Dbq On The Scramble Of Africa

The United States and various European countries met in 1884-1885 at the Berlin Conference to regulate European colonization of Africa. At this point in history, imperialism was occurring, where a country would increase it’s power by gaining control of another country. European imperialists were deciding the fate of Africa. The Scramble for Africa was three decades after the Berlin conference, where European powers began to colonize areas in Africa. Not all natives were pleased by the Europeans occupying their country. As the Scramble of Africa prolonged, some African people’s actions and reactions in response to the scramble involved, the use of diplomacy, giving in peacefully, and violent resistance, all in response to European colonization …show more content…
For example, Prempeh I, the Ashanti leader is responding to a British offer of protectorate status, by saying that the state of Ashanti must remain the same and remain friendly with all white men (Doc 2). Prempeh I does not necessarily like when her state is under control, but replies peacefully, as saying her state will continue to be an independent state with no other outside influences, but will continue to be friendly towards all white men. The purpose of this document was to portray how the Ashanti leader turned down an offer of protection peacefully, leading to stability for the state. Similarily, Yaa Asantewa, the Ashanti queen, is speaking to chiefs in West Africa, saying that she is disappointed in the chiefs for fearing to fight for their king and most likely no Europeans would have been present at such a meeting so she could speak freely and express the thoughts of other women in her tribe. As the “Queen Mother” she probably would be a dependable source of what other African women were feeling, especially on the subject of imperialism, as they would have felt secure to divulge in her. (Doc. 6) The purpose of Yaa Asantewa’s speech was to freely speak to women for standing up and being brave and strong, as the chief’s bravery has lessened. The poem “The Brown Man’s Burden”, which was a response to the poem, “The White Man’s Burden”, by …show more content…
For example, Ndansi Kumalo, and African veteran of the Ndebele rebellion went against British advances in 1896. Ndansi describes how the white men treated them like slaves, so uprisings and rebellions occurred leaving the white men to kill many Africans with their advanced weaponry(Doc 4). Ndansi intended this document to be educate others about how the white men were treating them. Although Ndansi was a veteran of the Ndebele Rebellion, his perspective on the European colonization was biased, but still gives the readers an image of how European imperialism was affecting Africans. Similarily, the Taiping Rebellion, which occurred a little earlier than the Ndebele Rebellion, occurred because Hong Xiuquan wanted to overthrow the Qing Dynasty. Hong Xiuquan started to control certain groups and uprisings began. This relates to the Scramble of Africa by attempting to overthrow the controlling power. Another example was the Ethiopian painting of the Battle of Adowa, which displays their victory over the Italian troops(Doc 5). The image displays how the Ethiopians had to use weaponry and violence to fulfill their victory over the Italians, knocking the invaders out. Lastly, Samuel Maherero, leader of the Herero people writes how the Germans keep repeatedly treating the Hereros poorly, and how he writes that he would die fighting rather than