Africa and the wider world: the Scramble for Africa, imperialism and decolonisation
What this domain tests
This domain examines the Scramble for Africa and decolonisation. You must explain why European powers partitioned Africa in the late nineteenth century and why the colonial order collapsed after 1945.
Core concepts
- Partition: the Berlin Conference (1884-85) set rules for 'effective occupation' and spheres of influence but did not itself divide Africa. Treaties, chartered companies and military force turned paper claims into colonies.
- Causes: industrial demand for raw materials and markets, nationalist prestige, strategic routes such as the Cape-to-Cairo link, missionary and 'civilising' ideology, and rivalries such as Britain versus France.
- African agency: conquest was contested. Herero and Nama resistance, Maji Maji, the Zulu rebellion and many others shaped colonial methods.
- Decolonisation: the Atlantic Charter, the UN Charter, Asian independence, Ghana in 1957 and the 'Year of Africa' in 1960 weakened empire. Algeria (1962), Portuguese Africa (1975), Zimbabwe (1980), Namibia (1990) and South Africa (1994) completed the process.
Worked example
Question: 'Was the Scramble mainly economic or political?' Reasoning: define both. Economic explanations point to investment, minerals and markets; political explanations point to prestige, elections and strategic rivalry. A strong answer argues that economic motives were important but that political rivalry explains the speed and borders of partition, using the Congo and Fashoda as evidence.
Traps
Do not say Berlin 'carved up' Africa in one meeting. Do not treat decolonisation as a single event. Avoid assuming nationalism alone ended empire; Cold War pressure and economic change mattered.