![Picture](/uploads/9/6/3/1/96313432/screen-shot-2016-12-14-at-10-27-02-am_1.png?475)
This is a political cartoon illustrating how a nation had its hands, or influence in many places
What is Imperialism?
In the nineteenth Century, imperialism was flourishing throughout europe. Countries such as England, France, and Italy were conquering inferior nations and unknown territories. Because of economics, politics, and technological innovations, places such as Africa, Asia, and India were conquered by major nations. As a result of imperialism, many areas of the world share the same language, similar culture, and a similar history.
According to Wikipedia, Imperialism is "a policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means". In the 1860s, Great Britain, Portugal, Belgium, and Germany were all attempting to conquer Africa. Having a partial control over Africa was very advantageous for various reasons, one of which is political power. Of the many political struggles occurring in between the European countries, being able to demonstrate this power was essential.
Imperialism has both a good and bad side. On one side, powerful and dominate nations are spread with with their religion and culture. However, at the same time if that territory was a civilization, before taken over, that culture, religion, and knowledge was lost. So many ,as a result of this, could see imperialism as both good and bad, and sometimes good on certain expansions and sometimes bad on others. Imperialism has shaped our world today and remains the main reason how our country, The United States' boundaries were formed.
http://www.gutenberg.us/article/whebn0007080593/second%20wave%20of%20european%20colonisation
http://www.smplanet.com/teaching/imperialism/
How did Western Powers Benifit From Colonizing South Africa?
The Europeans benefitted from conquering South Africa in many ways. One of which include controlling trade routes to India. This is important because they could tax or take resources in return for people to use the trade rout that they controlled. The discovery of gold and diamonds caused great interest, and even sparked some wars. To have control in South Africa was an important economic descision for the western powers.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/empire/g2/cs3/background.htm
The Europeans benefitted from conquering South Africa in many ways. One of which include controlling trade routes to India. This is important because they could tax or take resources in return for people to use the trade rout that they controlled. The discovery of gold and diamonds caused great interest, and even sparked some wars. To have control in South Africa was an important economic descision for the western powers.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/empire/g2/cs3/background.htm
Comparing and Contrasting Nineteenth Century South Africa to Present Day South Africa
In the nineteenth century, Two main countries had control over the South American people, the Dutch and the British. After years of fighting, they completely took over, creating a segregated, mostly white in power government. This caused much racial tension. The europeans created a type of legislation called an apartheid. This apartheid stated that whites and blacks could not live near each other, use different restroom and public facilities, and basically kept contact to a minimum. This continued until the nineteen sixties, and began to end when people began to go on strike; " which will end the frightful policies of racial oppression pursued by your Government." (Mandela, 2). Nelson Mandela's second letter to Hendrik Verwoerd on June 26, 1961 proposes a democratic constitution, that would end these racial tensions. With a mostly black community, the rule of he British and dutch was not favorable, and was spark for protest. Nelson Mandela was elected president of South Africa in 1994, marking the end of the apartheid, and a potential turning point in civil rights in the nation.
South Africa today in the 21st century is much different, with the apartheid ending in 1994 with the democratic election of Nelson Mandela. Although the independence of South Africa was established in 1931, the apartheid still continued on for many years. Racism continues to be an issue with South Africa, according to USA Today. During the new year celebration in 2016, racist comments were posted on face book and other social media platforms. South Africa is still dealing with racial segregation, according to Huffington Post. Schools continue to have racial issues, and teachers, who are not native to the area cannot answer questions asked by the teachers. Poverty continues to afflict the nation with malnutrition and lack of opportunities. According to many South Africans, the crime rate has increased, and so has the poverty. Others even go as far as to say that the country was better organized with the apartheid, and it was more stable.
While a nation that is restricted by an apartheid may not seem ideal, and it is not, with the segregation, and overall brutal treatment. In South Africa, the apartheid restricted and smothered the blacks, and the whites treated them as a different species, but many will say that the government was better organized with the apartheid. Since the election of Nelson Mandela in 1994, crime rates have gone up, and so has the poverty line. Many changes were made since the 19th century, some good, some bad, and the nation is still divided, even if they are no longer under apartheid.
What is Merchantilism?
Merchantilism is the belief in the benefits of profitable trading. It was an economic theory that was used. It gave the government much economic power.
How did merchantilism affect South Africa?
Merchantilism affected South Africa in many ways. They are just now beginning to trade, and the economy is very bad after the apartheid.
http://www.ccr.org.za/index.php/media-release/in-the-media/newspaper-articles/item/381-pr-11
Merchantilism is the belief in the benefits of profitable trading. It was an economic theory that was used. It gave the government much economic power.
How did merchantilism affect South Africa?
