Section 2 Imperial Consolidation and Liberal Rule c1890-1914 Chapter 7 Consolidation and Expansion of the British Empire in Africa
Chapter 7: Consolidation and Expansion of the British Empire in
Africa
Why did British Policy in Africa Become More Assertive From 1890?
British approach in the 1880s?
• The Empire was largely bases for strategic or trading purposes
• Occasionally they responded to other powers – matching settlements by the French/Germans
• Private chartered companies were used to occupy and administrate territory
• The approach was generally cautious but there had been some direct intervention e.g. in Egypt and South
Africa
How and why did the British approach change from 1890?
• Imperial attitudes within Britain had changed and people were more supportive of formal intervention, largely
due to the attitude of the press
• The conservatives, ‘party of Empire’, were elected in 1895 and were determined to uphold Britain’s position in
every part of the world. This led to wars, threats of wars and ambitious programmes to uphold Empire
• British protectorates were expanded in order to provide security to pre-existing ports, markets or resources
• New territories were taken to limit the advance of other European powers
• The Berlin Conference (1885-5) had established the ground rules of colonisation – as long as you could show
‘effective occupation’ (i.e. admin and defense) of African territories then it could be claimed as a formal
colony
• Only 10% of land remained outside European control 20 years after the conference
• Chartered companies proved increasingly inefficient and were no a cost effective was of
administrating/expanding British interests. Formal control was seen as a better way to protect/develop British
interests
Why did the British Consolidate and Expand their Empire in East and West
Africa?
Expansion in West Africa
• Gold Coast – Britain was tired of skirmishes with the Ashanti tribe bordering the colony. They demanded that
King Prempeh turned over his empire to a British Protectorate. He refused which led to the Anglo-Ashanti
War. Britain conquered Ashantiland in 1896 and it became incorporated into the Gold Coast colony. This
removed the indigenous threat to British trade and it checked French interests in the region
• Nigeria – The Royal Niger Company ruled in the region, they established their claim by virtue of occupation
and agreement with the French in 1890 (Britain recognised France’s influence in Madagascar). This ended any
French interest in the area. The British government took direct control from the RNC because pre-existing
trade could continue more sustainably without it, in the North in 1900 and the South in 1906. It reunited as a
colony in 1914.
Expansion in East Africa
• British East Africa (Kenya) – it was part of Britain’s ‘sphere of influence’ and they exploited a succession
dispute between the native Mazrui and the Muslim Sheikh Mbaruk. Mbaruk took up arms against the British,
obtaining weapons from the Germans, it took the British 9 months to defeated them but eventually Mbaruk
fled and the territory became part of Britain’s East African Protectorate in 1895 – it was not officially declared
a colony until 1920. It provided access to the fertile land of Uganda, formed a buffer against German interests
in Tanzania and they hoped to grow tea and coffee
- The Ugandan Railway was used to consolidate Britain’s formal takeover of both East Africa and
Uganda, it linked the colonies together and with the Indian ocean. It was 660 miles long, took 5 years
to build, cost £5 million and took the lives of 2500 labours. It was known as the ‘lunatic line’ because
of its engineering ingenuity and because of the difficulties surrounding its construction e.g. The
Chapter 7: Consolidation and Expansion of the British Empire in
Africa
Why did British Policy in Africa Become More Assertive From 1890?
British approach in the 1880s?
• The Empire was largely bases for strategic or trading purposes
• Occasionally they responded to other powers – matching settlements by the French/Germans
• Private chartered companies were used to occupy and administrate territory
• The approach was generally cautious but there had been some direct intervention e.g. in Egypt and South
Africa
How and why did the British approach change from 1890?
• Imperial attitudes within Britain had changed and people were more supportive of formal intervention, largely
due to the attitude of the press
• The conservatives, ‘party of Empire’, were elected in 1895 and were determined to uphold Britain’s position in
every part of the world. This led to wars, threats of wars and ambitious programmes to uphold Empire
• British protectorates were expanded in order to provide security to pre-existing ports, markets or resources
• New territories were taken to limit the advance of other European powers
• The Berlin Conference (1885-5) had established the ground rules of colonisation – as long as you could show
‘effective occupation’ (i.e. admin and defense) of African territories then it could be claimed as a formal
colony
• Only 10% of land remained outside European control 20 years after the conference
• Chartered companies proved increasingly inefficient and were no a cost effective was of
administrating/expanding British interests. Formal control was seen as a better way to protect/develop British
interests
Why did the British Consolidate and Expand their Empire in East and West
Africa?
Expansion in West Africa
• Gold Coast – Britain was tired of skirmishes with the Ashanti tribe bordering the colony. They demanded that
King Prempeh turned over his empire to a British Protectorate. He refused which led to the Anglo-Ashanti
War. Britain conquered Ashantiland in 1896 and it became incorporated into the Gold Coast colony. This
removed the indigenous threat to British trade and it checked French interests in the region
• Nigeria – The Royal Niger Company ruled in the region, they established their claim by virtue of occupation
and agreement with the French in 1890 (Britain recognised France’s influence in Madagascar). This ended any
French interest in the area. The British government took direct control from the RNC because pre-existing
trade could continue more sustainably without it, in the North in 1900 and the South in 1906. It reunited as a
colony in 1914.
Expansion in East Africa
• British East Africa (Kenya) – it was part of Britain’s ‘sphere of influence’ and they exploited a succession
dispute between the native Mazrui and the Muslim Sheikh Mbaruk. Mbaruk took up arms against the British,
obtaining weapons from the Germans, it took the British 9 months to defeated them but eventually Mbaruk
fled and the territory became part of Britain’s East African Protectorate in 1895 – it was not officially declared
a colony until 1920. It provided access to the fertile land of Uganda, formed a buffer against German interests
in Tanzania and they hoped to grow tea and coffee
- The Ugandan Railway was used to consolidate Britain’s formal takeover of both East Africa and
Uganda, it linked the colonies together and with the Indian ocean. It was 660 miles long, took 5 years
to build, cost £5 million and took the lives of 2500 labours. It was known as the ‘lunatic line’ because
of its engineering ingenuity and because of the difficulties surrounding its construction e.g. The
