How did Science impact the colonisation of Africa

How did Science impact the colonisation of Africa? Standard aim – to explain what impact Science had on the colonisation of Africa Super aim – to analyse to what extent Science accelerated the colonisation of Africa What do these pictures have to do with Science and the colonisation of Africa?

Hwk • Read pp. 3-6, 24-29 of Chamberlain and make notes ready to answer the questions on Monday – Was it Africa’s fate to be colonised by Europe? – What was Africa like when it was colonised? – How did Europeans interpret African history and why was this the case? – Were the Europeans right to interpret African history in this way? How could we link Science into these questions?

The Age of Enlightenment

Social Darwinism

Card 1: Missionaries and early anthropology What impact? Missionaries always had to justify why they were there and raise funds. This strengthened racist stereotypes and the belief that white Europeans should ‘advance’ Africans. They were also early anthropologists – who studied the local people, and usually reached biased and racist conclusions. Some missionaries were not racist though. Interest in visiting ‘ethnological villages’ led to indigenous Afircans being captured and displayed, such as in the Bronx Zoo who showed Congolese Pygmies.

Card 2: The ‘Scientific Approach’ driven by the Enlightenment What impact? This heightened curiosity, which included curisoity in Africa. In 1788 there was an association or the promoting the interior parts of Afric.a. They wanted to find Timbuktu and diversify trade.

Did it accelerate it? It led to exploration and the building of trade links which led to the colonisation of Africa.

Did it accelerate it? It accelerated it as it populised the idea that indigenous Africans needed to be ‘saved’ by white men and legitimised colonisation.

Card 4: Malaria Card 3: Geography

What impact? The Age of Enlightenment and knowledge about the human body led intellectuals to consider continenst as organisms – they wanted to find the ‘veins’ (rivers) and it’s heart. They wanted to solve it’s supposed ‘riddlement’ with disease. There was a drive to examine, diagnose and cure Africa. The Royal Geographic Society was founded to explore Africa. Sir Roderick Murchison funded much of the early exploration. Did it accelerate it? This drive to explore the geography of Africa, led to the discovery of resources and trade, and further colonisation.

What impact? 50 Britons died in 1841 trying to explore the Nige, mainly from malaria. In the early 1850s Quinine appeared to protest against it. In 1854 Dr Wiliam Balfour Baikie explored the Niger funded by the government, and within a few years British steamers operated on the river.

Did it accelerate it? It made colonisation feasibly possible.

Card 5: Discovery What impact? Livingstone crossed from Luanda to the mouth of the Zambezi. Stanley was funded by King Leopold to explore the Congo. Explorations were driven by gathering data on commercial opportunities, population groups, resources, states and societies. Black Africans were part of the landscape – it didn’t occur to white Europeans they had discovered it before them. Explorers carried their countries flags, like Stanley carrying the British and American flags. There was a flurry of discovery.

Did it accelerate it? Discovery became a self-perpetuating cycle and usually led to stronger trade links.

To what extent was the colonisation of Africa driven by economic motivations? – An introduction – At least 1 paragraph for each side of the argument – A conclusion