AFH3451

AFH3451

Final Exam

History of Africa South of the Sahara

I. Background of Africa

a. Ajayi

i. African historian

ii. “Colonization was only a short episode in Africa’s past”

b. King Musa of Mali (1312-1337)

c. Europeans though worth to document

d. Wealthy Muslin and African King

e. Went on pilgrimage and his spending collapsed the economy

f. Africa is now portrayed as violent, impoverished and diseased

g. Nelson Mandela

i. Imprisoned by white regime for 30 years

ii. Influential and well-known leader and politician

II. African History as an Academic Discipline

a. Background

i. Most academic literature on Africa comes mostly from the U.S.

ii. 1^st time faculty position on African History – London, 1948, Roland Oliver

iii. Much unfounded prejudice in west toward Africa

iv. Decolonization (after WWII); rulers needed more information (was not given to colonial powers) about the societies’ pasts (would help powers to continue informally ruling)

v. Civil Rights Movement (corresponded with 2^nd feminist movement) pushed for African Studies Departments

b. Julius Nyere (1922-1999)

i. 1^st president of Tanzania

ii. Stressed importance of African History

iii. Recognized Africa as equal to the rest of the world

iv. “Africa needs a usable past”

III. Searching for a Usable Past

a. Before independence, superior powers falsified African History and didn’t support Africa’s historical perspective

b. Themes:

i. Pre-colonial glory and states (Africa had this)

ii. Africa’s independence from colonization

iii. Historians wrote of resistance to colonial rule

IV. The Creation of Tribes (Wright Text)

a. European concept brought to Africa during colonialism

b. African’s seen as primitive (“tribe” held that connotation)

c. Brought prejudice or cultural misunderstanding

V. Why are there Tribes in Africa?

a. Europeans believed in the importance of boundaries

b. Caused internal conflicted among “tribes” because they were not used to it

i. Practical

ii. Easier to govern

VI. Social and Political Identities before Colonialism

a. Fluid; easily changed

b. 1994 Genocide (used to be able to switch and intermarry and no longer could)

VII. Colonialism

a. The Colonization of Africa

i. Classic Period of Colonialism – Africa gained independence

ii. Period of Partition

b. Ethiopia never colonized, Sierra Leone already colonized, and Liberia already gained independence

c. 1878 – Minimum colonial presence in Africa (limited to the coast)

d. 1879 - Belgium Congo becomes a colony

e. 1880 – All of Africa now divided into colonies

f. 1884 – Conference of Berlin

VIII. Why was Africa colonized in the late 19^th century?

a. Economic reasons

i. European countries became highly industrialized and needed more direct access to cheap, raw materials and new markets

b. Political reasons

i. Rise of nation-states in Europe caused imperialistic competition

c. More profitable to acquire territory outside of Europe than to fight wars

d. Cultural/Religious reasons

i. Christianity is the only civilized religion and must be brought to the uncivilized

ii. Everything else already colonized or independent (Africa is considered the “Dark Continent”

e. With advanced industrial technology, European militaries could final defeat Africans

IX. Effects of Colonization in Africa

a. Sovereign people became colonial subjects

b. Encouraged to shift ideas (could only wear certain things)

c. Two Obligations for Colonial Subjects

i. Obedience and respect

ii. Pay taxes

X. Early African nationalism and establishment of a colonial state occurred at the same time (right after WWI)

a. African’s wanted to participate in government

b. Political independence sought and received after WWII

i. 1957 – Ghana gains independence

ii. 1960 – French colonies gain independence *

iii. 1964 – South Africa gains independence and receives majority

XI. Why was Colonization stopped?

a. Colonies too costly

b. After WWII, colonization went against the European Union

c. Media raised awareness of colonization

XII. Colonialism – a working definition

a. A system of subjugation/domination to benefit the mother country

i. Superior vs. inferior

b. External rule (distance between mother country and colony)

c. Assimilation: wants the colony to become like the mother country

i. Obligation but no rights

XIII. Imperialism

a. Colonialism is a specific form of imperialism

b. To command/order

c. Many forms – cultural, religious, political, etc.

