Transcript African Nations Gain Independence

Answer on your warm up/exit ticket
sheet:
 What are some of the long-term impacts
of colonization in Africa? How do you
think Africa would be different had there
never been a “Scramble for Africa”?

 Read pages 539 – 543
 Take notes as you read and be
sure to include important
names, terms, ideas.
 Complete the section review:
#s 1 - 5
Today’s LEQ: What ideas and actions led to independence for
British and French colonies in Africa?
Post WWII, European
powers still controlled
much of Africa
 Growing nationalism
pushed many countries
to push for
independence
 Most African countries
achieved
independence but took
different approaches

Ghana
• Decolonization Begins, 1945 – the withdrawal of colonial powers from
the colonies and areas of influence
Ghana
• British colony of the
Gold Coast, West
Africa, first to achieve
independence
• African leaders
established convention
to demand greater
participation in
government
• Goal: gain influence
peacefully
Two Movements
• Less cooperative
movement also
brewing
• 1947, Kwame
Nkrumah became
leader of Convention
People’s Party (CCP)
• Nkrumah led strikes,
demonstrations; British
jailed him
National Elections
• While in jail, Nkrumah
still transformed CCP
into major political
party
• 1951, Britain pressured
into allowing national
elections
• 1957, granted full
independence;
Nkrumah becomes first
prime minister of new
nation, Ghana
According to Nkrumah, what was the reality of
Europeans in Africa?
2. Why does Nkrumah believe so many African
nations suffer from poverty despite plentiful
natural resources?
3. What is Nkrumah’s proposed solution to
underdevelopment in Africa?
4. What lessons does Nkrumah believe Africans
should learn from South America?
5. What does Nkrumah mean by “think
continentally”?
1.
Kenya
• 1950s, Kenyan path to independence did not go as smoothly as it did in Ghana.
Conflict
• Ownership of land, possibility of
independence led to conflict
between white Kenyan farmers,
native Kikuyu people
• Farmers feared independence would
cause them to lose large tracts of
valuable cash crops in Kenyan
highlands
• Kikuyu wanted these ancestral
homelands back
Mau Mau
• Led by Jomo Kenyatta, many
Kikuyu farmers formed violent
movement, Mau Mau
• Group terrorized highlands,
murdered anyone opposing them,
including Africans who cooperated
with white settlers
• British murdered, tortured members
of Mau Mau movement to regain
control
• Late 1950s, Britain convinced to
accept decolonization
• 1963, Jomo Kenyatta first prime
minister of Kenya

The class just read some of Kwame Nkrumah’s
arguments against colonial rule in his speech, “I Speak
of Freedom.” Work with a partner to develop a poster
or sign that represents supporters of decolonization in
either Ghana or Kenya. Your poster or sign should
communicate the position of this group accurately, be
eye-catching and creative, and must contain the
following elements:
 An interesting slogan or saying that captures your
argument
 Two images drawn to support the slogan or statement
 A list (creatively incorporated into the poster or sign) of
at least 3 additional arguments used to support
decolonization in the country you chose
 Answer on your warm up/exit
ticket sheet:
 Which leader do you think was
more effective and why?
Nkrumah or Kenyatta?
Different Path
French Africa
• French African colonies followed different path toward independence
• French goal had been to incorporate colonies into France itself
• Prime Minister Charles de Gaulle tried to pursue goal after World War II
Benefits in Relationship
• African leaders believed they should have greater opportunities for self-rule
• However, rejected final break with France because they believed Africans could
attain economic, cultural benefits from continued relationship
French Community
• 1958, de Gaulle called for referendum on continued union
• Most colonies voted to join new organization, known as French Community
• France granted most colonies of Community independence a few years later
South Africa
In the early 1900s South Africa was run by white Afrikaners—descendants of the
original Dutch settlers. Even though South Africa had received independence
from Great Britain in 1910, nonwhites in South Africa were not free under the
Afrikaner government.
Apartheid
• 1948, racial discrimination heightened
when Afrikaner-dominated National
Party began to run South African
government
• Instituted policy of apartheid,
“apartness” in Afrikaner language
Racial Separation
• Apartheid policy divided into four
racial groups: White, Black, Colored
(mixed ancestry), Asian
• Attempted to create greater
separation between whites,
nonwhites, impose harsh controls
Apartheid laws banned interracial marriages, and placed further restrictions on
African ownership of land and businesses.
Apartheid Laws
Laws Harsh on Blacks
• Apartheid laws especially harsh on
blacks in South Africa
• Required to carry passes, identity
books
• Also faced imprisonment if police
found them in an area for more than
72 hours without pass
Citizenship Denied
• Under apartheid, only white South
Africans could vote, hold political
office
• Blacks made up nearly 75 percent of
population, were denied South
African citizenship
• Restricted to certain occupations, very
little pay
Find the Main Idea
What was apartheid, and how did it function?
Working in the same groups as yesterday, divide
your poster paper into four sections and label
each section as follows: Ghana, Kenya, Guinea,
South Africa
 For each nation, provide three artifacts you
would include in a museum exhibit centered on
African decolonization

 Pictures of artifacts may be drawn, cut out from
newspapers, or pulled from websites

Provide a 3-4 sentence summary on why you
picked each artifact


Answer on your warm up/exit ticket sheet:
In 2-3 sentences, compare and contrast the
decolonization of French Africa and South
Africa