Why European countries divided Africa, and how Africans responded

Grade 10 Social Studies Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   Cards A to D. Card A, two summaries in our words, written today. A Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute unit says European powers controlled about 10 percent of Africa in the 1870s and nearly 90 percent by 1914. A PBS program says roughly 10 percent of Africa was colonized in 1870, mostly on the coasts, and 90 percent by 1914. Ethiopia and Liberia stayed independent. Card B, a summary in our words, written today: The Berlin Conference met from November 1884 to February 1885. Bismarck called it. Thirteen countries and the United States attended. No African ruler or representative was present. The powers set out a principle of effective occupation. The Yale unit adds that Europeans saw African resources as necessary to fuel their industry. Card C, a summary in our words, written today, from a United Nations office: Except for Ethiopia and Liberia, African states were created by European powers through violence or political pressure between 1880 and 1914. At Berlin the powers agreed to draw administrative boundaries. African resistance was firm after Berlin. Card D, a summary in our words, written today, from a Harvard thesis: By 1914 Africa was almost entirely under European control. Germany held German East Africa until after World War I, when Britain took Tanganyika and Belgium took Rwanda and Burundi as League of Nations mandates.

2. 1.

   Card A: two sources give the European share of Africa as about 10 percent in the 1870s and about 90 percent in 1914. What do the two sources allow Ari to say?

   • That the change is well supported: both sources agree on the broad shares, which are rounded
   • That the shares are exact, since both sources print percentages and percentages are exact counts
   • That the sources conflict, since one says nearly 90 and the other says 90, so neither is usable
   • That Africans accepted the change, since the share rose steadily from the coast inward
3. 2.

   Bo reads "about 90 percent held by Europeans in 1914" as meaning almost no independent African states existed. What does card A say?

   • Ninety percent of African states were held by Europeans, since the share is the same for states
   • No state remained, since a share of 90 percent of the land leaves no room for an independent state
   • Ethiopia and Liberia were held by Europeans as well, since the shares add up to 100 percent
   • Ethiopia and Liberia stayed independent; the 90 percent is a share of land, not of states
4. 3.

   Card A says about 10 percent was held in the 1870s, mostly on the coasts. Esme concludes that Europeans knew little about the interior. What do the cards support?

   • That the hold grew slowly, since 10 percent in the 1870s shows a gradual start before Berlin
   • That Europeans knew little, since a coastal hold means traders had not looked inland
   • That they held inland areas too, since 10 percent of a continent must reach beyond the coast
   • That holdings were mostly coastal then; the cards say nothing about what Europeans knew
5. 4.

   Kira says, "Bismarck divided Africa." Using card B, what is the accurate version?

   • Bismarck followed the wishes of the African states, since the conference was held to hear them
   • Bismarck called the meeting; the attending powers set the rules, and no single decider is named
   • Bismarck drew each border himself, since he called the meeting and led the delegates
   • The meeting was a formality, since the powers had already divided Africa before November 1884
6. 5.

   Card C says the powers agreed at Berlin to draw boundaries, and that states were created between 1880 and 1914 by violence or pressure. Luz says Berlin drew Africa's borders in 1885. What fits?

   • Each border was drawn in the meeting room in 1885, since the agreement to draw them came there
   • Berlin did nothing for borders, since states were created later by violence and pressure alone
   • Berlin set the principle and the plan to draw boundaries; states were created over 1880 to 1914
   • Berlin drew the borders and Africans accepted them, since resistance did not start until 1914
7. 6.

   Cards A and D both say Europeans controlled almost all Africa by 1914. Milo asks what kind of agreement that is.

   • Nothing, since two summaries written today may have copied the same earlier work
   • Proof of each detail, since two sources agreeing on a result settle what each power held at the time
   • Two separate summaries agree on the broad result, which corroborates it, though not each detail
   • A disagreement, since card A gives a percentage and card D gives no percentage
8. 7.

   Card A's two sources say "the 1870s" and "1870." Noah says they conflict. What is the reply?

   • They conflict, since one source mentions the coasts and the other does not
   • They agree by chance alone, since two summaries cannot confirm each other
   • They conflict, since a decade and a single year cannot describe the same holdings
   • They do not conflict: 1870 falls inside the 1870s, and both give about 10 percent
9. 8.

   Card B says no African was present at Berlin; card C says resistance was firm after Berlin. Pia says Africans accepted partition. What do the two cards show together?

   • Africans resisted before Berlin, since card C says resistance was firm after it
   • Africans accepted, since they sent no one to protest and the cards record no early objection
   • Africans were absent from the decisions and resisted afterward, so acceptance is not supported
   • Resistance did not matter, since the powers had already settled the rules without Africans
10. 9.

    Card B notes that Europeans saw African resources as necessary to fuel industry. Ren asks why the powers wanted Africa. Which statement is best supported?

    • Resources for industry are named as a motive, but the card does not rank it against others
    • The aim was the glory of empire, since card B ranks resources below prestige
    • Resources were the single motive, since card B names no other reason for the partition of Africa
    • The aim was to improve African lives, since the powers met in the name of order
11. 10.

    Card D: Germany held German East Africa until after World War I; then Britain and Belgium took parts as mandates. Tala says the war ended colonial rule there. What fits?

    • It changed nothing, since the same people governed before and after the war
    • It ended colonial rule, since the former German lands were no longer German
    • It extended German rule, since mandates came from a body of European powers that Germany helped to found
    • It changed which powers ruled; the lands were still under European control as mandates