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Effects of french imperialism in africa
Rise and fall of Mali Empire
History of imperialism in africa france
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Mali is a West African country located just north of Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast (Africa Prefix Map) and in 1892, it was colonized by the French(World-net: Virginia and Mali History). The main legacies of colonization that affected Mali were religion, language and agriculture. During this time if any Malian resisted colonization the French Military would take action and punish those individuals. Although Mali was colonized, the country benefited in many ways from these specific changes. As of September 22, 1960 Mali is independent but the country still carries some of the French traditions in their culture.
After the French colonized Mali, it became known as Soudan Francis which is French Soudan. Mali had been under French rule from 1892- 1960. During these 68 years, the country’s borders expanded into present day Senegal, Niger, Burkina Faso which is called Senegambia et Niger (WorldNet: Virginia Mali-History). Before the French arrived, central powers did not exist in Mali which caused agriculture to diminish. This made the Malian’s vulnerable for French control. When the French arrived they were searching for raw materials and markets to sell their manufactured goods; therefore, they forced Malians to grow cotton and peanuts.
Malians were also were required to create roads to and railroads to allow for trade on the coast (WorldNet:
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Virginia Mali-History). By creating this agricultural trade system they claimed they were promoting economic growth, population growth and rural development. It was not until the 1950’s that the French realized they could not change the structure of African farming (Beusekom, 2). The more they tried it would threatened rural development. Between 1955 and 1965 a flood from the Niger River occurred which destroyed crops that were previously planted. Mali still continues to grow cotton and peanuts, but since the flood they’ve grown a new crop that is drought resistance, it is called Haini (Beusekom, 3). Since Mali has gained independence they also harvest rice (Beusekom, 4). The second legacy of colonization was religion. When the French arrived to Mali, one of their goals was to eliminate Islamic rule or power and combat slavery. The French thought it was their right to invade Mali and impose Christianity upon them because they based everything from the church and the pope They claimed that they wanted to “spread the gospel overseas” which means to spread the teachings of Christianity around the world. Their intentions were to set up the first Christian Mission in Timbuktu in French Soudan which is now modern day Sudan (World-net Virgina: Mali History). Native Malian’s were primarily Muslim. This legacy was not effective because to this day the Muslims of Mali make up 90% of the country (citation). Today the largest demographic in Mali are Muslims and the French people there. However the French’s attempt to uproot Islam from the country was not effective. At the end of colonization the Malians continued to follow the teachings of Islam. Although Christianity was introduced to the Malian people, today 90% of the Malian population are Muslim. Before the French arrived the Arabs controlled the Islamic religion in Mali. After Mali gained independence from France they took control of their own religion. The French did not force their language upon the Malian people. The vernacular of the French army became Bambara because the French and the Malians had to communicate they both learned both languages. Bambara is still known as the common language but the elite speak French. The people basically communicate in both languages. Although Mali is a multilingual country most of the population speak Bambara and French. There are two main languages spoken in Mali. French is the formal language and Bambara being the common language. More specifically, French is used for formal education, formal administration and media by upper-class citizens. Bambara is used when communicating informally. It was both a successful and unsuccessful attempt because over the century the Malians did not completely assimilate to the French language. Because French is spoken by the elite and is preferred to be used when teaching academics, it shown as the language of political policy. This shows that language is power in Mali and that French speakers tend to have more opportunities. French is the official language in Mali, but some native speakers still speak Arabic, which is the official Islamic language. By the French colonizing Mali, they made a huge impact on their culture. Although the French tried to force Christianity upon Malian’s, today 90% of Malian’s reside as Muslims. Colonization benefited Mali because they would have been as modern as they are now.
