1. Aim: Why did Africa become a target of European imperialism?
Do Now: Why would a stronger, bigger kid bully a smaller weaker kid?
Aim: Why did Africa become a target of
European imperialism?
Do Now: Why would a stronger, bigger kid
bully a smaller weaker kid?
HW: Imagine you are a reporter covering
the Berlin Conference. Write a news article
describing the conference. Be sure to
include what , why, where and when.

2. Aim: Why did Africa become a target of European imperialism?
Do Now: Why would a stronger, bigger kid bully a smaller weaker kid?
Imperialism
• Even if you don’t know what it means,
write a definition of imperialism.
• Use that word in a sentence.

3. What is the industrial
revolution?
• From 1760 - 1830
• Transition from hand production methods
 To machine production methods
Aim: Why did Africa become a target of European imperialism?
Do Now: Why would a stronger, bigger kid bully a smaller weaker kid?

4. Motivations for Imperialism
• Economic Needs
• A need for raw materials that were not
domestically available and those raw
materials were abundant in Africa.
• Social Darwinism
• Only the strongest nations survive and only
the strongest nations have colonies in Africa.

5. Motivations for Imperialism
• Adventure
• Inspired by stories of Dr.
Livingstone, people wanted
the excitement of adventure.
• Missionaries/ “The white
man’s burden”
• Europeans felt that they
needed to civilize the rest of
the world. They also felt that
they needed to convert
everyone in Africa to
Christianity.

6. Berlin Conference of 1884-1885
Another point of view? 

7. Berlin Conference Attendees
Aim: Why did Africa become a target of European imperialism?
Do Now: Why would a stronger, bigger kid bully a smaller weaker kid?

8. Aim: Why did Africa become a target of European imperialism?
Do Now: Why would a stronger, bigger kid bully a smaller weaker kid?
Berlin Conference Divides Africa
• There was so much competition for land in
Africa, that Europeans feared there would
be a war. They held the Berlin
Conference to carve up Africa.
• Sounds like a good idea…. But no one
consulted the Africans.
• By 1914 only Ethiopia and Liberia
remained free nations.

9. Aim: Why did Africa become a target of European imperialism?
Do Now: Why would a stronger, bigger kid bully a smaller weaker kid?
How does imperialism in Africa in 1878
compare with 1914?
1878 Traditional Ethnic
Boundaries of Africa

10. Aim: Why did Africa become a target of European imperialism?
Do Now: Why would a stronger, bigger kid bully a smaller weaker kid?
What attitude about the British does
Rhode’s statement display.
• I contend that we (the British) are the first race in
the world, and 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.
– Cecil Rhodes, Confession of Faith 1877

11. Aim: Why did Africa become a target of European imperialism?
Do Now: Why would a stronger, bigger kid bully a smaller weaker kid?
Cecil Rhodes
• British imperialist who
exploited Africa.
• Founder of the Rhodes
De Beers diamond
company, the largest in
the world.
• Rhodesia was named
after Rhodes. Today, the
country is Zimbabwe, its
traditional name.

12. Aim: Why did Africa become a target of European imperialism?
Do Now: Why would a stronger, bigger kid bully a smaller weaker kid?
Diamonds….
Uncut Diamond Cut and Polished Diamond

13. Aim: Why did Africa become a target of European imperialism?
Do Now: Why would a stronger, bigger kid bully a smaller weaker kid?
Vocabulary
• Scramble: a frantic struggle to obtain
something.
• Racism: The belief that one race is
superior to another.
• Social Darwinism: Important social theory
that stated that evolution what how people
came to be who we are. Survival of the
fittest.

14. Aim: Why did Africa become a target of European imperialism?
Do Now: Why would a stronger, bigger kid bully a smaller weaker kid?
Imperialism
The seizure of a larger, stronger country over a weaker one
to control the
• Society
• Politics
• Economy
• Resources
• Military