Scramble for Africa Simulation
Scramble for Africa – Journal Writing
The 19th century was known for a new wave of imperialism as
European powers, Japan, and United States seized control of new
territories and conquered peoples in Asia and Africa. Near the end of
the century, the major European powers scramble to colonize Africa.
Virtually all of Africa was under European rule by 1900.
Why do you think Europeans wanted to colonize Africa? What did it
have to offer them?
Scramble for Africa – Journal Writing Answer
The race for new colonies was fueled by competition among the
European powers, nationalism, demand for new materials, superior
technology, and a belief in racial hierarchies
Scramble for Africa
Directions:
Work collaboratively in groups of four. Once in your groups, assign
each person a number from 1-4 based on when your birthday is. The
person’s birthday that is closest to Jan. 1st will be the one (1) and the
person’s birthday closest to December 31st will be the four (4).
Scramble for Africa
Each group should have:
• A blank map of Africa
• Human Legacy: Atlas pages R36 and R37 (back of textbook)
• Seven colored pencils/markers (brown, red, blue, green, orange,
purple and yellow) to mark territory
• A 1 inch X ½ inch rectangle cut from a note card to use as a ruler
Scramble for Africa: Round #1 and Round #2
• Student #1 = Britain (red)
• Student #2 = France (blue)
• Students #3 = Portugal (brown)
• Student #4 = You work with Portugal
Scramble for Africa: Round #1 and Round #2
• Student #1 = Britain (red)
• Your goal is to build an empire (get as much land as you can). Most
importantly you want to stretch your empire across the entire continent from
the North to the South so you can build a railroad. You also wan to keep port
cities if you can.
• Student #2 = France (blue)
• Your goal is to build an empire (get as much land as possible) that stretched
across the continent from East to West. You also want to get control of
trading posts on the West coast/
• Students #3 and #4 = Portugal (brown)
• Your goal is to take control of African port cities on the coasts so that you can
secure trade routes with Asia.
Scramble for Africa: Round #1
(1500-1815)
Background Information:
Africa has many powerful kingdoms that would be difficult to conquer
and European countries are uninterested in African colonies at this
time. The power of the Ottoman Empire (north coast of Africa) and
Ethiopia make those areas unavailable for European acquisition.
Scramble for Africa: Round #1
(1500-1815)
Portugal:
You are the first to explore the coast of Africa. You have little interest in
Africa itself because your major interest is trade with Asia. Therefore,
you are looking for port locations which will facilitate your ships
traveling around Africa to Asia.
Place six (6) brown dots on the map to signify the port locations where
you establish your facilities.
Scramble for Africa: Round #1
(1500-1815)
Dutch:
The Dutch settlement of the southern tip of Africa has important
historical ramifications but is largely irrelevant to this simulation, so it
has been ignored.
Scramble for Africa: Round #1
(1500-1815)
Britain and France:
You have little interest in Africa itself because your primary concern is for
your American colonies and your trade with India. You see Africa as a
trade route to India and as a source for slaves to work on sugar, cotton
and tobacco plantations in the Americas.
Britain places four (4) red dots and France places four (4) blue dots at port
locations which will facilitate the collection of slaves or trade with India.
*Britain and France alternate placing their dots with Britain going first and
each can take one Portuguese port if they choose to do so.
Scramble for Africa: Round #2
(1815-1875)
Background Information:
Africa continues to have many powerful kingdoms but European
countries only need to control the coastline and river mouths to have
trade access to the natural resources of the interior. The Ottoman
Empire (north coast between ports) and Ethiopia continue to be
unavailable for European acquisition.
Scramble for Africa: Round #2
(1815-1875)
Portugal:
You are becoming more interested in trade with Africans so you
expand your influence around your ports.
Color a ½ inch length of the coast adjacent to four of your ports
brown.
Scramble for Africa: Round #2
(1815-1875)
Britain and France:
You are experiencing the Industrial Revolution so you are now more interested
in Africa for its natural resources and as a place to establish settlements.
