top of page

Unit 3 - Imperialism

Unit overview

This unit carries on from the Industrial Revolution by examining the significance of European power and the quest for natural resources. For learning experiences in this unit students participated in class discussion, read from the textbook, created a political cartoon, participated in a simulation of the Berlin Conference, and watched a documentary. In order to demonstrate their learning students wrote essays and created presentations to illustrate the effects of imperialism on an African country of their choosing.​

Personal Unit Overview: What did you achieve this unit?

I think what I achieved this unit was expanding my research skills. The essay we wrote about Imperialism in Africa was about a country that each individual chose. Therefore, I started writing about a topic I had never really even heard about. Furthermore, I expanded my debating / discussion skills as we did a mock Berlin Conference, recreating the scramble of Africa. In groups of two we were assigned a country and had to choose areas of Africa we wanted to colonize. As many countries wanted the same areas due to resources, we had discussions trying to compromise with others, in order to get the land we wanted.​

Enduring Understandings: How did the European Imperialism affect the World?

European countries extending their rules onto other countries has shaped the way our society works today. European imperialism in Africa had many positive effects. It reduced local warfare, as the military control generally reduced the conflicts between local tribes. Europeans were also able to improve medical care and education by building schools and hospitals. Lastly, Imperialism caused economic growth, as colonies improved infrastructure and introduced new trade markets and new to African countries. Despite these positive effects, European Imperialism also greatly hurt African countries. Traditional countries were destroyed and replaced, imposing european values to people. Africans were taken away control of their land and any chance to develop themselves.​

Reflection on Standards
Strength

Process: Interpret central ideas and provide an accurate summary of sources while demonstrating relationship among ideas.

Explanation

Understanding central ideas is something I find rather easy to-do. I can easily take two different informations and summarize them, while also establishing a connection between them.

Weakness

Process: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of sources and connect insights

Explanation

As I have trouble keeping track of in-text citations, I forget to add them at some places in my writing. I could try organizing my notes better, making sure never to forget any citation again.​

Evidence of Learning

THE HUTUS AND THE TUTSI

How European Imperialism caused Rwanda's social instability

 

          Imperialism is defined as a country extending its power onto another country through diplomacy or military force. During the 1900s the ‘scramble for Africa’ began, which was the invasion, occupation, colonization and annexation of African territory by European powers during the period of New Imperialism. Africa was parted and Rwanda became a German colony. Since then, Rwanda experienced a great amount of violent acts in its country as well as involvements in disputes abroad. All these conflicts can be traced back to the ongoing tensions between the Tutsi and Hutus, that first appeared under the German colonization, and were enhanced when Germany gave up its colony to Belgium after WWI. Despite its positive effects, colonization has brought instability, conflicts and violence to Rwanda, which it is still recovering from now.

 

          All historical conflicts in Rwanda can be traced back to eternal tensions between the two ethnic tribes, the Hutus and the Tutsis. Prior to Europeans debarking in Rwanda the Tutsi and Hutu lived together peacefully and with an insignificant amount of resentment (World Book Online). However, when Rwanda and the Great Lakes region were separated in the Berlin Conference in 1890, the tensions developed. In 1897, German missionaries and colonists moved to Rwanda, a country that was very submissive and heavily influenced by the Germans (World Book Online). At this time, Germans believed that the Tutsi were of a superior race because they were taller and had more "eloquent" personalities. Many even readily converted to Roman Catholicism, and originally came from the Horn of Africa which was considered "more European" than the origination sites of the Hutus (World Book Online). This separation, that was simply based on European opinions is the root of the hostilities in Rwanda. The Germans created a system similar to feudalism and put the Tutsi in charge of the farming Hutus, which would eventually evolve into the ruling of the whole country. Before the Germans settled, the Hutus held a significant amount of power in the ruling class. The Germans, however, replaced all of the ruling Hutus with Tutsis. After WWI, the Germans lost their colony, and Rwanda was redistributed to Belgium. The changes and damage they left behind were irreparable.

 

          Similar to the Germans, Belgians quickly understood how to take advantage of the rising tensions between both ethnic groups. Belgians understood how allowing the existing Tutsi monarchs to exhibit control over the Hutus was effective without requiring large forces of Europeans troops (Education). Ethnicity cards were introduced in 1933, providing a clear advantage to Tutsis. Nevertheless, following WWII, opinions regarding colonization and racial class divisions began to shift in Europe (Education). This shift was strongly felt in Rwanda, as Belgians became increasingly sympathetic to the Hutus, resenting the old systems of class. Meanwhile, Hutu political activism increased. This caused the first violent clashes, and the Tutsi government was overthrown by Belgian-backed Hutus. Thousands of Tutsis were forced to flee Rwanda into neighboring countries. In 1962, Rwanda gained independence from Belgium, but the now strong ethnic tensions remained.

 

          Backed by the acquired independence, Hutus used their newfound power to squash the Tutsis. These started fleeing to neighboring countries such as Uganda, which had its own political issues under murderous dictators such as Amin or Obote. In Burundi, Tutsis remained in power, slaying the Hutus as acts of revenge. These Ugandan Hutus fled back to Rwanda. The time between the 1960s and 1990s was characterized by an ongoing cycle of killings and revenge and an increasing hate between the two ethnic groups. Rwanda now consisted of a majority of Hutus, but many Tutsis had stayed in the country as well. Both were in constant fear of the other tribe’s revenge.

