African empires resisted European imperialism with political parties, labor movements, and armed resistance. Describe what the people of Africa were fighting against, and summarize one example of armed resistance as mentioned in Unit 2, Lesson 11 (slides 15-19). Use complete sentences.
Sentence starters:
African empires were fighting against…
One example of armed resistance was…
The ____________ people went to war with and fought against the ___________ colonizers.
The outcome of this armed resistance was…
(4 points)
African empires were fighting against the imposition of European colonial rule and the exploitation of their resources and labor. They sought to maintain their independence and control over their own affairs.
One example of armed resistance was the Maji Maji Rebellion in German East Africa (present-day Tanzania) in the early 20th century. The African people went to war with and fought against the German colonizers.
The outcome of this armed resistance was initially mixed. The African fighters employed spiritual rituals and believed that they were protected by a magic water called "maji," which rendered them invulnerable to German bullets. However, the German forces ultimately overwhelmed the African resistance, largely due to their superior weapons and organized military tactics. The rebellion was crushed, resulting in a significant loss of life and damage to the local society and economy. This example highlights the challenges and power imbalances faced by African communities in their struggle against European imperialism.