DBDBQ Essay In 1884, the European government colonized areas in Africa which was known as the European Scramble for Africa. There are various ways of actions and reactions of the Africans in response to the European Scramble for Africa. Some are Peaceful Cooperation, some are violent, some are based on increased religion, and some are total rejection. These reactions are shown in Documents one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine. Each document has a person’s point of view and a date (1800’s-1907). A reaction for the European Scramble was peaceful acceptance or cooperation.
In document one it was from Royal Niger Company, commissioned by the British government to administer and develop the Niger River Delta and surrounding areas, standard form signed by multiple African rulers on 1886. This document is pretty much a paper that you sign in an agreement to do something. What the Royal Niger Company said is that they’re peacefully agreeing by not interfering with any of the native laws or customs of the country. They also agreed to pay native owners of land a reasonable amount for any part that they take.
When they say ‘signed by multiple African rulers’ I would like to know how many actually signed. Also what I understand is that early on, because it’s in 1886, they give in. Document 2 might have a little of cooperation. It’s from Prempeh I, Ashanti leader, response to a British offer of protectorate status in West Africa on 1891. He’s not completely cooperating or accepting but isn’t using complete violence either. As time goes on we can see that they’re less likely to accept. Since Ashanti is a leader it seems that he doesn’t want to lose any power.
Document 7 was from Samuel Maherero, a leader of the Herero people. This was a letter to another African leader, German South-West Africa on 1904. This document is cooperating with Africa in the reason that he says to make their voice heard and go to war against the Germans. He’s a leader hence meaning that doesn’t want to lose power. Another reaction for the European Scramble was Violence. This document was from Ndansi Kumalo, who was an African Veteran of the Ndebele Rebellion against British advances in southern Africa on 1896.
He uses and sees violence in this document. It says that they fought the ‘White Men’ with big guns, machine guns, and rifles. This was a war in which every time they tried to make a move they were defeated by the ‘White Men’. From this document I can see that as years and years go by, the reaction goes more and more violent. Document 6 was about complete violence. Yaa Asantewa, Ashanti queen mother was speaking to the chiefs in West Africa on 1900. She speaks in the name of all women, that if the men do not go forward and fight for their voice to be heard, the women will.
That they will fight the ‘White Men’ until they either win or all of them fall dead on the battlefield. This tells me that the women of Ashanti would do anything for their voice to be heard. In this document the Queen was speaking to the men of Ashanti. Document 9 is also talking complete violence. Mojimba who was an African chief, was describing a battle in 1877 on the Congo River against British and African mercenaries, as told to a German Catholic missionary in 1907. This was a battle in which, as described, a lot of people were wounded and dead.
They blame the ‘White Men’ for all the wickedness and they think they can take away their land. The Africans say that that’s not justice and that they are crazy and ruthless. What I think is that since the battle happened in 1877 but the story that was told to the German Catholic was in 1907 was probably not accurate because there was a 30 year gap. The third reaction that I saw or inferred while reading the documents was increased religion. In document 3, the emperor of Ethiopia, Menelik II, wrote a letter to Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Russia in 1891.
He talks about how for the past fourteen centuries, Ethiopia was on an island of Christians. He doesn’t agree about the division of Africa and says that the All-Powerful had been protecting Ethiopia up until that time. He hopes that the Lord, Jesus Christ, doesn’t let the division happen. What I picked up from this was that he is a leader, therefore doesn’t want to lose any power. He is also Christian and is using religion to react to this. In document 5, there’s an Ethiopian painting of the battle of Adowa, in which the Ethiopian were victorious over the Italian troops in 1896.
I considered this religion by looking at the painting and seeing crosses on the Ethiopian flags as well as the Italian flags. From this painting I can see that the Ethiopians are diverse as well. In the painting there is a person on a horse but around it there is illumination. Since the painting was Ethiopian, I can see that this can be considered as God watching over the Ethiopians as well as helping them fight and win. In document 8, a German military officer is the one talking, in account of the 1905 Maji Maji Rebellion in German East Africa in 1906.
What this document talks about is that a snake had given medicine to a medicine man and that it would strengthen women and children. What I inferred was pretty much European persecution. Although all these documents were from a person’s point of view I would like to see something else. In the original document 5, the painting was from Ethiopia’s point of view. I would like to see an Italian painting and what the battle looked through their eyes. Also in the original document 6, the one who was talking was a queen so it was her point of view. I would like to see a document from a woman African peasant and her point of view.
