Essential Questions: What factors led to a rise of African nationalism after World War Two? How and why did British colonial rule end?
I. Nationalism
A. World War II: The Turning Point
1. During the war, thousands of Africans served in the armies of the
European colonial powers (i.e. Great Britain, France, Italy)
2. When the war ended, many Africans no longer wanted to be under
colonial rule
a. They wanted their freedom and independence
b. A new wave of nationalism swept the continent
-These African nationalists were influenced by the Pan-
Africanism movement (promoted cultural unity and
freedom for the people of Africa)
c. However, the colonial powers weren�t willing to give up their
empires so easily
II. The British Colonies
A. Ghana
1. Kwame Nkrumah, a young nationalist leader, called on people to begin
a campaign of civil disobedience
a. Strikes and boycotts of British goods
-Soon, many riots broke out
b. These tactics did much to convince the British that they needed
to make compromises
c. Nkrumah founded his own political party
-The British eventually agreed to a national election
-In 1957, Ghana achieved full independence
B. Kenya
1. Ghana became an inspiration for African nationalism in other colonies
a. After WW II, land became scarce in the central highlands
-This land was controlled by white European settlers and
used to grow valuable cash crops (coffee)
b. The African tribes rebelled against the white settlers
-The British put down the rebellions, however; the idea of
Kenyan independence did not go away.
c. Kenya eventually gained their independence in 1963
C. British Central Africa
1. British colonies in central Africa also experienced both rebellion and
peaceful change
a. In 1964, the independent states of Zambia and Malawi were
formed
b. After years of unrest, the new and independent nation of
Zimbabwe emerged in 1980
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African Independence (Part 1I)
Essential Questions: How and why did French, Belgian and colonial rule end? How was South Africa�s move to independence different from that of other African nations?
III. The French Colonies
A. A different path toward independence
1. After World War Two, The French wanted to incorporate their African
colonies into France itself
a. Africans could now elect African representatives to the French
National Assembly in Paris
-Although this system provided Africans with some
freedom, it fell short of true independence
b. African political parties emerge pushing for independence
-The French were not interested in granting anything but
limited control over the colonies
c. In 1958, French president Charles de Gaulle gave the African
colonies a choice (French control or independence)
-Many countries chose independence
IV. Belgian Colonies
A. Unlike Great Britain and France, Belgium first opposed any form of self rule
1. Belgian Congo
a. Belgium opposed independence because of its colony�s wealth
-Timber and mineral resources
b. In the 1950�s, nationalistic ides filtered into the Congo
-After 1955, Belgian authorities allowed new political
parties to form
-However, the Belgian government resisted independence
c. In July 1960, Congolese soldiers rebelled
-A period of violence aimed mostly at white people ensued
V. South Africa
A. Apartheid
1. Prior to World War Two, English-speaking whites dominated S. Africa
a. Whites and nonwhites were segregated
-Nonwhites had fewer educational opportunities
-By law they could get only low paying jobs
-Segregation and economic exploitation is called apartheid
B. Protests Against Apartheid
1. The African National Congress was a group that fought apartheid
a. In the 1950�s, it launched a campaign of civil disobedience
-The S. African government responded swiftly and brutally
-However ANC leaders, like Nelson Mandela, continued
to speak out against apartheid
2. In the 1980�s, faced with protests at home and abroad, the government
began to retreat from its strict apartheid policies
a. In addition, the international community imposed sanctions
C. Change
1. In September 1989, F.W. de Klerk was elected president of S. Africa
a. In 1994, S. Africa held its first all-race elections