The Scramble for Africa: A Complex History

Key Concepts

• Misunderstanding of the Scramble for Africa period in history.
• The notion that colonial powers simply divided Africa at the Berlin Conference is inaccurate.
• Scramble for Africa involved literal races for territorial occupation and near wars between European powers.
• African resistance to colonialism is often overlooked.

Early Colonization Efforts

Portuguese Colonization

• First European colonies by the Portuguese as trade bases on the route to India.
• Important stops: Madeira, Mozambique, Luanda, Mombasa, Zanzibar.
• Focus on trade control and sea lanes rather than territorial conquest.

Dutch Expansion

• Dutch entered colonial competition after the Iberian Union united Portugal with Spain.
• Established Dutch slave coast and forts in Senegal, captured Luanda, entered Cape Town.
• Dutch settlers became known as the Boers.

African Kingdoms and Peoples

The Bantu

• Originating from Cameroon, migrated south and east over thousands of years.
• Dominated in Central and South Africa, often living alongside original inhabitants like the San and Pygmies.
• Established the Kingdom of Congo.

Other African Kingdoms

• Burundi and Rwanda: Established in the late 1600s with Tutsi dominance.
• Great Zimbabwe: Built by the Shona, fell in the 1600s, power shifted to Mutapa in Mozambique.
• Rosvi Empire: Rich on gold, resisted Portuguese.
• Muslim Sultanates: Kilwa Sultanate declined, replaced by Omani control of Zanzibar.
• Ethiopia: Independent Christian kingdom with European ties, faced Oromo migrations and internal conflicts.

European and Islamic Influence

Ottoman and Moroccan Influence

• Ottoman expansion into North Africa, establishing control over regions like Libya, Algeria, and Tunisia.
• Moroccan power under Ahmad al-Mansur briefly extended into West Africa.

European Colonies and Pirates

• Numerous European powers attempted colonization, including the Portuguese, Spanish, English, and French.
• Barbary States in North Africa engaged in piracy, enslaving Europeans.

Slave Trade

Transatlantic and Islamic Slave Trade

• Slave trade long existed before European involvement.
• Islamic slave trade across the Sahara and Indian Ocean.
• Transatlantic slave trade devastated African societies, enriched some kingdoms while destroying others.

Impact on African Kingdoms

• Oyo Empire and Dahomey engaged in slave trade, built economies on it.
• Madagascar’s unique population and Kingdom of Marina, integrated Austronesian and African influences.

Decline of African Powers

18th and 19th Century Challenges

• Decline of Kingdom of Congo, Ethiopia's Age of Princes, fall of Nubian states.
• Rise of jihadist states in West Africa, notably the Sokoto Caliphate.
• Napoleonic Wars led to shifts in power, with Muhammad Ali's rise in Egypt.

Conclusion

• The scramble for Africa was shaped by complex historical contexts, including colonial competition, slave trade, and internal African dynamics.
• The abolition of slavery in the 19th century further disrupted African kingdoms, leaving many economically weakened.