Merchantilism affected South Africa in many ways. They are just now beginning to trade, and the economy is very bad after the apartheid.
http://www.ccr.org.za/index.php/media-release/in-the-media/newspaper-articles/item/381-pr-11
![Picture](/uploads/9/6/3/1/96313432/screen-shot-2016-12-14-at-11-05-04-am_orig.png)
South Africa's first persident, Nelson Mandella
Effects of Western Civilization in South Africa
History has formed countries differently throughout the world as time has progressed. Different regions of the world were affected in different ways. Empires took over less dominant civilizations in some parts and others were expanded into unknown territory. This resulted in different formations and changes around the world. Western civilization and imperialism affected many countries including South Africa. South Africa underwent many good and bad transformations throughout history.
Africa is a very important part in the history of the world. “It was the scene of humanorigins. Moreover, in cultural terms, Africa participated in the early development of civilization.” (Paragraph 2, R. A. Guisepi). These sentences describe why Africa and South Africa was so important of the beginning of western civilization, and the expansion of the human race. Current day South Africa is home to more than 54 million people. A big push to people moving to South Africa came from the drying up of the Sahara.
The current government type is a republic, however during western civilization, “First settlers as early as 1795 tried to establish an independent republic.”
(http://www.infoplease.com/country/south-africa.html, paragraph 1 History). Soon after, in 1815 “Britain took permanent possession in 1815 at the end of the Napoleonic Wars, bringing in 5,000 settlers” (same source). Then, the discovery of diamonds and gold in 1867 brought on many wars due to the demand of those resources. That made South Africa valuable territory. After many years of fighting, finally in 1912 the African People created and established the African National Congress. Africa declared itself a republic in 1961.
Even though South Africa had established their government and became independant. Slavery was a massive issue. The Portuguese would bring boats to South Africa where war lords would capture slaves and sell them to them and in return would get money or materials. Those slaves would then go on to work in the new found Americas. In 1960, a black peaceful protests resulted in 70 killed. The policy was not changed, and 16 years later in 1976, 600 people died trying to get slavery abolished. Things began to change in 1989 when F. W. de Klerk replaced P. W. Botha as president. Today slavery still exists. “About 1.5 million people around the world today are being forced into being sex slaves.” (Youtube video on Sex Slaves, Conspiracy Theory). Sex slaves are being trafficked all throughout the world. They are roped in by saying that people have jobs waiting for them, but when they show up their identities are taken and they are forced to be sex slaves to create revenue for the group in control. They do not benefit anything from this.
In conclusion, South Africa is still being affected by wester civilization and imperialism by the effects of slavery and how it is still continuing on. Sex trafficking is a major issue in South Africa. South Africa was also really late to start advancing due to the lack of a good government and being held back by slaver. South Africa still has the largest economy in Africa, however could be so much larger if it had not been held back. South Africa has so much good in its future. They have overcome massive obstacles and proved nothing can stop them.
How did the Controling Nations Justify their Imperialism
The nation in control if South Africa at the time was Britain. They justified their motives by saying it was their "White man's Burden" to civilize the people. They also wanted a political and economic power. The income made by a colony would go to them, making them richer.
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5478/
Effects on 19th Century Imperialism
In the nineteenth century, South Africa was a brutal place. Well only for the africans. The British and the Dutch were living the life. Once the Dutch and British took over South Africa they put in there own government. Where white people were in power and blacks were segregated. There was one type of government called apartheid. This stated that blacks and white couldn't live near each other.
The Boers Wars was a battle between the British empire and the dutch also known as the Boers or Afrikaners. The wars began in 1899, the were started when people in South Africa began to find diamonds and gold. South Africa was controlled by the Dutch and the British were the nice neighbors until this discovery. The british wanted all of the gold and diamonds so they fought over territory. The british seemed to be winning the wars because they had gained the most land. But the Dutch launched units called the guerilla. This really frustrated the british, so they sent certain troops to kill the guerilla units. In 1902 there was a treaty stopping all wars between the Boers and the British. This treaty was called the Peace of Vereeniging.
Once this treaty was signed the british took over. They put in a whole new government. The government was great for whites but horrible for Africans. Africans began to be segregated in their own country. In some ways this really boosted their economy South Africa went from poor and not very developed to developed because of the british. The British brought technology and new ways to trade. The better machines they had to make stuff the more stuff they could make and the faster they could make it. Therefore better economy. But it also hurt their economy because everything they made was taxed and had to be shipped through the British.
How were the Africans living? Well it was basically slavery they were segregated and they couldn't live near white people. They couldn't go to the same bathroom, restaurant or anything else. Plus the natives lost all of there say in government. They had no say at all whatever they said was basically ignored. All of this is a part of the apartheid passed by the government. This was over by about the nineteen sixties. So in conclusion life in South Africa was pretty brutal if you were African because of all of the government laws but it was great if you were white.