Scramble for Africa Game
One of the lasting legacies of imperialism is found in the continent of Africa, where within a fifty year span, nearly the entire continent was divided among the colonial powers in what would later be coined "the scramble for Africa". Stemming from the Berlin Conference, what made the "scramble" so devastated for native Africans was the arbitrary countries that were formed with no regard for traditional ethnic boundaries and territories.
The game itself, is a great way for students to appreciate the different goals of the European powers who colonized Africa, as well as reflected on the impact of the colonization on native Africans.
To set up the game, the class should be divided into groups, assigned a country, and provided reading material on the conference of Berlin (included below). After students have individually read through the section on the conference of Berlin, and answered subsequent questions, explain that each group of students represents countries with their own goals (included below). After students have looked at their goals, have them map out (for their group's eyes only) the land they would like to control. After each group has figured out their strategy, put a map on the board and let people begin to claim territory. Countries will go in turns, claiming territory. A country can claim as much territory as they want, but once territory becomes disputed, war (best of three rock paper scissors) breaks out. This continues until all of Africa is claimed. At which point, all countries reveal their goal, and the country that best met their goal wins.
For reflection, have students compare their map of Africa to the ethnic territory they looked at when reading about the Berlin Conference. Discuss different implications of this.
Berlin Reading Material
Maps of Africa
Country Goals
Powerpoint
The game itself, is a great way for students to appreciate the different goals of the European powers who colonized Africa, as well as reflected on the impact of the colonization on native Africans.
To set up the game, the class should be divided into groups, assigned a country, and provided reading material on the conference of Berlin (included below). After students have individually read through the section on the conference of Berlin, and answered subsequent questions, explain that each group of students represents countries with their own goals (included below). After students have looked at their goals, have them map out (for their group's eyes only) the land they would like to control. After each group has figured out their strategy, put a map on the board and let people begin to claim territory. Countries will go in turns, claiming territory. A country can claim as much territory as they want, but once territory becomes disputed, war (best of three rock paper scissors) breaks out. This continues until all of Africa is claimed. At which point, all countries reveal their goal, and the country that best met their goal wins.
For reflection, have students compare their map of Africa to the ethnic territory they looked at when reading about the Berlin Conference. Discuss different implications of this.
Berlin Reading Material
Maps of Africa
Country Goals
Powerpoint