Western Countries

In(vading) Africa

In this week’s work we will look at western imperial powers in Africa. You will need
maps and pictures.

1) Before the 19th century, list African kingdoms:

2) After 1920, list African kingdoms:
3) What was the Atlantic slave trade? When was it abolished? Did slavery end in
the African region after this?
4) Before 1870, how much of Africa was under formal European control?
5) What and when was the ‘Scramble for Africa’?
6) What and when was the ‘Berlin Conference’?
7) How did Belgium end up with control of the Congo Free State? Look at
technological and political reasons.
8) Leopold II – king of Belgium – was sole ruler of the Congo Free State. It was not
governed by the Belgium government in anyway. When was the state founded?
Summarise I.e. use your own words describe what went on in the Congo during this
period. At least ten facts need to be used:
9) How many Congolese* died during this period?
*I’m using the modern collective term. Before the formation of the state, the
people living there would not have referred to themselves as such.
10) Joseph Conrad wrote what famous novel based on this period?
11) What happened to Leopold II? What happened to his wealth?
12) The Congo Free State was formerly abolished when? What replaced it? Why?
12) After WWI, what happened to African areas controlled by Germany, the
Ottomans, etc.?
13) 1922 marked what for the British Empire? How did they end up controlling so
much of Africa?
14) What influence (in the 20th century) did European imperial powers have on
Africa, specifically sub-Saharan Africa? To what extent has this caused problems
today? Explain.
15) The post-colonial story or Africa was not the same as that of South Asia, SE Asia
and East Asia. Why were there differences?