Modern AfricaModern Africa
Modern AfricaModern Africa
Africa
•Post
WWII:
Nationalist
Movements
•Many
gain
independence
•Post
WWII:
European
countries
weak
and
tired
of
fighting
•Many
roads
to
independence
including
violence.
•Changed
Country
names
from
colonial
to
traditional
African
names
Problems Facing IndependentAfrican Nations
•Obstacles
to
Progress
•Population
and
Poverty
–Population
explosion
–Widespread
hunger
–Widespread
poverty
Obstacles to Progress
•Political
Problems
–Tribalism
–Ethnic
and
regional
conflicts
–Harsh
dictators
–Coup
d’etats
(military
take
over)
–Corrupt
leaders
Obstacles to Progress
•Land
and
Climate
–Poor
soil
–Desert
climate
–Too
much
or
too
little
rain
–Desertification
in
the
Sahel
–What
causes
desertification?
•Slash
and
burn
farming
•Overgrazing
•Loses
much
of
the
natural
vegatation
Obstacles to Progress
•Economic
Policies
–Cash
crops
instead
of
food
crops
–Lack
of
funding
for
agricultural
development
–Failed
socialist
economies
–End
of
the
cold
war
–Rapid
urbanization
Obstacles to Progress
•Economic
dependence
–Need
for
foreign
aid
–Need
for
imported
goods
and
equipment
–High
debts
Nationalistic Leaders
•Jomo Kenyatta/Kenya
•Kwame Nkrumah/ Ghana
•Leopold Senghor/Senegal
Jomo Kenyatta
•Country: Kenya
•Time Frame:1960s and 1970s
•Known for:
–Independence leader of Kenya 1963/1964
–African nationalist
–Leader of KAU (Kenya African Union)
–Led Mau Mau uprising against Great Britain
–ruled as dictator
–Encourage foreign investment
Algeria
•French and Algerians
•1954 to 1962
•FLN/National Liberation Front
•Charles DeGaulle of France
Major Problems FacingAfrica
•Population Explosion
•Tribalism/Civil War
•One Party Rule/dictatorships
•Drought/Famine
•Desertification/Deforestation
•Aids
•Type of Economic System
•Foreign Debt
•Rapid Urbanization/loss of traditionalculture
Congo
•Rich in natural resources
•Leader:Mobutu Sese Seko
•Area: Zaire (Democratic Republic of theCongo)
•Dictator:
–Took money from the country’s treasury &put it into his own bank account
–Supported by US
–Set tribe against tribe to consolidate power
–Overthrown when ethnic fighting in Rwandabetween the Hutu and Tutsi spilled over intoZaire
Bishop Desmond Tutu
•Country: South Africa
•Time Frame:1960s to 1990s
•Known For: Anti Apartheid Movement
–Led peaceful demonstrations inprotest
–Traveled to US
–Urged foreign companies not to spendmoney in SA
–Economic Sanctions
Nelson Mandela
•Country:South Africa
•Time frame: 1950s to present
•Known For:
–Fought Against Apartheid
–Started Non-violent then vio;ent actions inprotest
–Put in jail for 27 years by white gov’t
–Elected 1st Black president of SA in 1994
–1st elections held in 1994
F.W. de Klerk
•Country: South Africa
•Time Frame: late 1980s and early 1990s.
•Known For:
–Last white ruler of South Africa
–Dismantled Apartheid
–Allowed free elections
–Freed Mandela from prison
–Legalized the ANC
Hutus vs. Tutsis
•Burundi and Rwanda
•Central African nations
•Dysfunctional states created by oldcolonial borders
•Belgium/Tutsis in Charge
•15% Tutsis/ 85%Hutus
•Tutsis control military andgovernment
•1994 Hutus gained power in Rwanda1/2million Tutsis killed
•Burundi Ethnic fencing of Hutus
Sierra Leone
•10 year civil war
•Blood Diamonds
•Revolutionary United front
•Rebels kidnapped more than 5400 childrento fight
•Ages 6 to 17
•Massive killings/war crimes
•Financed by diamonds
•UN Embargo on diamonds from SierraLeone
Diamonds
•Charles Taylor of Liberia violatedembargo
•Burkina Faso another country thatviolated the embargo
•De Beers
Sudan
•Dafur region
•Sunni Muslim militias oppress the BlackAfricans who follow animistic religions
•Militias commonly known as Janjaweed
•Widespread rape, ethnic cleansing, murderand looting.
•50,000 killed
•Displaced over 1.2 million people.
