The expansion of Africa
East Africa
South Africa
West Africa
Egypt- British Influence 1869, should be noted that Egypt was apart of the Ottoman Empire controlled by the Sultan in Constantinople. British occupation 1882 veiled protectorate.
Sudan- The Sudan had been controlled by the Egyptians since 1821 and was still being controlled after Britain took over Egypt in 1882. Becomes effectively British Empire in 1899.
Uganda became a protectorate in 1894
Kenya
The Transvaal
The Orange Free State
Cape Colony
The Gold Coast
Ashantiland
Its major importance was the Suez Canal. A passage through the Red Sea into the East. It gave a huge advantage in travelling to the East as it was quicker than the alternative, which meant you would have to sail down to South Africa and the Cape of Good Hope. This meant that Britain could access trade routes and strategic expansions much faster than other power rivals. For example, India, China and Indonesia.
The Suez Canal was built and completed in 10 years(1859) between the Egyptians and the French. It finally opened in 1869. The Khedive (leader of Egypt) Isma'il sells his shares to the British Prime minister, Disraeli (1875).
In the 1870s 40% of Egypt's imports were coming from Britain.
The route to India was 6,000 miles shorter than going through the cape.
The shares bought from Isma'il cost £4 million and gave Britain more shares than they originally had, which allowed them to have more power and influence in the Suez canal's shipping tariffs. Along with the British being more invested into Egypt itself.
Large loans were given to the Egyptian government from British banks to modernise Egypt. Between 1863 and 1879 Egyptian debt grew from £3 million to £100 million. The interest rate on the debt grew from 7% to 20%.
1875 there was an economic collapse. Isma'il asked Britain and France for help in 1876.
Since Britain and France both had huge influence and control in Egypt. They came together to form a Anglo-French rescue plan where both nations would control Egypt's finances. France was in charge of reducing expenses and Britain was in charge of making money.
However this didn't work very well as the British decided to raise the prices of basic human needs such as food. The problem was that no one had the money to buy any of the food and therefore people starved to death.
The leader of Buganda, King Mwnaga started a civil war due the execution of 30 Catholics and Christians. The East Africa Company restored order and therefore King Mwanga gave them powers over revenue, trade and administration of justice. This secured Uganda under the Crown.
The Uganda Railway. Also known as the 'Lunatic Line' as it took 5 years to build and £5 million, but it also took 2500 labourers who built the railway. They were killed by lions, heat and civil war. The railway created access to new trade markets along with making old ones more efficient to reach. It also allowed soldiers to be moved through Africa more easily. It helped in the teas and coffee export along with protecting the source of the Nile.
By 1875, 80% of the ships going through the Suez canal were British.
Isma'il wanted to use the money to; Make Alexandria into a major port.
Modernise the Egyptian army with British weaponry.
To build over 1000 miles of railway.
Also to build schools, roads and public buildings.
In 1879, Isma'il was replaced as khedive by Tewfiq
This led to the Egyptian Nationalist Movement of 1882. This was a revolution against Ottoman, British and French control of Egypt, led by colonel Arabi Pasha. In June, there were riots in Alexandria which led to 50 Europeans dead.
1882, Prime minister Gladstone responded by Britain taking back Egypt and it becoming apart of the Empire. Royal Navy was used to bombard and invade the rebellion. The rebellion was crushed in October 1882 in the battle of Tel-el-Kebir.
13000 British soldiers, 15000 Egyptians, 60 equal artillery.
A total of 57 GB soldiers killed, 380 wounded. Whereas the total of Egyptians killed was 1396, 681 wounded.
Sudan's economy had been greatly damaged by European powers fight against their slave trade.
A leader rose by the name of Muhammad Ahmad, The Madhi. He announced himself as the 'redeemer' of the Islamic faith in 1881. He formed an islamist rebellion against the Ottoman Empire and the influence of European powers.
The Madhi rebellion was a Gihad- a holy war. His followers defeated a 4,000 strong Egyptian army in 1883. They also defeated a joint British-French military force.
Gladstone sends General Gordon, a war hero who had been known for his victory in stopping the Chinese rebellion in China in the late 1860s. He evacuated 2500 civilians from the city of Sudan but stayed to keep fighting. He lasted for a year.
Gordon was killed and beheaded in 1884. Britain mourned and parliament saw no reason or gain for sending more military to Sudan at the time.
Only until 1896 do the British go back to take the Sudan in a military campaign, Sudan becomes apart of the empire in 1899.
Britain takes over Egypt and places a Consul-General role (1883-1967) who 'advises' the Khedive. But obviously the Consul-General is the actual leader of Egypt.
The Boer War 1899-1902, Between the British and the Boers (Dutch descendants from Dutch colonial days). After the war.They were angered by the Jameson raid, 1895 in the Transvaal.
The Jameson raid of 1895 was a plan by Cecil Rhodes and Chamberlain to take over Boer government in the Transvaal. However it didn't work.
Rhodes hated how the Boer prime minister Paul Kruger had placed high tariffs on British trade in the Transvaal. Also Utilanders (the name of British settlers in south africa by the Boers) were not allowed to vote unless they had lived in the Transvaal for 14 years and they were 40 years of age or over.