If it wasn’t for the French their agricultural system would not have been as productive and advanced. Because the French introduced these crops, they are still playing a large role in the Modern day Malian Economy. For Example they would not have known how to harvest new crops if the French had not educated them on the procedures. Although they have been independent for over 50 years they have not been able to structure themselves into a developed country. If they had still been under French rule they most likely would be a modern developed
nation. By the French forcing Christianity on Malians it only made them want to go back to Islam. But this time they independently started their religion back up. After the French left Malians became religiously stronger; therefore; the Malians were impacted by the religious change but barely benefited from it. When the French colonized Mali they had intentions to convert all Muslims to Christianity, change the agricultural system and impose their own French language on the Malian people. They succeeded for 68 years. Malians benefited from the French language because now they can engage in trade. In terms of the religious aspect, they now know how to rule their own religion. They also know how to grow different crops in order to keep their economy afloat. There has also been rapid growth of Malian’s in France. As of today, over 120,000 Malians live in France. When Mali gained its independence the nations still incorporated the French culture.
Algeria had revolted against the French colonies many times, but did not succeed with overthrowing them. Under the French rule
The late 18th century and early 19th century was a prominent time period in which the French Revolution and Haitian revolution occurred. Both revolutions were connected to each other such that they shared similar causes and consequences. Together, France and Haiti were angered by the inequality and unfair privileges that continued to appear in their societies. At the same time, they were inspired and hopeful of bringing the Enlightenment ideas into reality. Although they were able to accomplish most of what they fought for, such as the abolition of slavery, they still took part in bloody revolutions. However, one of the greatest differences in their outcomes was that France emerged as a new, firm government as Haiti staggered with its new independence.
There was also a Kingdom called Mali that broke off from the Ghana Empire. At this time they had embraced the religion of Islam and had been under the great rule of Mansa Musa. This empire had the job of protecting the caravans or shipments carrying the goods, so that they can trade. They helped towards the function of trade so that both the importer and exporter gained something. In document 3 it explains how their wealth was great because of their trade. The document also talks about the fact that they had exhibited the characteristics of an advanced divination like sufficient food to feed its people, a strong army equipped with advanced weapons and income derived from taxes. Even though the Mali Empire had wealth there was very little corruption if there was with the ruler. He did not go mad with power but he was generous. In document four it states they there was no person who did not receive a sum of gold from him.
However, French lost its territory to the Spanish and the British, but most of France’s colonial wealth were extracted from their colonies in Africa, especially from its vast wealth of gold and diamond. “Like the Spanish the French preferred to rule their colonies under a direct rule, which urge more metropole culture spread upon colonized land. While Spanish colonial cities have plazas, the French colonial cities have Paris grid town planning and architecture that often remind one of France. They also introduced education system using French language, to help further brainwash and spread their own value” (Quora). “The French also wanted to spread their “French value” to its subject as part of their “civilizing” mission, to bless the barbaric of indigenous Africans and Asians with enlightenment (admittedly they were less successful than Americans, but did manage to spread the French language all over Africa)” (Quora). While Africa became more “France”, this failed in Indochina because the locals find French difficult to learn. The Africa colonization was pure and simple, to benefit the metropole at most while limiting the development of industry as to make Africa reliant on European
Beginning in mid-1789, and lasting until late-1799, the French Revolution vastly changed the nation of France throughout its ten years. From the storming of the Bastille, the ousting of the royal family, the Reign of Terror, and all the way to the Napoleonic period, France changed vastly during this time. But, for the better part of the last 200 years, the effects that the French Revolution had on the nation, have been vigorously debated by historian and other experts. Aspects of debate have focused around how much change the revolution really caused, and the type of change, as well as whether the changes that it brought about should be looked at as positive or negative. Furthermore, many debate whether the Revolutions excesses and shortcomings can be justified by the gains that the revolution brought throughout the country. Over time, historians’ views on these questions have changed continually, leading many to question the different interpretations and theories behind the Revolutions effectiveness at shaping France and the rest of the world.
Europe, in the late 1800’s, was starting for a land grab in the African continent. Around 1878, most of Africa was unexplored, but by 1914, most of Africa, with the lucky exception of Liberia and Ethiopia, was carved up between European powers. There were countless motivations that spurred the European powers to carve Africa, like economical, political, and socio–cultural, and there were countless attitudes towards this expansion into Africa, some of approval and some of condemnation.
The development of canal, steam boats and railroads provided a transportation network that linked different regions of the nation together. When farmers began migrating westward and acquiring land for crops, cheaper forms of transportation provided the means to transfer their goods to other regions for s...