 

          In 1990, the Rwandan Patriotic front (RPF), a rebel army composed of mainly Tutsis invaded northern Rwanda from Uganda in a first attempt to defeat the Hutus and lead government. This resulted in a civil war between the Hutu regime, supported by Francophone Africa and France in opposition to the RPF (Tutsis) supported by Uganda. The situation finally escalated on April 6th, 1994. The Rwandan President’s (Hutu) plane exploded. Since 1973, President Habyarimana had run a totalitarian regime in Rwanda, which excluded all Tutsis from participating. On August 3, 1993, this changed, when he signed the Arusha Accords, which weakened Hutu power and allowed Tutsis to participate in the government. This greatly upset Hutu extremists (BBC). Although it has never been determined who was truly responsible for the assassination, Hutu extremists profited the most from Habyarimana's death (BBC).

 

          Within 24 hours after the plane crash, Hutu extremists had taken over the government and blamed the Tutsis for the assassination. The “100 days of Genocide” began and lasted from April 7th to July 4th, 1994. It was the greatest devastation ever since the conflict had started. Over 800,000 Tutsi civilians and some Hutus had been massacred (BBC). The Tutsi army and Militias fled to Zaire to escape advancing Tutsi forces, and some joined Zairean forces to attack local Tutsis.* The government only got Hutus to return to their homes, after starting genocide trials in 1996. By 1999, more than 120,000 citizens had been accused of involvement in the genocide and were packed into overcrowded jails (BBC).

 

          Although these conflicts have shaped Rwanda’s society, it has greatly developed since then, and positively reformed itself. Recent events include the accusation by the UN in 2012 when Rwanda was indicted for training rebel troops in eastern DR Congo, which Rwanda angrily denied. Following this, the US, Britain, and the Netherlands withheld aid from Rwanda. Up to 2012, Rwanda used traditional "Gacaca" community courts to trial those suspected of participating in the 1994 genocide, but key individuals appeared before an International Criminal Tribunal in northern Tanzania. The UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) has indicted 93 people for their involvement in the 1994 genocide (BBC). Right now, Rwanda is trying to separate itself from its image associated with the 1994 state-sponsored genocide. Furthermore, the country is striving to rebuild its economy and has shown “remarkable development successes" in recent years (BBC). Rwanda’s economy is thriving, with a growth rate averaged at around 9% a year between 2001 and 2014, through coffee, tea exports, and tourism. However, poverty remains widespread and Rwanda is still highly dependent on aid.

 

          Despite all the negative effects Imperialism and colonization had on Rwanda and Africa in general, there were some positive outcomes. It did help bring newer technologies and the introduction of a more advanced culture to previously backward areas. The building of infrastructure in the form of roads, transport networks but also the introduction of modern medicine were major steps forward for many African countries. However, in the specific case of Rwanda, colonization has caused more harm. Germans and Belgians favoring one specific tribe brought up the previously nonexistent tensions between Hutus and Tutsis. These lead to years of killings, revenge, violence and genocides, which Rwanda is still recovering from.

 

          Despite its positive effects, colonization has brought instability, conflicts, and violence to Rwanda, which it is still recovering from now. During the 19th and 20th century, Rwanda was colonized by first Germany and then Belgium. This is when conflicts between Hutus and Tutsis first appeared, shaping the country’s future. Rwanda is still in the process of recovering from major ethnic strife. Although colonization’s negative effects are undeniable when looking at Africa today, the continent is slowly booming and so called ‘undeveloped’ countries such as Rwanda will without doubt soon surpass many European countries.

 

 

Work Cited

"Rwanda Country Profile - Overview." BBC News. BBC, 4 June 2015. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.

<http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14093238>.

 

"German Colonization." German Colonization. Emileelime, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.

<http://emileelime.tripod.com/id10.html>.

 

"What Impact Did the Belgian Presence in Rwanda Have to Spark Further Conflict?" Education. Education, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.

<http://education.seattlepi.com/impact-did-belgian-presence-rwanda-spark-further-conflict-5558.html>.

 

"How Colonialism Affected the Rwandan Genocide." Umuvugizi. WorldPress, 16 Aug. 2011. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.

<https://umuvugizi.wordpress.com/2011/08/16/how-colonialism-affected-the-rwandan-genocide/>.

 

Rupp, Richard E. "Genocide." World Book Student. World Book, 2015. Web. 14 Nov. 2015.

 

*Rwandan Tutsis responded by invadingHutu dominated camps. Meanwhile, Kabila who had taken over Zaire renaming it the DR Congo, failed to banish Hutu extremists. As a result, Rwanda supported the rebels trying to overthrow him (BBC). In 2002, Rwanda finally withdrew its forces from DR Congo after signing a peace agreement, but tensions are still existing, since Rwanda is accusing the Congolese army of aiding Hutu rebels in eastern DR Congo (BBC).

bottom of page