Dbq On African American Imperialism

In response to the scramble for Africa, Africans had actions spurring conflict with Europeans, reactions to Europe’s actions during colonization, and actions of peaceful accord. Many African kingdoms, who had governed themselves before European colonization, were against the colonization of their lands under other European countries. Based on an African Ashanti queen’s account, in document six, it is clear that the colonizing Europeans had very little respect for monarchies already in place (Doc 6). This alone spurred the subjects of African kingdoms to violence with their colonizers, the Europeans. Another leader of the Herero people, having already allowed German occupation and suffered for it, urges his fellow leaders not to peacefully
submit to German colonization (Doc 7). Maherero, the Herero leader, would prompt others to act with violence because he did not and is now suffering for it and he does not wish for others to suffer the same. An interesting document to analyze would be a response to a letter like Maherero’s. Would other nations heed his words and how would they react, what actions would they take? This would be interesting to see the cooperation between different African kingdoms. Other, somewhat naive actions of opposition shown in document two, such as happily denying British protectorate status while claiming to remain friendly might have spurred violence on both sides(Doc 2). The British clearly would have been offended and could have resorted to taking the lands of the kingdom by forceful or violent means; which would have inturn caused the african people to rise up against the violent intruders. Each side of the scramble for Africa acted violently during the colonization. Once conflict had been initiated Africans faced the challenge of defeating the more advanced Europeans with their primitive military technology.
In one case specifically, Ethiopia had been hoarding European weapons for decades and were well supplied enough so that they could reppel Europe’s advances, for a short time. Document five shows one of the only equal battled between Europeans and Africans; however, most other African nations were not as well supplied and had never encountered Europe’s newest military machinery (Doc 5). After the failure of the Ndebele rebellion, Kumalo recounts that they would have been successful if it had not been for the “White man’s machine guns” (Doc 4). Because he was then forced into slave like conditions afterwards, Kumalo will always react to Europeans with violence. Many Africans also shared Kumalo’s reaction to European advancement into Africa. There were several rebellions and battles against European control. Survivors were not treated well under Europeans, who took African land, possessions, and plundered villages (Doc 9). Many Europeans were not expecting such resentment from Africans. They truly believed they were superior to Africans and were helping civilise them, also know as the White man’s burden. A German military officer recounts that a African chief had to deceive his troops with a magical medical solution that made them impervious to bullets (Doc 8). The Europeans reacted to the mass of charging African warriors by shooting
them where they stood. The reactions to European violence when conquering Africa scarred many participants turning them against Europeans and other African who cooperated with Europeans, causing a deep rooted disdain for European practices that continued through the ages. Other African nations, though a minority, reacted to European settlement with peace and cooperation.
Sometimes it was how the Europeans presented their colonization. In document one Europeans offered money to Africans for lands. This document, a drafted contract, showed that at least some were willing to cooperate with Europeans (Doc 1). Another African kingdom, Ethiopia, embraced European settlement because they shared religion in common. One of the only christian states in Africa, Ethiopia proposed their cooperation in European colonization if Europeans would grant them seaports (Doc 3). They felt confident enough to ask for land because they thought they were more similar to Europeans than other Africans in some aspects, like religion, which they hoped would overlook their race and skin tone. It would be informational to see a document accounting the reactions of previously aligned African countries if one of them sided with Europeans and the other did not. It could possible show if there was a feeling of betrayal amongst Africans as a whole, instead other the Africans vs Europeans view that is expressed through most of the documents. As shown, it was possible for Africans to react positively to European settlement but overall the reaction and actions were against
Europeans. Violence was encouraged by African and European actions during the scramble for Africa, Europe’s military dominance left many Africans with negative attitudes,but peaceful cooperation was possible throughout the scramble for Africa.