The Effects of European Imperialism on South Africa Essay

The county of South Africa is an economically flourishing country and probably the most advanced country on the continent of Africa. However the entire continent of Africa is probably the most undeveloped part of the world. Why is South Africa so different from the rest of its continent? Karen Politis Virk explains that it is because of South Africa’s developed economy and diverse population (Virk 40). South Africa has three main ethnic groups: African, Afrikaners, and the mixed race. The Afrikaners and mixed races have many roots to Europe and Asia giving the nation even more diversity and a culture melting pot. This set the nation apart from the rest of the African nation in which the majority of the residents are of native African†¦show more content†¦Gold was discovered in Transvaal and Britain wanted to â€Å"help† Transvaal after the discovery. Transvaal was not economically strong enough to handle the new industry. Diamonds were also discovered in the Or ange Free State a few years earlier that Britain had wanted to help with (Lester 52). At first, Britain sent immigrants to Transvaal called uitlanders to help the Transvaal people, also known as the Boers, handle the new resource they had acquired (Oxford 111). Eventually, the uitlanders outnumbered the Boers. Transvaal tried to make the uitlanders equal to the Boers, but knew that if they were to do this, the Boers would lose their nation and Britain would take control. The British declared and ultimatum to make uitlanders equal to Boers. Transvaal rejected the ultimatum and declared one of their own: to evacuate British troops from Transvaal within the next two days. When the British ignored this ultimatum, Transvaal joined with their ally, The Orange Free State, and declared war on Britain in October 1889 (Lester 43). The South African War was a war of firsts. It was the first war to have known concentration camps (van Heningan, Tool for Modernisation 2). The phrase concentratio n camp automatically signals World War II and Nazis. However these camps were notShow MoreRelatedEssay on Imperialism1578 Words   |  7 Pages Imperialism Imperialism Throughout time more powerful countries have extended their influence over weaker countries and then colonized those countries to expand their own power. Imperialism causes the stronger countries to grow and become nations or even empires. There are many examples throughout European history of nations enveloping weaker countries and increasing their own wealth and power to form strong nation-states and even empires. Through imperialism one culture is invading anotherRead MoreImperialism and South Africa1440 Words   |  6 PagesImperialism’s Effect on South Africa Imperialism was a movement that affected all parts of the world, beginning as early as the 19th century. Wealthy and established nations would annex and take control of underdeveloped nations and civilize them. This may sound good in theory, but Imperialism seemed to take advantage of the so-called â€Å"inferior† nations more than truly help them. The economic superpowers seized the land of the territories they thought to be subordinate, using it as trading depotsRead MoreConsequences Of Colonization Of Africa1599 Words   |  7 Pages20th century, Africa was at the mercy of Europe imperialism. Politics and economics led powerful European nations to colonize the continent of Africa. What was later coined as â€Å"The Scramble for Africa†, led powerful nations to aggressively take over the continent and exploit its materials, people, and land. The European powers that took control of most of Africa included Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, and Sp ain. The continent was divided and given to these European countries inRead MoreImperialism in South Africa1078 Words   |  5 PagesDuring Imperialistic times South Africa was a region of great resources that was greatly disputed over (Ellis). Europe’s main goal during these times was to compete against each other and played a â€Å"game† of which country can imperialize more African countries than the other. Imperialism was a curse to South Africa, because many wars, laws, and deaths were not necessary and would not have happened if South Africa were not imperialized. Imperialism is the domination by one country of political, economicRead MoreBrionna Johnson. Mr. T.Kemiksizgil, Period 4. Mrs. K. Prinzo,1310 Words   |  6 PagesK. Prinzo, Period 6 03 March 2017 European Imperialism Good for Colonized Countries? Imagine you re in the 1700s and live in South Africa or another colonized country. You’ve gotten used to the new lifestyle, but then the Europeans come in and force imperialism onto you and your country. Being obliged to do something is what happened in South Africa. South Africa got colonized by Britain in 1795. Imperialism spread in the 1900s to Africa. So Africa was forced into having something theyRead MoreThe Long Lasting Effects Of Colonialism On Africa1666 Words   |  7 Pageslasting effects Africa endured due to imperialism. The illustration shows the countries that were involved in colonizing Africa and what they contributed to how the continent is prospering currently. Also, the cartoon shows how severely the presence of imperialism affected Africa. For instance, when countries exploited Africa during 1880-1913, the people who inhabited the land experienced poverty and starvation due to countries claiming and controlling their land. During the scramb le of Africa, countriesRead MoreThe Grand Scheme of the New Imperialism1391 Words   |  6 Pageseconomic and political prosperity, the Europeans did the same for the sake of the mother country, which greatly influenced the respective aspects. The European or the new Imperialism is a movement, which brought the worldwide effect of white supremacy. As far as the ideas of historians are concerned, new Imperialism was the product of economic rationale. It is obvious that every nation looks forward to uplift their economic status. Although the new Imperialism was a product of economic rational, itRead MoreImpact Of Imperialism On The Middle East, Africa, And Asia1287 Words   |  6 PagesImperialism is defined as a policy of extending a country s power and influence through diplomacy or military force. Countries during the Industrial Revolution wanted to imperialize due to social, political, and economic reasons. As early as the mid 1800’s, the European countries craved the ide a of power and conquering new lands in order to obtain resources/raw materials. They took over Africa, the Ottoman Empire, India, and Southeast Asia due to this as well as for their convenient location. TheyRead MoreEuropean Imperialism in Late 19th Century Africa1624 Words   |  7 Pages European Imperialism in Late 19th Century Africa: African Response and Effects Rafael Delatorre History 002B Professor Standish April 12, 2014 Between 1870 and 1914, European countries ceased about ninety percent of Africa. Native Africans faced political, military, and imperialism pressure from various European countries. After the end of the profitable slave trade in Africa, due to abolishing of slavery, Europeans explored forRead MoreEssay on Imperialism: From Europe to The West1514 Words   |  7 PagesEarly in the twentieth century, imperialism was brought up by European powers of the time; Germany, Great Britain, France, and Russia. These nations were after raw materials in Asia, Africa, and South America and when they realize that they could not retrieve it, they began to colonize smaller counties that contain the many resources they need and used it for their benefit. Western values played a big part in European imperialism. European civilization experienced a period of extraordinary rapid