VOCAB
What is imperialism?
→ A system where a country rules over other countries
What was the Scramble for Africa?
→ European countries taking control of African land
What type of resources did Europe want from Africa?
→ Raw materials like rubber, gold, cocoa
How much of Africa was controlled by Europeans by 1914?
→ About 90%
Who controlled the Congo?
→ King Leopold II
Name one country that resisted successfully
→ Ethiopia
What is colonization?
→ When a country takes over land, settles its people there, and uses the land and resources for its own benefit
What is the central idea of the text?
→ Europeans used brutal methods to gain wealth and power in Africa
What helped Europeans travel deeper into Africa?
→ Boats, weapons, and medicine (quinine)
What happened to African cultures?
→ Forced to adopt European language and beliefs
What resource was taken from the Congo?
Rubber
Why was resistance difficult?
→ Europeans had better weapons
What is annexation?
→ Taking land by force or without permission
Why did Europeans want Africa?
→ Resources and wealth (rubber, gold, etc.)
What was the Berlin Conference?
→ A meeting where Europeans divided Africa
What was “divide and rule”?
→ Creating conflict between groups to control them
How were people punished if they didn’t meet quotas?
→ Whipped, mutilated, or killed
What helped expose European cruelty?
→ Photographs and media
What does it mean to succumb?
→ To suffer or die from something, like disease
What was the author’s main purpose?
→ To explain causes and effects of the Scramble for Africa
Why were no Africans at the Berlin Conference important?
→ Africans had no say in decisions about their land
What is one long-term effect of colonization?
→ Ongoing conflict between ethnic groups
What happened to Congo’s population?
→ Dropped from about 20 million to 8.5 million
What global event helped end imperialism?
→ World War II
What is an atrocity?
→ A very cruel or violent act
What example shows the text is about exploitation?
→ Forced labor and harsh punishments in the Congo
What role did industrialization play?
→ Increased need for resources → pushed colonization
How many people died under harsh colonial systems like Congo?
→ Millions (example: Congo population dropped drastically)
Why is Leopold II important to the text?
→ Example of extreme cruelty and exploitation
What did the Atlantic Charter support?
→ Freedom and independence for colonies