Name : _____________________________ Assigned: Due:

IMPERIALISM IN AFRICA

Assignment 1: The Berlin Conference 2-3

Assignment 2: The White Man’s Burden 4-5

Assignment 3: Sources on Social Darwinism 6-9

Assignment 4: Things Fall Apart and Direct vs. Indirect Rule 10-12

1
 Assignment 1: The Berlin Conference

The Industrial Revolution helped many western nations achieve unmatched economic and political power. In
1884, leaders of the European powers held an international conference in Berlin to discuss the partition, or division, of
Africa. Without much knowledge of or regard for traditional African ethnic communities and territorial boundaries,
Europeans drew their own borders and agreed to recognize the colonial acquisition of any other European power.
Within just 30 years, almost all of Africa - a continent four times as large as Europe - was under European political
control.

Directions: Examine the map below, then answer the questions on the following page.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

2
1. RIGHT THERE: Generally, what area of Africa did the French control?

2. RIGHT THERE: Generally, what area of Africa did Belgium (Belgian) control?

3. THINK AND SEARCH: When do most of these countries appear to have been taken over (the year under each country
is the year they were taken over)?

4. RIGHT THERE: Name two countries that resisted being taken over until the 1900’s:

5. RIGHT THERE: What countries remained independent?

Read the short section below:

The Cape to Cairo Railway was an uncompleted project to cross the entire continent
Africa from south to north by railroad. This plan was begun at the end of the 19th
century, during the time of colonial rule, largely under the vision of Cecil Rhodes.
Rhodes’ dream was to create a continuous line of British territories from Cape Town,
South Africa to Cairo, Egypt.

The famous cartoon, to the left, demonstrates Rhodes dream. As you can see, he
stands on the continent of Africa with one foot on the southern tip of Africa and the
other at the northern coast. In his hand, he holds a telegraph wire, which he wanted to
build along with the railroad.

6. THINK AND SEARCH: Judging by the map, how close did Cecil Rhodes come to his dream of having the territory to
create the Cape to Cairo Railway? Explain.

3
 Assignment 2: The White Man's Burden

The White Man’s Burden” is a poem by a British poet named Rudyard Kipling. The poem is famous, because it sums up
European attitudes towards other people in the world, especially Africa. It demonstrates many of the Social Darwinist
attitudes that Europeans used to justify the division of Africa.

Directions: Answer the questions beside the poem below in the left hand column. Secondly, examine the political
cartoons that also demonstrate Kipling’s attitude. The cartoons are meant to help you understand the poem. Finally, in
your own words, describe what Kipling and others meant when they referred to the “White Man’s Burden.”
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What does it make you think of when Kipling uses the The White Man’s Burden Vocabulary
phrase “White Man?”
by Rudyard Kipling
_______________________________________
burden: a heavy or
Take up the White Man's burden- important responsibility

What does it mean for a person to have a “burden?”

Send forth the best ye breed- breed: in this context,

Kipling means “race”

bind: tie
These three lines are where Kipling describes what the Go bind your sons to exile exile: sent away to
White Man’s Burden is. He says for the “White Man” to another country
serve their captives’ need. What do you think Kipling
thought Africans “needed” from Europeans?

To serve your captives' need; captive: prisoner

How does that demonstrate the attitude of Social

Darwinism?
wait: serve
To wait, in heavy harness in heavy harness: to do
work

fluttered: restless,
On fluttered folk and wild- impatient
What are European attitudes towards Africans if Kipling
calls them “fluttered” and “wild?”

new-caught: newly
Your new-caught, sullen peoples, captured, newly
conquered
sullen: gloomy, ill-
tempered, upset
What are European attitude towards Africans if Kipling
calls them “half devil” and “half child?” Half-devil and half-child.”

4
 Political Cartoons that demonstrate Kipling’s attitude:

What are the two flags

labeled?

How are the two groups

different?

What are the steps that

Britain and America
labeled?

According to the
cartoon, where are they
carrying the people in
the baskets to? Note: The two large
figures carrying baskets
are John Bull and Uncle
Sam, characters that
represent Britain and the
United States.

THINK AND SEARCH: In your own words, what did Kipling think the “White Man’s Burden” was?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

5
 Assignment 3: Sources on Social Darwinism

Your task: Social Darwinism was the belief that some Europeans were more advanced than others, and that that gave
them a right to control “weaker” or “less advanced” groups. Read the documents below that demonstrate Social
Darwinist attitudes toward Africa. Choose four quotes that you believe best demonstrate how European imperialists felt
about Africa (if you choose the cartoon, describe what it is showing since you cannot “quote” a picture). Then, fill out
the attached worksheet where you explain why you chose the quotes that you did.

