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A AH MILLE ECH

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Name: ___________________________________________ Date: ________________________________

Europe Partitioning in Africa

Before the nineteenth century, Africa was home to many strong empires. In western Africa, there was Ghana,
Mali, and Songhai. In eastern Africa, there was Nubia and Ethiopia. These empires had powerful leaders, a
successful trade economy, and thriving cities. Africa was full of hundreds of ethnic groups, each with their own
culture, language, and religion. In the late 1800s, a “scramble for Africa” began in Europe. The “scramble for Africa”
refers to the fights between European nations over land in Africa. Europeans wanted to colonize in Africa because
Africa is home to a considerable amount of natural resources.
The “scramble for Africa” led to a meeting between European leaders called the Berlin Conference in 1884. The
goal of this meeting was to divide up Africa and portion it out to the European leaders, however, no African leaders
were invited to this meeting. European leaders divided up land in Africa between themselves based on the natural
resources they wanted; this is called partitioning. Partitioning happens when something is divided up into parts. In
this case, Africa was partitioned by Europe. These European leaders completely ignored the current boundaries
that were set in Africa. All language, cultural, or political boundaries were ignored and replaced with new
boundaries that were convenient for the European nations.
The new boundaries created tension and conflict in Africa. Ethnic groups were combined that had no
commonalities. They practiced different religions, had a different culture, and even spoke different languages.
These ethnic groups were now living within the same boundary. European nations used indirect rule to govern
their colonies in Africa. This indirect rule led to even more conflict because some ethnic groups were given more
power or preferential treatment over others. European nations created conflict and tensions between these
groups in Africa. European rulers sometimes even encouraged conflict between ethnic groups.
While most nations have gained independence from their European rulers, conflict and instability in Africa has
been occurring since the European partitioning in the 1800s. The Nigerian Civil War occurred many years after it
gained independence from Britain. Tensions between the Hausa and Igbo caused this civil war from 1967 to 1970
until Igbo seceded to create its own nation, Biafra. Another example is the Rwandan Genocide from 1990 to 1994.
During its British rule, the Tutsi group was given preferential treatment, causing conflict with the Hutu group. Many
years after independence, the Hutu group arranged a genocide, or mass killing, against the Tutsi group. Tensions
between ethnic groups have led to civil wars in South Sudan as well. The arbitrary boundaries created by the
Europeans grouped two rival groups together in South Sudan, which has led to many civil wars that have occurred
until 2011.
European partitioning of Africa resulted in lots of conflict, and this conflict had led to change. The European
boundaries ignored all ethnic boundaries that existed in Africa at the time. This led to tension and wars between
many ethnic groups in Africa. Further, it resulted in major instability in many African nations.
© Sarah Miller Tech 1
 Name: ___________________________________________ Date: ________________________________

Europe Partitioning in Africa

Directions: Fill in the graphic organizer based on the passage.

Main Idea:
European partitioning led to ongoing conflict
in Africa.
Supporting Detail #1 Supporting Detail #2

Directions: Add details from the text to fill in the charts.

What occurred at the Berlin Conference?

List one example of a conflict that was a result of

European partitioning in Africa.

© Sarah Miller Tech 2

 Name: ___________________________________________ Date: ________________________________

Europe Partitioning in Africa

Directions: Match the vocabulary term to its definition.
1. _____ an ethnic group found in Africa
a. Berlin Conference
2. _____ the meeting in which a partitioning agreement was made
that divided land in Africa b. Mali

c. Conflict
3. _____ empire in western Africa before European partitioning
d. Ethnic groups
4._____ a group of people who share a common cultural
background e. Tutsi

5. _____ disagreement; fight; war; tension

Directions: Circle the best answer choice based on the passage.
1. Which best describes the “scramble for Africa”?
a. The fights between Asian nations over land in Africa
b. The fights between European nations over land in Africa
c. The fights between European nations over land in the Middle East
d. The fights between Asian nations over land in the Middle East

2. Why were Europeans so interested in colonizing land in Africa?

a. Religious freedom
b. Better economy
c. Famine in Europe
d. Availability of natural resources

3. How did Europeans determine new boundaries in Africa?

a. They used the existing borders in Africa.
b. They used borders that were convenient to them.

