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Period: to
The Age of Imperialism
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The French in North Africa
A French force occupied Algiers, a Muslim state of the Ottoman Empire. The Algierians did not want French rule. For more than 40 years, the French fought against almost continuous local rebellions. The French thought Algiers was worth the trouble. Many French people and other Europeans moved there. French officials took over Algerian land and settled many colonists there. -
The Suez Canal
The Egyptian government allowed a French company to start building a canal. The Suez Canal would go through the Isthmus of Suez to connect to the Meditteranean Sea and the Red Sea. Egypt bought almost half of the stock in the company. Building the canal cost Egypt a lot of money. At the same time, the Egyptian ruler had an extravagant lifestyle.Soon Egypt was deeply in debt. -
Great Britain Steps In
Great Britain bought the Egyptian stock. Because the British now owned so much stock, they gained control of the canal. At about the same time, an international committee was set up to manage Egypt's huge debt. Many Egyptians did not want to be controlled by foreigners. Egyptian army leader 'Urabi Pasha tried to explain their view to a European. -
French taking over Tunis
Tunis (a small state east of Algiers) was also apart of the Ottoman Empire,but it had an independant government. The French found a weak excuse to stage a military action against Tunis, which became a French protectorate. The Turkish government stayed as ruler, but the French controlled the country. Like the Algerians, the Tunisians resented French. control. Many people were inspired to work toward independence. -
More Rebellions
'Urabi Pasha's words fell on deaf ears. Rebellions began to to break out. The British navy attacked Alexandria in order to put down the rioting. Britain then sent troops to stop another rebellion near the Suez Canal. Although Egypt seemed to be independent, the British actually ruled it for many years. -
"The Expected One"
Followers of the Mahdi gained control of several cities. Al-Mahdi and his followers captured Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. He was a force that threatened the British. The British decided to act to stop the Mahdists. They also wanted to prevent the French from gaining control in the Sudan. -
Sudan Invasion
Great Britain invaded the Sudan. Under General Horatio Herbert Kitchener, British troops quickly defeated a large Mahdist army. Meanwhile, the French had also decided to act. Their goal was to gain control of the upper Nile at Fashoda. Starting from the French Congo, Marchand and his small force of Sengalese soldiers made a daring 3,000 mile journey throught tropical Africa. -
Fashoda Crisis
Marchand reached Fashoda and Kitchner's British forces arrived at Fashoda two months later. The French and the British troops waited for orders from their governments. Both countries prepared for war. Finally, France realized that neither its army nor navy could defeat the British. France yieled the Sudan to Great Britian. -
France's Agreement
Morocco's strategic location on the Strait of Gibraltar made it another appealing prize. France made an agreement with Britain, Spain, and Italy. According to this agreement, France took control of Morocco. In return, France promised not to get in the way of Britain's plans for Egypt or Italy's plans for Libya. Spain was allowed to keep a sphere of influence in northern Morocco for trading purposes. -
French and Morocco
France took control of Morocco. Morocco became a French protectorate. France's takeover of Morocco was not an invasion by force. Rather, the leader of Morocco, Moulay Abd al-Hafid, facing enormous pressure from many sides, made the decision to ask for French intervention. At the time, Moulay found himself besieged with in his capital, Fez, by hostile tribesmen.