Document 1:

"I contend that we (the British) are the first race in the world and that the more of the world we inhabit the better it is
for the human race. It is our duty to seize every opportunity of acquiring more territory and we should keep this one
idea steadily before our eyes that more territory simply means more of the Anglo-Saxon race, more of the best, the
most human, most honorable race the world possesses."
Source: Cecil Rhodes, “Confession of Faith,” 1877

Document 2:

The first step towards lightening

The White Man’s Burden
Is through teaching the virtues of cleanliness
Pear’s Soap
Is a potent factor in brightening the dark corners of the earth as civilization advances, while among the cultured of all
nations it holds the highest place – it is the ideal soap.
Source: Advertisement for Pear’s Soap, 1890
6
Document 3:

The commencement of diamond-digging as a settled industry was in 1872. It was then that dry-digging was commenced,
which consists of the regulated removal of ground found to be rich and diamonds. Here, within twelve miles of the river,
and within a circle, of which the diameter is about two and a half miles, are contained all the mines,---or dry diggings,---
from which have come the real wealth of the country. Dry digging is the future of the diamond fields in South Africa. I
feel that with British industry, a huge amount of wealth can be extracted from this land.

Source: Anthony Trollope, “The Diamond Fields of South Africa,” 1870

Document 4:

Source: Cartoon in The Journal, Detriot, 1872

Document 5:

One word as regards missionaries themselves. The essential point in dealing with Africans is to establish a respect for
the European. Upon this---the prestige of the white man---depends his influence, often his very existence, in Africa. If
he shows by his surroundings, by his assumption of superiority, that he is far above the native, he will be respected, and
he will have more influence.

In my opinion---at any rate with reference to Africa---it is the greatest possible mistake to suppose that a European can
have a greater influence over the natives by convincing them that he is “one of them.” In effect, it is to lower himself to
their plane, instead of elevating them to his. The sacrifice involved is wholly unappreciated, and the motive would be
held by the savage to be poverty and lack of social status in his own country.

The whole influence of the European in Africa is gained by this assertion of a superiority which commands the respect
and inspires the savage to try and imitate his superior.
Source: Capt. F. D. Lugard, “The Rise of Our East African Empire,” 1893
7
Your task: Choose four quotes from the documents that you believe best demonstrate the attitude of Social Darwinism
(if you choose the cartoon, describe what it is showing since you cannot “quote” a picture). Then, explain how your
quote demonstrates the attitude of Social Darwinism. Remember, Social Darwinism was the belief that some Europeans
were more advanced than other people, and that that gave them a right to control “weaker” or “less advanced” groups.

Quote #1:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

How this quote demonstrates the attitude of social Darwinism:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Quote #2:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

How this quote demonstrates the attitude of social Darwinism:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

8
Quote #3:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

How this quote demonstrates the attitude of social Darwinism:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Quote #4:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

How this quote demonstrates the attitude of social Darwinism:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

9
 Assignment 4: Things Fall Apart and Direct vs. Indirect Rule

This excerpt is from a book called Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. The novel traces the life of Okonkwo, a leader of
the Ibo village of Umuofia, Nigeria, as he and his people deal with European imperialism and its impact on their village.
It also demonstrates the different forms of control Europeans used when conquering Africa.

As you read the literature excerpt, underline passages that you think illustrate examples of direct rule, indirect rule, or
“divide and rule.” Use the initials DR, IR, or D&R to keep track in the annotations column, and use the chart below to
help remind you what these terms mean. Finally, choose two passages from the excerpt to discuss at the end.

Indirect Rule Direct Rule “Divide and Rule”

- Local leaders were used
- Allowed limited self-rule
- Goal was to extract wealth without
trying to “civilize” Africans
- Governments allowed for local
customs / laws
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
- Europeans brought in to rule
- Borders drawn by Europeans didn’t
- No self-rule take into account traditional borders
- Goal was assimilation (make people
- Many times, hostile groups were put
more like Europeans) together in the same territory
- Governments only used European
- The Europeans often played these
laws groups against each other in a policy
called “divide and rule”

The church had come and led many astray. Not only the low-born and the outcast but sometimes a Annotations:
worthy man had joined it. Such a man was Ogbuefi Ugonna, who had taken two titles, and who like a
madman had cut the anklet of his titles and cast it away to join the Christians. The white missionary was
very proud of him and he was one of the first men in Umuofia to receive the sacrament of Holy
Communion, or Holy Feast as it was called in Ibo. Ogbuefi Ugonna had thought of the Feast in terms of
eating and drinking, only more holy than the village variety. He had therefore put his drinking-horn into
his goatskin bag for the occasion.