4. The Europeans used _____________ to govern their colonies in Africa.

a. Direct
b. Indirect
c. Religion
d. Dictatorship

5. Which is the best synonym for the underlined word used below?

The arbitrary boundaries created by the Europeans grouped two rival groups together in South Sudan.

a. Random
b. Logical
c. Religious

© Sarah Miller Tech 3

Name: ___________________________________________ Date: ________________________________

Europe Partitioning in Africa

Directions: Follow the prompts below using the map of Africa.

1. Circle and label Rwanda.

2. Label Nigeria.

3. Label Sudan.

4. Label South Sudan.

5. Shade in the nation that has

conflict between the Hutu
and Tutsi groups as a result
of the Europe partition.

Directions: Complete the chart below based on the passage.

Conflict caused by Europe partitioning

Conflict #1

Conflict #2

Conflict #3

In 2-3 sentences, explain how Europe partitioning led to conflict in Africa.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
© Sarah Miller Tech 4
 Y
Name: ___________________________________________ Date: ________________________________

KEEurope Partitioning in Africa

Directions: Fill in the graphic organizer based on the passage.

Main Idea: Answers will vary.

European partitioning led to ongoing conflict
in Africa.
Supporting Detail #1 Supporting Detail #2
“…some ethnic groups were “Ethnic groups were combined
given more power or that had no commonalities.”
preferential treatment over
others.”

Directions: Add details from the text to fill in the charts.

What occurred at the Berlin Conference?

European leaders met in 1884 in Berlin to partition land
in Africa to suit their needs, ignoring the existing
boundaries and ethnic groups in Africa at the time.

List one example of a conflict that was a result of

European partitioning in Africa.
Nigerian Civil War, Rwandan Genocide, or South Sudan

© Sarah Miller Tech 2

KEYEurope Partitioning in Africa
Name: ___________________________________________ Date: ________________________________

Directions: Match the vocabulary term to its definition.

e
1. _____ an ethnic group found in Africa

a the meeting in which a partitioning agreement was made

a. Berlin Conference
2. _____
that divided land in Africa b. Mali

b empire in western Africa before European partitioning

3. _____ c. Conflict

d a group of people who share a common cultural

4._____
background
d. Ethnic groups

e. Tutsi
c disagreement; fight; war; tension
5. _____

Directions: Circle the best answer choice based on the passage.

1. Which best describes the “scramble for Africa”?
a. The fights between Asian nations over land in Africa
b. The fights between European nations over land in Africa
c. The fights between European nations over land in the Middle East
d. The fights between Asian nations over land in the Middle East

2. Why were Europeans so interested in colonizing land in Africa?

a. Religious freedom
b. Better economy
c. Famine in Europe
d. Availability of natural resources

3. How did Europeans determine new boundaries in Africa?

a. They used the existing borders in Africa.
b. They used borders that were convenient to them.

4. The Europeans used _____________ to govern their colonies in Africa.

a. Direct
b. Indirect
c. Religion
d. Dictatorship

5. Which is the best synonym for the underlined word used below?

The arbitrary boundaries created by the Europeans grouped two rival groups together in South Sudan.

a. Random
b. Logical
c. Religious

© Sarah Miller Tech 3

KEYEurope Partitioning in Africa
Name: ___________________________________________ Date: ________________________________

Directions: Follow the prompts below using the map of Africa.

1. Circle and label Rwanda.

2. Label Nigeria.
Sudan
3. Label Sudan. ia
er
Nig South
Sudan
4. Label South Sudan.

5. Shade in the nation that has Rwanda

conflict between the Hutu
and Tutsi groups as a result
of the Europe partition.

Directions: Complete the chart below based on the passage.

Conflict caused by Europe partitioning

Nigerian Civil War

Conflict #1

Rwandan Genocide
Conflict #2

Civil Wars in South Sudan

Conflict #3

In 2-3 sentences, explain how Europe partitioning led to conflict in Africa.

Answers will vary.
The Europe partition divided up land that housed many different ethnic
groups. Many ethnic groups were either divided up or displaced to
another nation. The Europeans created or encouraged conflict between
ethnic groups. This caused lots of conflict and civil wars in Africa.
© Sarah Miller Tech 4
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SARAH MILLER TECH