You also have worldwide trade networks and you want to protect your trade
routes to Asia. Since you want to avoid diplomatic tension or war in Europe,
you will not take territory too close to that of another European country.
Britain and France alternate (with Britain going first) coloring four (4) ½ inch
strips of coast in their color (red or blue) on the map at locations that secure
natural resources, allow for settlement and protect trade routes. This territory
could be adjacent to the ports you already have or in new areas. Since
France is more interested in European affairs, her territory should come
primarily in the northern half of Africa.
Scramble for Africa: Round #3
• Student #1 = Britain (red)
• Student #2 = France (blue)
• Student #3= Belgium (green) and Spain (purple)
• Student #4 =
and
Scramble for Africa: Round #3
(1875-1895)
• Student #1 = Britain (red)
• You want to maintain your empire and secure your trade route to India.
• Student #2 = France (blue)
• You want to maintain your empire and
• Student #3= Belgium (green) and Spain (purple)
• Belgium: Your goal is to secure natural resources for the benefit of your King.
• Spain: Your goal is to secure African coastal trade routes with Asia.
• Student #4 =
and
• Germany: Your goal is to get land for trading posts on the West coast and
East coast. You need to end up with some land in Africa.
• Italy: You got into the scramble late. Your goal is to get an empire anywhere
in Africa (closer to Italy would be best).
Scramble for Africa: Round #3
(1875-1895)
Background Information:
In this round there are no restrictions on available territory. Colonial
claims must have a port or coast to start from or be extensions of
territories already controlled.
Scramble for Africa: Round #3
(1875-1895)
Britain:
You want to secure the Suez Canal route to India, so you take over
Egypt.
Color a 1 inch square of red on Egypt.
Scramble for Africa: Round #3
(1875-1895)
Belgium:
You came into the race late because you are a small country which only
gained its independence in 1830. However, you are highly
industrialized and desirous of African natural resources. Your weakness
as a power will restrict you to only one colony, but if you act fast, you
can grab some valuable territory before the major powers catch on.
Color one (1) area equal to about 1 inch square green at one location
that is not already claimed. Remember you must start from (have
access to) a port or the coast to move inland.
Scramble for Africa: Round #3
(1875-1895)
:
You came into the game late because you were not a unified country
until 1871. You have emerged as the major military power in Europe,
you are very industrialized, and you are interested in developing your
world trade. You desire African colonies for their natural resources and
for ports that will support your trade. Your pride as a major power
demands that you have colonies like the other major powers, and as
upstart Belgium has just grabbed a chunk of territory, you had better
act fast.
Color three (3) areas on the map yellow (each area being about 1 inch
by ½ inch) to secure
.
Scramble for Africa: Round #3
(1875-1895)
Britain and France:
Whoa! Where did these newcomers come from gobbling up territory?
If you don't act fast they will take territory you want and the intense
competition could lead to war. You would like to link up your scattered
colonies for defensive purposes and to enable the building of railroads
which would facilitate the transportation of the natural resources.
Britain and France alternate (with Britain going first) choosing four (4)
areas (about 1 inch by ½ inch) each and coloring them red and blue,
respectively.
Scramble for Africa: Round #3
(1875-1895)
Spain:
You have come to Africa later than the other major colonizers because
you have spent most of your earlier efforts in Central and South
America. You are a weak country which is primarily interested in areas
that would be close to Spain.
Color two (2) areas (about 1 inch by ½ inch) not already acquired
purple.
Scramble for Africa: Round #3
(1875-1895)
:
You come into the race last and have to take what is left.
Color four (4) areas
orange.
(about 1 inch by ½ inch)
Conclusions
Answer the following questions in your group and then write a singleparagraph, constructed response to question #3 to be turned in for
credit on or before 2/10/17.
1. What factors did you consider in acquiring territories?
2. What factors were totally ignored in your decisions?
3. Your decisions created colonial boundaries that will eventually
become the borders of African countries. What problems have
you created in these African countries by dividing up Africa based
on European needs and concerns rather than African ones?