Uhuru! – Freedom from Imperialism
Global History and Geography II Name: ______
E. Napp Date: ______
Excerpt Adapted from Global History: Geopolitical Patterns & Cultural Diffusion
“African people sought independence after World War II. They demanded “Uhuru!” or “Freedom Now” in the post-war period. The major colonial powers – Britain, France, Portugal, and Belgium – took differing approaches. Sometimes, Britain provided training for self-government and granted home-rule; in others, long wars resulted. Belgium provided virtually no training and few secondary education opportunities for the people in the Belgian Cong. France has tried to maintain its ties with former colonies. It has maintained contact through currency linkage, aid programs, and sometimes military intervention. Portugal simply tried to hold on to its colonies as long as possible.
Questions:
1. When did African Nationalists seek independence? ______
2. How did Britain generally approach nationalist demands in its colonies? ______
3. Describe Belgium’s treatment of its colonial subjects? ______
4. How has France maintained ties with its former colonies? ______
“Ghana (Gold Coast) was the first African colony to gain independence in 1957. Nationalist leader Kwame Nkrumah established a political party and employed strikes, boycotts, and riots to achieve his goal. He was arrested by the British, but after his release and the achievement of independence, he became prime minister of the new country.”
Questions:
1. Which African colony was the first to gain independence from European imperialists? ______
2. When did this nation achieve independence? ______
3. Who was the African nationalist leader of this nation? ______
4. How did this independence movement encourage other African nationalists? ______
“In Nigeria, Britain did some training for self-government, but the hostility among ethnic groups was hard to overcome. The Muslim Hausa and Fulani peoples lived in the north, the Yoruba in the southwest, and the Ibo in the southeast. Initially, anti-British nationalism helped to unite these groups, but after independence was achieved in 1960, problems developed among them. The Ibo seceded in 1967 and established the state of Biafra.
Biafrans feared Muslim domination and wanted to keep control of the resources in the southeast. Over a million died as a result of starvation and the civil war which followed. By 1970, Biafra was united with the rest of the country, but religious and ethnic loyalties remain strong.”
Questions:
1. What hostilities were hard to overcome in Nigeria? ______
2. What ethnic groups lived in this region? ______
3. What initially united these groups? ______
4. When was Nigeria’s independence achieved? ______
5. What did the Ibos do in 1967? ______
6. What did Biafrans fear? ______
7. Why did over a million people die in this region? ______
8. What happened in 1970? ______
“In Kenya, the drive for independence was complicated by the large number of European settlers remaining in its highland areas. They refused to give up power. Jomo Kenyatta (1891-1978), a Kikuyu leader, tried a non-violent approach to changing laws and restoring land to the native people. However, the Mau Mau – an anti-European guerrilla movement among the Kikuyu people – used a campaigning of violence and terrorism (1952-1959) to achieve its goals.
By 1956, the Mau Mau movement killed nearly 100 Europeans and 2,000 Kikuyu “loyalists.” Kenyatta was jailed and many of the Kikuyu were sent to concentration camps. Ultimately, Kenyatta was freed and like Nkrumah of Ghana, became prime minister of the independent country. Kenyatta set up a one-party state. Kenyatta also limited individual rights. After Kenyatta’s death in 1978, Daniel arap Moi succeeded him. During the rule of Moi, Kenya experienced ethnic violence, corruption, and civil rights and election abuses.”
Questions:
1. What factor complicated Kenya’s drive for independence? ______
2. Who was Jomo Kenyatta? ______
3. What was the Mau Mau movement? ______
4. What had happened in Kenya by 1956? ______
5. Describe Kenyatta’s time as prime minister of Kenya. ______
6. Who was Daniel arap Moi? ______
7. What did Kenya experience during Moi’s rule? ______
What problems did the newly independent African nations face?
1. ______
2. ______
3. ______
4. ______
5. ______
How were these problems similar and different than problems faced in other newly independent nations?
1. ______
2. ______
Word Bank:
Sahara Desert, Nile, Savannas, Regular or Smooth, Salt for Gold, Mansa Musa, Monotheism, Cultural Diffusion, Berlin Conference, Scramble for Africa, Atlantic Slave Trade, Middle Passage, Natural Resources, Congo, Nationalism, World War II, Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta, Mau Mau, Ethnic Rivalry
Review Questions:
1. After what turning point in World History did most African nations achieve independence? ______
2. Which African nation was the first nation to achieve independence? ______
3. Who was this leader of this nation’s independence movement? ______
4. Which European nation tried to help transition its African colonies to independence? ______
5. Which European nation tried to maintain close ties with its former African colonies after independence? ______
6. Which European nation barely helped its former colony in its transition to independence? ______
7. When did Nigeria achieve independence? ______
8. Why was the state of Biafra established? ______
9. What were two effects of the establishment of the state of Biafra? ______
10. Who was Jomo Kenyatta? ______
11. What was the Mau Mau movement? ______
12. When did Kenya achieve independence? ______
13. How did white settlers affect independence movements in Africa? ______
14. Define decolonization. ______
15. What problems faced the newly independent African nations? ______
16. Define nationalism. ______
17. List two geographic factors of Africa. ______
18. List one effect for each geographic factor. ______
19. What is a smooth or regular coastline? ______
20. How does a smooth or regular coastline affect a region? ______
21. Where is the continent of Africa located? ______
22. What sea borders North Africa? ______
23. What sea borders Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia? ______
24. What is the Suez Canal? ______
25. Why is the Suez Canal important? ______
Excerpt Adapted from the bbc.co.uk
“The Post-Independence years have been punctuated with changes of government all over the continent. These have sometimes been military coups or civilian takeovers. The first inkling people would have would be from a radio announcement. And radio stations were, and continue to be, commandeered for that purpose. For some countries, a deep and continuous divide has remained unresolved. Sudan and Chad, for example, are divided between an Arab Muslim north and an African Christian south. Both countries have suffered destructive civil wars over the decades. In Uganda, the divide was very broadly between the Baganda of the south and Acholi northerners.
President Milton Obote manipulated the divide both times he was President. The first time in power, during the 1962-71 term, he burnt the Palace of the Baganda down and drove the Kabaka (king) into exile. The second time he took power, during 1980-85, he launched a military campaign of destruction in the south. It was left to President Yoweri Musseveni to harmonies’ the different regions when he came to power in 1986. In Nigeria, one of the largest countries in Africa with an estimated population of 120 million, the divide went very roughly three ways: the Muslim north, Ibo east and Yoruba south. In 1967, the country collapsed into civil war with the eastern part (Biafra) led by Colonel Ojukwu declaring Biafra an independent state.
The forces of President Gowan took three years to defeat the Biafran forces. Since 1967 Nigeria has, despite its wealth and population, held together despite tensions between Muslim communities and Christians ebbing and flowing.”
Questions:
1. What have the post-independence years been punctuated with? ______
2. Why has the radio been important in Africa? ______
3. What have Sudan and Chad both experienced? ______
4. What has Uganda experienced? ______
5. How did President Milton Obote manipulate the ethnic divide in his nation? ______
6. Explain Nigeria’s ethnic divide. ______