GKE1 Task 3

Part A. The rise of New Imperialism in Africa began in 1881 and ran through 1914. Looking to expand their empires, European countries looked to Africa as its size and benefits became evident. The invasion of Africa began as a paper conquest, conducted in the drawing rooms of European capitals. Once they arrived in Africa, leaders and footmen took the ideas from Europe and put them into action on the ground. They conquered weak African chiefs and signed treaties with the powerful ones. Soon after arriving, treaties were thrown aside and the conquest began. Having far more resources and a technical advantage, European countries rolled through to central Africa. The strong firepower of the Europeans crushed most if not all of the African resistance. The Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 was the highlight of European competition for territory in Africa. France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and King Leopold II of Belgium together had acquired thirty new African colonies. They came together to negotiate their claims to African territory. They were then formalized and divided into forty new political units, subsequently displacing 110 million Africans. These units were drawn as straight lines with no regards for the villages, ethnic groups and African kingdoms. (scramble for Africa, 2015)
Part A1 The indigenous people of Africa originally trusted Europeans. They believed the treaties they signed were merely a formality and based upon friendship and trade. In actuality, the treaties meant that Africans had signed away their sovereignties to European powers. After they discovered that the Europeans wanted to take their lands, African leaders organized military resistance to defend their lands and hold off colonial domination. The smaller African tribes used guerrilla warfare. They used small groups of troops surprise attack