British, French and German Influence in Africa
Early theories of African society were based on the presupposition that Africa had no organized community, that Africans could not think and that Africans had no destructive instruments. Based on these assumptions the missionaries gave Africans a religion and organized the society into a political entity. All of this was done in the name of humanity.
When Europeans found out that the Niger River was passible, trade immediately began. By 1880 a great scramble for African land occurred.
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European nations fought one another to own African territory. The procedure involved getting to the territory and pinning the flag of the country on the land and signing treaties with the chiefs.
Britain’s presence was highly recognized in Africa. Because Britain experienced tremendous problems with individual rights at home, the British in Africa made their presence known. However, Britain had very little contact with the African people. A government of indirect rule was established. The British, in other words, dealt with the Africans through the chiefs. Despite the government’s indirect dealings with the Africans, the missionaries worked directly with the Africans. The philosophy of the British was to keep a stiff upper lip, the maintenance of appearance, a sense of brotherhood and the code of fair play. The public schools emphasized discipline, reserve, order and command. The British had a need to explore new territory because raw materials, secure markets, investment opportunities were lacking. Those British who desired to find a new way of living in Africa had to do so on foot or in dugout canoes because of the topography. Soon gunboats and then the advention of the steamboat resulted in the advancement of trade. Still the risk of catching an incurable disease discouraged many explorers, yet Britain got a lion’s share of West and South Africa:. Egypt, Kenya, Uganda, Limpopo, Zambezi, Upper Nile, Nairobi, Sierre Leone, Accra, Gold Coast, North and South Rhodesia and Transvaal.
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French presence was also recognized in Africa. The French came up with the notion of association and assimilation. The French were traditionalists, racists, Calvinists and suspicious of change. They believed that colonial rule was selfish and cruel. They believed that the French should associate with the Africans, in order to educate them, but not to the extent of combining cultures or assimilating. In other words, the French policy was to propagate among the “natives” the language, the methods of work and the spirit and civilization of France.
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Africans were made to feel they had all the rights of a Frenchman yet there were few African legislatures.
France was an industrial state with democratic ideas. France believed that colonialism was a great cost to the mother country and France strongly believed that people should govern themselves. Yet, France conquered, but for psychological reasons. France lost the Franco-Prussian war and she needed to divert the attention of domestic affairs. French trade was limited. Palm oil was a major consumption in Africa. It was used to make soap and lubricants, but France didn’t need it. The sugar cane was not useful because the French used the sugar beet. The French made its greatest contribution in the field of fine arts: reading, writing, cooking and music.
The accomplishments made by the French that enabled other countries to conquer parts of Africa came in the field of medicine. Alphonse Laveron discovered plasmodium, a parasite that destroys the red blood cells. Pierre-Joseph Petelier and Joseph Bienaine-Coventou extracted an alkaloid of quinine from cinchona bark to commercially produce the drug quinine that destroyed the plasmodium. The French hydrologist, Victor Prompt, developed a water system that enabled the Nile Valley to be controlled. French colonial rule took place in West Africa, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Madagascar and Chad.
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In the 1900’s Germany experienced rapid economic changes. It changed from an agrarian state to the greatest industrial power of Europe. In 1914 Germany became the leader in steel making, chemical engineering and electrical enterprises. As Bismarck ruled, the domestic scene in Germany worsened. Many Germans began to look for living space outside of the Reich. However, Bismarck refused to use the nation’s elaborate administration and machinery for the purpose of ruling distant, little known, ill-defined possessions.
The Germans had an elaborate hierarchy of positions. The racial attitudes toward the Africans ranged from undisguised contempt to sincere respect. The Germans felt separated from the Africans by color, caste, class and culture. Cooperation with the Germans often paid off for African chiefs, youths and the sons of outcasts and slaves. For example, Paul Zampa, a Camerounian African, was taken to Berlin by a German officer who had previously observed Zampa’s precociousness. Zampa was to receive his military training in Berlin. Zampa felt miserable about his dark skin, so he painted himself with white paint. When Zampa marched onto the field, the German officers laughed at him. Zampa became a rebel thereafter, and was then executed by the very white men whom he had once worshipped.
The Germans also ruled the Africans indirectly. Gustav Warnick, a major figure in the German missionary world, believed that the Africans must be converted. The Germans trained the Sudanese, Samalis, Zulus from Mozambique as soldiers. Other Africans were trained to work in the diamond mines or on farms. Most of German land possessions was in Togo, South West Africa, East Africa and Kamerun.7
Activity #1
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1. Students may do a research project on one of the European countries and develop the points in detail.
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2. Students will write an essay from the facts gathered in this history.
Activity #2
Study Questions,
Mine Boy
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1. What is the theme of the novel?
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2. What do you think was the purpose of this novel?
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3. What is the picture of South Africa that the author presents?
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4. How do the role of the female characters compare with the male characters?
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5. Explain the significance of the following symbols in the novel:
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bee
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sun
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stars
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moon
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the mine
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winter
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the nine dump
Activity #3
Study Questions,
The Dark Child
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1. What is the theme of the novel?
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2. What do you think was the purpose of the novel?
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3. What is the picture of French Guinea that the author presents?
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4. Is the book autobiographical?
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5. Camara Laye offers much insight in the life of an African. Expound on the following topics:
family
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religion
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naming system
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polygamy
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attitudes toward life
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community spirit
Activity #4
Study Questions,
Things Fall Apart
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1. What is the theme of the novel?
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2. What do you think was the purpose of the novel?
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3. When did the climax of the novel occur?
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4. Why does the novel have this name?
Concluding statement:
Much of this unit could be taught in a history classroom. However, it would be difficult to have students read African literature without first introducing them to some of the historical factors that nurtured the literature. Since this unit will be taught to college seniors in an English classroom, the teacher must also discuss the literary techniques of the novels as well as the political implications.
As stated earlier, the students will receive a set of definitions that they will use to determine the sophistication of African tradition and culture that have been degraded by the media.