d. Multiple colonies creating an empire

XIV. Imperialistic Thinking

a. Rudyard Kipling (The Jungle Book)

i. The Whiteman’s Burden

(1) To expand civilization to savages through colonization and imperialism (specifically British)



	AFH3451 AFH3451 Final Exam History of Africa South of the Sahara I. Background of Africa a. Ajayi i. African historian ii. “Colonization was only a short episode in Africa’s past” b. King Musa of Mali (1312-1337) c. Europeans though worth to document d. Wealthy Muslin and African King e. Went on pilgrimage and his spending collapsed the economy f. Africa is now portrayed as violent, impoverished and diseased g. Nelson Mandela i. Imprisoned by white regime for 30 years ii. Influential and well-known leader and politician II. African History as an Academic Discipline a. Background i. Most academic literature on Africa comes mostly from the U.S. ii. 1^st time faculty position on African History – London, 1948, Roland Oliver iii. Much unfounded prejudice in west toward Africa iv. Decolonization (after WWII); rulers needed more information (was not given to colonial powers) about the societies’ pasts (would help powers to continue informally ruling) v. Civil Rights Movement (corresponded with 2^nd feminist movement) pushed for African Studies Departments b. Julius Nyere (1922-1999) i. 1^st president of Tanzania ii. Stressed importance of African History iii. Recognized Africa as equal to the rest of the world iv. “Africa needs a usable past” III. Searching for a Usable Past a. Before independence, superior powers falsified African History and didn’t support Africa’s historical perspective b. Themes: i. Pre-colonial glory and states (Africa had this) ii. Africa’s independence from colonization iii. Historians wrote of resistance to colonial rule IV. The Creation of Tribes (Wright Text) a. European concept brought to Africa during colonialism b. African’s seen as primitive (“tribe” held that connotation) c. Brought prejudice or cultural misunderstanding V. Why are there Tribes in Africa? a. Europeans believed in the importance of boundaries b. Caused internal conflicted among “tribes” because they were not used to it i. Practical ii. Easier to govern VI. Social and Political Identities before Colonialism a. Fluid; easily changed b. 1994 Genocide (used to be able to switch and intermarry and no longer could) VII. Colonialism a. The Colonization of Africa i. Classic Period of Colonialism – Africa gained independence ii. Period of Partition b. Ethiopia never colonized, Sierra Leone already colonized, and Liberia already gained independence c. 1878 – Minimum colonial presence in Africa (limited to the coast) d. 1879 - Belgium Congo becomes a colony e. 1880 – All of Africa now divided into colonies f. 1884 – Conference of Berlin VIII. Why was Africa colonized in the late 19^th century? a. Economic reasons i. European countries became highly industrialized and needed more direct access to cheap, raw materials and new markets b. Political reasons i. Rise of nation-states in Europe caused imperialistic competition c. More profitable to acquire territory outside of Europe than to fight wars d. Cultural/Religious reasons i. Christianity is the only civilized religion and must be brought to the uncivilized ii. Everything else already colonized or independent (Africa is considered the “Dark Continent” e. With advanced industrial technology, European militaries could final defeat Africans IX. Effects of Colonization in Africa a. Sovereign people became colonial subjects b. Encouraged to shift ideas (could only wear certain things) c. Two Obligations for Colonial Subjects i. Obedience and respect ii. Pay taxes X. Early African nationalism and establishment of a colonial state occurred at the same time (right after WWI) a. African’s wanted to participate in government b. Political independence sought and received after WWII i. 1957 – Ghana gains independence ii. 1960 – French colonies gain independence * iii. 1964 – South Africa gains independence and receives majority XI. Why was Colonization stopped? a. Colonies too costly b. After WWII, colonization went against the European Union c. Media raised awareness of colonization XII. Colonialism – a working definition a. A system of subjugation/domination to benefit the mother country i. Superior vs. inferior b. External rule (distance between mother country and colony) c. Assimilation: wants the colony to become like the mother country i. Obligation but no rights XIII. Imperialism a. Colonialism is a specific form of imperialism b. To command/order c. Many forms – cultural, religious, political, etc. d. Multiple colonies creating an empire XIV. Imperialistic Thinking a. Rudyard Kipling (The Jungle Book) i. The Whiteman’s Burden (1) To expand civilization to savages through colonization and imperialism (specifically British)