During the late 1800s. Africa was put under immense force per unit area by the European powers as they scrambled to take over African district. They were shoved into a corner and had limited options of acquiring out. One thing they refused to make was give in to the elites that were seeking to get the better of them.
Africa as a whole reacted in three ways ; diplomatically- as in severally worsening the Europeans offer and non giving up their land. violently- by contending with what small pieces they had against the highly advanced guns their oppositions had. and in desperation- visual perception no other option and no better manner to acquire out so responding in ways that were unexpected like adult females contending and believing in a economy spirit that could protect them. These tactics worked for some African states better than others. but in most instances the state was still taken over in the terminal.
At the beginning of Europeans scramble for Africa. the head of the different African states felt that they could work out this whole state of affairs diplomatically. Europe tried to merely take over the African authorities easy and painlessly. but the African states refused to merely allow them take over. The British authorities tried to administrate a standardised signifier to all countries around the Niger River and for the Royal Niger Company. This signifier would guarantee that Europe would hold control of the lower Niger River.
The signifier stated that “the Royal Niger Company adhere themselves non to interfere with any of the native Torahs or imposts of the country” ( 1 ) . They say that they will remain out of all African personal businesss but they truly did non. Because of this. an Ashanti leader responded by stating “I am pleased to denote that we have arrived at the decision that my land of Ashanti will ne’er perpetrate itself to any such policy” ( 2 ) . The Ashanti state wants to remain friendly with the British. but they don’t want to be controlled by them.
The Ethiopian state responded really likewise and said. “Since the All-Powerful has protected Ethiopia up until now. I am hopeful that he will maintain and enlarge it besides in the hereafter. and I do non believe for a minute that He will split Ethiopia amount the distant Powers” ( 3 ) . Ethiopia felt they didn’t need any “extra protection” from Europe when they were already to the full protected by their God. Both of these states courteously declined. yet that wouldn’t needfully halt these distant powers from occupying.
Another common reaction to the European invasion was force. When they African states refused to allow Europe occupy easy. Europe took control and merely invaded. Obviously. the Africans felt this unacceptable. For illustration. in South Africa. Africans were being treated like slaves and were beat by the Europeans. They rebelled and fought with all the machinery they had but were wholly demolished. A veteran of this rebellion stated “We made many charges but each clip we were defeated. But for the White men’s machine guns. it would hold been different” ( 4 ) .
The Africans felt that if the British wouldn’t have had the advantage of their heavier heavy weapon. that they would’ve had a opportunity in winning. Even in an country near the Congo River the Africans felt it unfair they didn’t have the same arms. One African head said. “You think because you have guns you can take away our land and our ownerships. You have sickness in your caputs. for this is non justice” ( 9 ) . In both state of affairss. they were truly acrimonious after their losingss and knew they could’ve won if the playing field was even.
In Ethiopia. they leveled the playing field by acquiring equal heavy weapon with the Europeans. In the image presented in papers 5. it shows violent opposition and an heroic conflict over the land. Once both sides had equal equipment. the Africans really won the conflict and pushed Europe out of their lands. All these people refused to travel down without a battle because their land was all they had. The last most common reaction was despair. Africans were despairing and didn’t feel they had many options but they had to make everything they could to maintain life as they knew it was.
One option they turned to was holding the adult females fight. When some of the heads of the Ashanti were scared to contend. the Ashanti Queen stated “If you the work forces of Ashanti will non travel frontward. so we will. We the adult females will” ( 6 ) . They would make anything to maintain their state from being taken over. even if the work forces wouldn’t do it the adult females would. This shows true despair because at that point in clip adult females could seldom take part in anything governmental. particularly contending in war. but they were willing to make anything. The Africans tried to promote all other African states to contend back every bit good.
They knew that there was a high chance that they would decease. which was why most states weren’t contending back. but one leader of the Herero people said to another African leader that they should “Let us decease contending instead than decease as a consequence of ill-treatment. imprisonment. or some other catastrophe. State all the heads down at that place to lift and make battle” ( 7 ) . They figured if they were traveling to decease either manner. they should travel down uprightly and battle for what’s right. It was their last resort. but they knew it was what they needed to make.
They even got to such a point that they started to believe in anything that could assist them win. A German military officer recorded that in East Africa. “The heads spread it amount their people that a spirit. life in the signifier of a serpent. had given a charming medical specialty to a medical specialty man…The medical specialty would besides give impregnability. moving in such a manner that enemy slugs would fall from their marks like raindrops” ( 8 ) . The heads used whatever they could to acquire their people to believe that they could win this conflict against the Europeans. for they were despairing and needed something to actuate their people into triumph.
The Africans were surprised at the major invasion that was unexpected. but they reacted in whatever manner they could to maintain their land from being taken over. Another papers that could be helpful in understanding this state of affairs more would be a papers from the Europeans to the Africans seeking to speak to them originally about the invasion and take over. It would assist to cognize how the Europeans originally tried to peacefully speak to the Africans.