Imperialism
Europeans colonized Southern Africa from the nineteenth to the twentieth century. Europeans began to colonize Africa because Europe was going through the industrial revolution, and needed raw materials. Africa was rich in commodities, and so Europeans began to colonize and ship the raw materials back to Europe to be manufactured. The first Europeans to settle in Southern Africa were the Dutch in 1652. The Dutch arrived at what is known today as the Cape of Good Hope. The Dutch’s goal was to set up a port for their ships, but they ended up setting up farms, and taking much of the native Africans land. This was the beginning of colonization in South Africa.
Britain took control of the Cape Colony in the 1800’s and clashed with Boers, who were Africans living in the area at the time. The Boers were forced to escape British control, and so they moved north in the 1830’s. This movement was known as the Great Trek. The Boers had to fight many native groups whose land they were intruding upon, such as the Zulu people. Years later, in the 1860’s and 1880’s, diamonds and gold were discovered in Southern Africa, and so it became a hot spot for travelers from around the world trying to make money. The Boers attempted to keep these travelers out of Africa, but with little success. The Boers then blamed England for the travelers, and started the Boer War in 1899. Thousands of Africans died during the war, and England eventually won.
Although colonial rule in Southern Africa lead to some positive things, the majority were negative. Humanitarian efforts improved the sanitation and provided hospitals and schools in Southern Africa, which lead to increased life spans and higher literacy rates. Although this helps some, there were many more negative aspects to colonialism. Many native Africans lost their land, independence, and their culture. New diseases were brought to Africa by Europeans, and thousands died from them. Many Africans were killed resisting European power as well. The African continent was divided and forced different ethnic groups to combine, and separated other ethnic groups. Boundaries also caused problems for the nations that developed from the colonies. Because of Imperialism in Africa, thousands of Africans died, cultures were destroyed, and Africa was left divided.
~Alex~
Britain took control of the Cape Colony in the 1800’s and clashed with Boers, who were Africans living in the area at the time. The Boers were forced to escape British control, and so they moved north in the 1830’s. This movement was known as the Great Trek. The Boers had to fight many native groups whose land they were intruding upon, such as the Zulu people. Years later, in the 1860’s and 1880’s, diamonds and gold were discovered in Southern Africa, and so it became a hot spot for travelers from around the world trying to make money. The Boers attempted to keep these travelers out of Africa, but with little success. The Boers then blamed England for the travelers, and started the Boer War in 1899. Thousands of Africans died during the war, and England eventually won.
Although colonial rule in Southern Africa lead to some positive things, the majority were negative. Humanitarian efforts improved the sanitation and provided hospitals and schools in Southern Africa, which lead to increased life spans and higher literacy rates. Although this helps some, there were many more negative aspects to colonialism. Many native Africans lost their land, independence, and their culture. New diseases were brought to Africa by Europeans, and thousands died from them. Many Africans were killed resisting European power as well. The African continent was divided and forced different ethnic groups to combine, and separated other ethnic groups. Boundaries also caused problems for the nations that developed from the colonies. Because of Imperialism in Africa, thousands of Africans died, cultures were destroyed, and Africa was left divided.
~Alex~