In a general way, one can say that European colonization marked a relative stop between the end of the first empires, that the treaties of the end of the XVIII E century and 1815 devote, and the imperialist division of the world, during the last quarter of the XIX E century and the beginning of the XX E century.
French and British colonies The French colonial activity (1830-1847)
Between 1830 and 1847, France settles in Algeria and posts its intention to be present in the Maghreb. Around 1850, starting from Saint-Louis of Senegal, it extends its colony in all the interior of the basin of Senegal. In 1855, it gets a foothold in the south of Indo-China.
The British colonial activity (1815-1852)
More active, Great Britain in full industrial rise seeks raw materials, markets and something to lean on for its fleet, mistress of the seas: by the agreements of 1815, it obtained the Cape of Good Hope, the island of Malta - bases invaluable, especially after the opening of Suez Canal (1869) -, Mauritius, Seychelles, points of monitoring on the road of the Indies; it settles in Singapore in 1819, in Hongkong in 1842, Burma in 1852, thus affirming its will to control most of the Asian markets. It is satisfied with an occupation with the coasts and counters, negotiating with the chiefs of the interior of the treaties of protectorate, sometimes transitory.
The African situation before the division Continental Africa
Inside the badly known continents, reactions sharp develop which Europeans must take into account. Certain Moslems of the basin of Senegal revolt, initially against the draft then against the commercial pressures, even if others seek to benefit from it.
In the east, in current Nigeria, a Moslem well-read man, Ousmane daN Fodio, found at the beginning of the XIXe century an immense Fulani empire, not very durable but which strongly modifies the situation between low Niger and Adamaoua. As from 1846, el-Hadj Omar, Moslem chief Toucouleur, seek to link in resistance to the French of Saint-Louis all the high basin of the river; its “holy war” shakes West Africa.
In the south of the continent, the creation of the Zulu kingdom by Chaka disorganizes the territories of other groups, such Ngonis, Sothos and Ndébélés; the competitions between black groups go back to this moment, but also the turbulence of the Zulus, from which the British come to end only after 1880. Boers, dissatisfied of the British administration, leave the colony of the Cape to settle more in north; they create the republics of Transvaal in 1852 and the free Orange State in 1854; they fight at the same time the British and the Zulus.
Eastern Africa
In Madagascar, monarchy merina quickly operates the conquest and the military squaring of the near total of the island. Egypt, after 1820, extends its domination to Sudan and creates the immense province of Equatoria, to Lake Victoria. The Moslems of Eastern Africa try to bar the road with Europeans: it is the case as well sultanate of Zanzibar, founded by Omaniens (1840), that of a powerful merchant of slaves, Tippoo-Tib, which cut a true empire in the oriental party of current democratic Congo (ex-Zaire).
Preliminaries
The violence of the warlike sudden starts that Europe knows after 1850, the increasingly keen competition between industrialized countries change the data of colonization completely. The territorial occupation succeeds brutally the old method of the counters. Jules Ferry clearly stated the new rules of the play: “An irresistible movement carries the great European nations with the new ground conquest. It is like an immense steeplechase on the road of the unknown. From 1815 to 1850, Europe was stay-at-home and hardly left to it. It was the time of the modest annexations and with small blows, of the middle-class and parsimonious conquests. Today these are continents that one annexes. The colonial policy is an international demonstration of the eternal laws of competition.”
Forwardings in series
The European companies of geography do not remain inactive. From 1760, and during more than one century, they subsidize the exploration of the unknown grounds: Interior Asia, major part of Africa. These companies are interested in the possibility of reaching by the large rivers of Asia and Africa, thanks to the steamers, at the hoped markets of consumption.
Between 1850 and 1870, central and southernmost Africa is traversed, from one ocean to another, by many forwardings. The Congo river holds the attention particularly. From 1874 to 1877, Stanley identifies of them the course on behalf of the king of the Belgians, Léopold II; he will continue his exploration in the basin of this river until 1890. France, on its side, sends Savorgnan de Brazza, between 1875 and 1880, to recognize the courses of Ogooué and low Congo.
New rules of occupation The international tension becomes so strong that Bismarck, come late in the race with the colonies, convenes in Berlin, in 1884-1885, an International Conference charged to define the legal principles of new colonization. Berlin gives a legal existence at the State independent of Congo, private property of the king of the Belgians; the conference establishes also the principle of freedom of movement of the people and the goods on the large rivers of Africa: this clause will never be respected.
But, the decision fraughtest with consequences, no country can from now on assert the possession of a territory while being satisfied to occupy the coast of it: it should be conquered the coveted countries. The colonial wars and the division of Asia and Africa will result, during the thirty years which follow, of the application of this decision. The clashes between European countries are violent one; they oppose them far from Europe, which knows, so a relative peace.
The main adversaries, France, Great Britain, Russia, clash on all the grounds; Germany, Italy, Portugal plays also their part. The concluding of agreements of division allows the reconciliation of the adversaries: British and French approach in 1904, Russians and British in 1907; the way is open for the Triple Entente, which will oppose these three countries to the block of the central empires (Austria, Germany, Hungary, Italy).
Resistances to the division of the grounds Revolts
Asia and Africa were during these thirty theoretically shared years and from the borders separate the colonial fields: if one can represent the extent of the empires in the atlases, essence remains to be made to really control the conquered grounds. In fact, the Asian ones and the Africans resist this division. Their revolts are sometimes violent but of short duration and despaired, because of the inequality of armament: it is the case for Ashantis, in 1900; for the Boxers, in China, in 1899-1900; for Maji-Maji against the hardness of the German occupation in Tanganyika, 1905 to 1907.
These revolts, still badly studied, contradict the idea that passive people underwent colonization in continents dedicated to the dependence. Resistances are sometimes difficult to overcome: those of Samori in Western Africa (1884-1898); from Madagascar (1898-1904); House-Blacks in Indo-China (1873-1913); of Senousis, Islamic brotherhood of Libya in fight against Italy (1912-1931).
A rampart: the religion
In the Moslem countries a new element appears with the rebirth of Islam, if visible already in Western Africa to the XVIII E century, like pole of resistance to Europe: in Sudan - where a mahdi creates a true Islamic State which resists the attacks of 1881 to 1898; in Tunisia; in the Indies Dutchwomen, where an holy war is led of 1881 to 1908; much more still in Western Africa and in the middle of Asia, where revolts occur simultaneously in 1916. All these events, to which one lent little attention, mark stakes of this rebirth.
In the same way, the Hinduism and the Confucianism constitute in Asia of the ramparts anti-Westerners. Sometimes resistances want to be modern, borrowing the political and military models from Europeans. It is the case of Samori - but it failed - or of Indian National Congress, born since 1885. These “modern” movements provide the foundations of nationalisms which will call into question the European presence, especially after 1945.