Algeria started as independent groups of natives under Ottoman control located in North Africa, East of Morocco. The people lived for years operating well under their own rules, culture, and pirating ways. The French were attracted by the Algerians' control of the Mediterranean Sea and the trading opportunities it had. Expanding on their empire, the French wanted to gain this influential power and ease of trading in the Mediterranean. After their successful conquest, France considered their newly obtained colony as an extension of their own country, and without consideration of the natives, they proceeded to change the daily lives of native Algerians forever. Through the process of colonization, the French drastically influenced the social, political and economic structures of Algeria by assimilating the native population.
Unlike many other European countries that sought out the territory in Southeast Asia merely for increasing their power through trade, the French first began interactions with the region as early as the 17th century. Alexandre De Rhodes began an expedition to the Southeast Asia region with the desire to expand the Jesuit missionaries throughout the region to further their belief. For many years until the 18th century, the Jesuits expanded and created many missionaries throughout the region. The 18th century had brought an astronomical expansion in the trading markets throughout Europe and Asia as all the European superpowers began colonizing all of Southeast Asia to further their trading “empires.” The French would also begin to participate, not at the same level as countries such as the Netherlands or Great Britain, but more in moderation. At that time the French believed to confine their participation in Southeast Asia to religious advancement and moderate trading. It wasn’t until the 19th century until things would begin to take a turn and the French would become a major participant in Vietnam’s history.
The Mali Kingdom used to be one of the biggest empires in West African History. Its height when so far it went from the Atlantic Coast to the Sahara Desert. The Mali Empire was an empire in West Africa from 1230 to 1670. The Kingdom Of Mali was first founded when Sundiata Keita defeated Ghana and captured its capital in 1240. Keita was called upon to free the Mali people from the rule of the king of the Sosso Empire. Later after Keita defeated Ghana, Mali was then established in the mid-1200s by Keita. The Kingdom Of Mali later extended to the famous trading city of Timbuktu. Mali had built its wealth and power on the Gold and Salt Trade.
“The sun never sets on the British Empire,” Great Britain often bragged. By 1914, about 85% of the earth’s surface was colonized by Europe. Between 1884 and 1885, The Berlin Conference took place to carve up the African continent (Background Essay). Europeans saw high potential in Africa and thought the continent was empty, even though it was not. It was roughly “untouched” and they thought they could do anything they wanted (Doc.1). Great Britain’s colonization in Kenya affected the country’s religion and culture, education, and government.
With the discovery of the New World, people raced across the Atlantic Ocean to claim land that would help them achieve their goals. The french being one of the many people to do so. Like everything in the world nothing comes easy, everything comes with a cost or a fight. It cost the French their land they managed to accomplish and a fight that made them lose all. The french had it difficult from the discovery, the expanding, and the competing of land with their rival.
The Kingdom of Mali was an African hub of wealth, trade and education for over 225 years. Mali is an Arab version of the Mandinka word that means, “Where the king dwells”, and was vitally important in spreading trade, education, religion and culture along the Niger River. The rise of Mali into an Empire occurred in the early 13th century, when Sundiata defeated his enemies and won control of the West African gold mines. In 1312 Mansa Musa became ruler of Mali. During his reign which was known as Mali’s, “Golden Age”, he introduced Islamic beliefs to many communities along the Niger and enhanced education after his historic pilgrimage to Mecca. Mali’s rise was attributed to the Trans-Saharan Trade routes leading to and from Western and Eastern Africa. These trade routes contributed to the rise and fall of powerful African Kingdoms for hundreds of years, but for 250 years, Mali was the crown jewel of Africa.
European Culture vs. African: France occupied Africa and brought in the language and educational system, but the cultural traditions of marriage, living, and the place of woman is still under African traditions.
An overwhelming majority of African nations has reclaimed their independence from their European mother countries. This did not stop the Europeans from leaving a permanent mark on the continent however. European colonialism has shaped modern-day Africa, a considerable amount for the worse, but also some for the better. Including these positive and negative effects, colonialism has also touched much of Africa’s history and culture especially in recent years.