1. Empire Building in Africa
Ch.6 Section 2

2. West Africa
• Natural Resources Wanted:
– Peanuts, timber, hides, and palm oil
– Slave trade had virtually ended by the late 1800’s
• British had settlements along the Gold Coast
and in Sierra Leone
• French controlled the largest part of W Africa
• Germany controlled Togo, Cameroon, German
SW Africa and German E Africa

4. Egypt's Importance
• Egypt: Freed from the Ottoman Empire by
Muhammad Ali in 1805- brought Egypt into
the modern world (public schools, industry)
• Suez Canal: In Nile Valley, connected the
Mediterranean and the Red Seas. Built by
Ferdinand De Lesseps in 1869
• British wanted control over canal for trade
with India; made Egypt a British Protectorate
in 1914

5. North Africa
• British controlled Egypt, and by 1898 Sudan
• French controlled Algeria, Tunisia and much of
Morocco
• Italy tried to take Ethiopia and failed (first
European state to be defeated by African
state). Later took Tipoli, now called Libya

7. Important People
• David Livingston: starting in 1841 explored
the uncharted regions of central Africa for 30
years
• Henry Stanley: a young journalist sent to find
Livingston after he disappeared
– Explored the Congo and encouraged European
settlement there

8. Central Africa
• Belgium settled the Congo (King Leopold II)
• France took territories north of the Congo
• European states were concerned about
Belgium controlling the vast territories of the
Congo

10. East Africa
• Major competition over East Africa between
Britain and Germany
– Some competition from Portugal and Belgium
• Berlin Conference 1884-85: Recognized British
and German claims to specific territories and
gave Portugal Mozambique.
– Adopted an agreement that described how a
European nation could lay claim to an area of
Africa.

11. South Africa
• Cape Town settled by Dutch since 1600’s
– Called Boers or Afrikaners
– Taken by British after Napoleonic Wars
• White population of South Africa was 200,000
by 1865