Expansion in Africa - Great Power Rivalry

Question 1

Egypt and the Sudan (Fashoda)

Answer 1

• Fashoda Incident 1898

Question 2

Describe the Fashoda Incident

Answer 2

• Throughout 1898 but stalemate in September
• French expedition under Sudanese C-I-C, Marchand arrived on headwaters of the Nile: Fashoda
• Marchand ordered to remove British, w/out force, if they intruded in SSudan
• Kitchener encouraged Marchand to withdraw
• Britain couldn’t stand down as others would be encouraged to challenge British power elsewhere
• Eventually the French, facing domestic issues, stepped down and by an agreement of 1899, French promised to stay out of the Nile Valley in return for land further west

Question 3

British acquisition of the Sudan

Answer 3

• 1896 in fear of French gaining land

Question 4

West Africa (Nigeria)

Answer 4

• British claimed Nigeria in 1890 in an agreement with France in return for British recognition of French claim over Madagascar

Question 5

East Africa (IBEAC)

Answer 5

• Mackinnon’s IBEAC chartered in 1888 directly in competition with Germany’s EAC founded by Karl Peters in 1884

Question 6

East Africa (Germany)

Answer 6

• 1886 Anglo-German Agreement: EAfrica split, British get N and Germany S

Question 7

East Africa (Zanzibar)

Answer 7

• 28th August 1896
• Zanzibar’s Sultan, Said Khalid, refused to surrender in accordance of British Consul’s (Baring) terms
• British bombarded and destroyed palace
• The deposed Sultan took shelter in German embassy
• Germans granted the Sultan political asylum demonstrating them aware of need to deny their rivals what they want

Question 8

East Africa (Somaliland)

Answer 8

• Established as a protectorate 1888

- 1898 reinforced with military personnel and administration to limit French and Italian ambitions

Question 9

South Africa

Answer 9

• Increasing amount of German settlements in SWA having annexed in 1884
• Prompted British government to annex Bechuanaland 1884-5 to prevent Boers and Germans from becoming neighbours
• 1894 President Kruger spoke in public about his peoples’ affinity with Germany

Question 10

Brussels Conference

Answer 10

• 1876, hosted by King Leopold of Belgium; motivated by Belgian interests in the Congo
• Concluded European intervention in Africa necessary
• Heightened competition because European governments suspicious of Leopold’s intentions
• French, British and Germans all hired native explorers to assert their influences in Africa in fear of Leopold’s Congo Empire

Question 11

Berlin Conference

Answer 11

• 1884-5 ‘Scramble for Africa’
• 13 countries included key British rivals (e.g. Germany and France) all looking to expand influence in Africa
• If one nation colonised, others felt obliged
• Decided that Congo River Basin should be neutral so it was given to neutral Belgium and so allowed free trade for all imperial powers
• Shows concern of threat of rivalry

Question 12

Boer War

Answer 12

• A German Freikorps of Volunteers was formed who fought on the Boer side
• Kaiser sent a telex to the Boers voicing his support for their war efforts