Legacies of Colonialism

Europeans Divide and Conquer

Long before the Berlin Conference in 1884 European nations were carving up the African continent. When the western power finally got in each others’ way they held a conference in Berlin, Germany to set the ground rules for taking over the continent. The United States was involved in this meeting but no representatives from Africa were though. The Berlin Conference was called during the Age of Imperialism or empire building in the second half of the 19th century. Africa offered valuable resources that were needed with the growth of industries in Europe and the United States and new buyers for the new products of the day.

European nations carved up the African continent to suit themselves with little thought of the people who had lived for thousands of years or their way of life. The slave trade had ended decades before but it left societies and the economy in many parts of Africa weak, but that did not mean they were willing to give up. The Ashanti kingdom battled the British for over seventy-five years. Mandinka warriors led by Samori Toure battled the French along the Niger River but nonetheless by 1914 only Liberia and Ethiopia remained free of European rule.

Two types of Rule in Africa

Direct Rule

In most colonies, the governments and laws were set up just as they had been like at home. A European ruler either replaced local rulers or the rulers were subjugated to the European rule while they tried to keep their traditional ways. Many times leaders and people were punished if they did not bow down to the invaders. For the most part in direct rule Africans were kept out of government and had few chances for to better them selves through education or training. In French colonies officials took direct control but also tried to make the Africans into French citizens by replacing