additionally, Document B portrays an exaggerated caricature of contemporary European powers dividing Africa, symbolizing the absurdity accompanying the claims over lands viewed as mere territorial gains. This perspective emphasizes the competitive nature of imperialism aimed at expanding national prestige at the expense of local populations (French Caricature, 1885).
Conclusion: Challenges to Imperial Narratives
In sum, Western nations avidly embraced imperialistic ideologies during the Scramble for Africa through extensive economic exploitation, military domination, and cultural assimilation efforts. The systematic oppression and violence experienced by African populations were often justified through paternalistic narratives and motivated by the economic interests undergirding industrialization. While imperialistic ideologies sought to present colonialism as benevolent, the stark realities of exploitation and violence compel us to critique the narratives that shaped this tumultuous period in history.
References
1. Anstey, Roger. (1966). "The Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 and the Scramble for Africa." Journal of Modern History.
2. Benedict, Ruth. (2009). "Patterns of Culture." Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
3. Encyclopedia Britannica. (2021). "Belgian Force Publique."
4. Harris, Alice Seeley. (1902). "Don't Call Me Lady: The Journey of Lady Alice Seeley Harris."
5. Hochschild, Adam. (1999). "King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa." Houghton Mifflin Company.
6. Journal of the North and South Rhodesia Study Circle. (2021). "Cape to Cairo Railway Project."
7. Kipling, Rudyard. (1899). "White Man’s Burden."
8. Pakenham, Thomas. (1991). "The Scramble for Africa." Random House.
9. Rhodes, Cecil. (2021). "Cecil Rhodes and the Cape to Cairo Railway."
10. "Cutting the Cake of Africa." (1885). French Caricature.