Nationalist and Independence

Movements after WWIIStandard 7-6.4

In the 20th Century…

• In the 20th century, many independence movements occurred in Africa, and European colonies dissolved.

• African countries gained independence but have faced many challenges since then.

Independence

• Belgian Congo-– the Belgian Congo gained

independence from Belgium in 1960.

– The new country was called Congo, but it was renamed Zaire in the 1970s.

– After Congo became independence, civil war broke out .

– In 1965, Joseph Mobutu became a dictator and ruled Zaire until 1997 when was overthrown in the First Congo War.

– This country is now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

IndependenceGhana-

– While a British colony, Ghana was known as the Gold Coast.

– In 1947, Kwame Nkrumah led a strike with the hopes of gaining independence.

– In 1957, Great Britain granted Ghana independence, and Ghana became the first African country south of the Sahara to gain full independence after World War II.

– Kwame Nkrumah became the first president of Ghana and served until his government was overthrown in 1966.

Independence

• Kenya- – In 1944, the Kenya African

Union was started as a movement for Kenya to gain independence form Great Britain.

– Jomo Kennyatta became the leader of the Kenya African Union.

– Kenya achieved independence in 1963, and Jomo Kennyatta became it’s first president.

Independence• Nigeria-

– Nigeria gained independence from Great Britain in 1960 but faced many challenges in uniting it’s many ethnic groups.

– Within it’s borders, there were over 250 ethnic groups which spoke 395 different languages.

– Also, there were large populations of Christians, Muslims, and followers of traditional African religions.

– A civil war broke out in 1967 when the Ibo people created the Republic of Biafra in the eastern part of Nigeria.

– The civil war lasted until 1970.

Other Issues• South Africa and Apartheid-

– A system of racial separation between blacks and whites called apartheid existed in South Africa for much of the 20th century.

– Under the system, a white minority had more power and rights than those of the b lack minority.

– A group called the African National Congress demanded equal rights for blacks in the 1960’s.

– Nelson Mandela, the leader of the ANC, was jailed in 1962. He remained in jail until 1990 when he was released by South African president F.W. de Klerk.

– The South African government began repealing apartheid laws, and it held it’s first free elections in 1994.

– Nelson Mandela was elected president in this election and served until 1997.

One-party rule in Zimbabwe• Since 1980, Zimbabwe has been

ruled by Robert Mugabe. • He was first elected as Prime

Minister, but in 1987 he changed the Constitution to make himself president.

• Although Mugabe and his party have won every election since 1980, many people believe that corruption and voter fraud occurred during these elections.

• Zimbabwe is currently in an economic crisis whish is blamed on the failed policies and corruption of the Mugabe administration.

• Zimbabwe has a high unemployment rate and a high inflation rate.

Genocide in Rwanda

• The two main ethnic groups in Rwanda are the Hutu and the Tutsi.

• In 1994, tensions between the two ethnic groups led to the killing of between 500,000 and one million people by the Hutus.

• Most of the people killed were Tutsis.

AIDS

• Sub Saharan Africa has been hit hard by the HIV / AIDS epidemic.

• South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia are several of the countries that have high infection rates.

• The average life expectancy in these countries has declined, and there are many children who are orphans because their parents have died from disease.

Pan-Africa Movement and the African Union

• The Pan-African movement sought to promote unity and cooperation among African countries.

• The African Union evolved out of the Pan-African movement.

• The African Union was created in 2001and is the successor of the African Economic Community (AEC) and the Organization of African Unity.