consider africa- am i correct in thinking that in mid 1800s several european empires basically took out a map, ruled some straight lines and declared nation borders

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That is correct. During the 19th century, European powers engaged in a process known as the "Scramble for Africa." This was a period of intense colonization and competition between European powers for control of African territory.

The European powers used a variety of methods to draw borders in Africa. In some cases, they simply drew straight lines across the map, regardless of the ethnic or cultural composition of the people living in the area. This led to the creation of many artificial borders that divided ethnic groups and created conflict.

In other cases, the European powers negotiated with African leaders to create borders that took into account ethnic and cultural considerations. However, these negotiations were often conducted under duress, and the African leaders often had little say in the final outcome.

The result of the Scramble for Africa was a patchwork of artificial borders that did not reflect the natural divisions of the continent. These borders have been a source of conflict and instability in Africa ever since.

Here are some examples of how European powers drew borders in Africa during the Scramble for Africa:

• The British drew a straight line across the continent to create the border between Nigeria and Cameroon. This border divided the Yoruba people, who lived on both sides of the line.
• The French drew a straight line across the Sahara Desert to create the border between Mali and Niger. This border divided the Tuareg people, who lived on both sides of the line.
• The Belgians drew a straight line across the Congo River to create the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo. This border divided the Kongo people, who lived on both sides of the line.

The artificial borders created by the European powers during the Scramble for Africa have had a profound impact on Africa. These borders have divided ethnic groups, created conflict, and made it difficult for African countries to develop economically and politically.

In recent years, there have been some efforts to redraw borders in Africa. However, these efforts have been met with resistance from some countries

ou told me about During the 19th century, European powers engaged in a process known as the "Scramble for Africa." When was the most intense period of using Africans as slaves, and do you have a terminology for that? Which African places were slaves most picked from?

Population numbers can be difficult to contextualise- at the peak of the slave trade were more than a quarter of youth of some African countries subject to slavery?

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Chris Macrae MA DAMTP Cantab

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