But apart from the church, the white men had also brought a government. They had built a court where
the District Commissioner judged cases in ignorance. He had court messengers who brought men to him
for trial. Many of these messengers came from Umuru on the bank of the Great River, where the white
men first came many years before and where they had built the center of their religion and trade and
government….

Okonkwo's head was bowed in sadness as Obierika told him these things.

"Perhaps I have been away too long," Okonkwo said, almost to himself. "But I cannot understand these
things you tell me. What is it that has happened to our people? Why have they lost the power to fight?"

"Have you not heard how the white man wiped out Abame?" asked Obierika.

"I have heard," said Okonkwo. "But I have also heard that Abame people were weak and foolish. Why
did they not fight back? Had they no guns and machetes? We would be cowards to compare ourselves
with the men of Abame. Their fathers had never dared to stand before our ancestors. We must fight
these men and drive them from the land."

"It is already too late," said Obierika sadly. "Our own men and our sons have joined the ranks of the
stranger. They have joined his religion and they help to uphold his government. If we should try to
drive out the white men in Umuofia we should find it easy. There are only two of them. But what of

10
our own people who are following their way and have been given power? They would go to Umuru and
bring the soldiers, and we would be like Abame."

He paused for a long time and then said: "I told you on my last visit to Mbanta how they hanged Aneto."

"What has happened to that piece of land in dispute?" asked Okonkwo.

"The white man's court has decided that it should belong to Nnama's family, who had given much
money to the white man's messengers and interpreter."

"Does the white man understand our custom about land?"

"How can he when he does not even speak our tongue? But he says that our customs are bad, and our
own brothers who have taken up his religion also say that our customs are bad. How do you think we
can fight when our own brothers have turned against us? The white man is very clever. He came quietly
and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he
has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held
us together and we have fallen apart.
_______________________________________________________________

There were many men and women in Umuofia who did not feel as strongly as Okonkwo about the new
religion. The white man had indeed brought a lunatic religion, but he had also built a trading store and
for the first time palm oil and kernel became things of great price, and much money flowed to Umuofia.

And even in the matter of religion there was a growing feeling that there might be something in it after
all… This growing feeling was due to Mr. Brown, the white missionary…

..He built a school and a little hospital in Umuofia. He went from family to family begging people to
send their children to his school. But at first they only sent their slaves or sometimes their lazy children.
Mr. Brown begged and argued and prophesied. He said that the leaders of the land in the future would
be men and women who had learned to read and write. If Umuofia failed to send her children to the
school, strangers would come from other places to rule them….

In the end Mr. Brown’s arguments began to have an effect. More people came to learn in his school,
and he encouraged them with gifts of singlets and towels. They were not all young, these people who
came to learn. Some were thirty years old or more. They worked on their farms in the morning and
went to school in the afternoon. And it was not long before the people began to say that the white
man’s medicine was quick in working. Mr. Brown’s school produced quick results. A few months in it
were enough to make one a court messenger or even a court clerk. Those who stayed longer became
teachers; and from Umuofia churches were established in the surrounding villages and a few schools
with them…

Mr. Brown’s successor was the Reverend James Smith, and he was a different kind of man. He
condemned openly Mr. Brown’s policy of compromise and accommodation. He saw things as black and
white. And black was evil. He saw the world as a battlefield in which the children of light were locked in
a mortal conflict with the sons of darkness. He spoke in his sermons about sheep and goats and about
wheat and tares. He believed in slaying the prophets of the Devil.

11
1.) Choose two of the things you underlined in the literature excerpts and copy them into the spaces below:
2.) Identify whether you think it is an example of direct rule, indirect rule, or “divide and rule.”
3.) Explain why you think so.

Literature Excerpt 1:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Direct rule, indirect rule, or “divide and rule?” _________________________________________

Explain:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Literature Excerpt 2:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Direct rule, indirect rule, or “divide and rule?” _________________________________________

Explain:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

12
 For more resources like this, please visit

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Hsh-Resources

13