Summarize the material from the Module 9 lectures and PowerPoints (at least 5 complete sentences.)
Read “An Open Letter to His Serene Majesty Leopold II” and German Imperialism on Boundless and answer the following questions, as well as any additional questions provided in the week’s prompt. Note: in case the Boundless link is not working, please read the attached Word document of the same text.
For “An Open Letter to His Serene Majesty Leopold II”
According to the author, what is life like for the native people and for whites in the Congo? How do these realities match up with Belgium’s promises of “fostering care”, “benevolent enterprise”, and “securing the welfare” of the native population? Give at least one specific example.
Mr. Williams lists 12 “charges” (accusations) in his letter, each about a different type of abuse or injustice in the Congo. Which one do you find the most surprising/shocking and why? Do any of them not surprise you? Why not?
For “German Imperialism”
How did Germany’s attitude toward overseas colonies change after unification in 1871? According to the reading, what role did nationalism play in that change?
Who were the Nama and Herero people? What happened to them under the Germans, and do you believe it qualifies as “genocide”? Why or why not?
Optional additional reading: “A mere 10 million Euro for Germany’s colonial-era genocide in Namibia” by Claus Staecker, Deutsche Welle, August 13, 2020.
Do you have any remaining questions about the readings, or is anything still unclear to you? If so, please share them here.
Connect: How does the material from this week relate to
something else you already know about? This can be current events, somewhere you’ve traveled, a movie you’ve seen, a book you’ve read, content from another class, etc. (at least 2 complete sentences).
Note: Your response MUST be specific and will NOT receive credit if you simply state that you have learned about this topic in previous history classes.
PLEASE USE ALL ATTACHMENTS
^ That is the reading for the German Imperalism
