Causes of the Scramble for Africa

Causes of the Scramble for Africa

Grade 8th Grade · Social Studies · 45 min

What's Included

Learning Objective

I can describe one cause of the Scramble for Africa.

Warm-Up Video

A. J. Merrick · 10:05

A Brief History of The Scramble For Africa

Guided Notes

3 key concepts

  • 1

    The Scramble for Africa refers to the period in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when the borders of African countries were largely decided by European nations.

  • 2

    European powers sought to extract raw materials such as rubber, palm oil, gold, copper, and diamonds from Africa, making the continent a vital resource for the European economy.

  • 3

    At the Berlin Conference between 1884 and 1885, 14 European countries discussed how they would claim colonial land in Africa and avoid war amongst themselves; notably, no African representatives were invited.

Practice Questions

7 questions · Multiple choice & Short answer & True/false

Exit Ticket

Quick comprehension check

Name one reason European powers were interested in acquiring land in Africa during the Scramble for Africa.

Complete Lesson Package

Get all 3 ready-to-use resources:

Teacher Guide
Student Doc
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