European Imperialism

Between the 1870s and 1900, Europe faced many social problems within their countries such as unemployment, poverty, homelessness, social displacement from rural areas, etc. Some of these countries included France, Britain, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. Most of these problems progressively arose throughout a long period of instability within these countries. Other big factors were The French Revolution, Napoleonic wars and a widespread change in beliefs. Due to these circumstances, many European countries began to venture elsewhere to expand their real estate, asserting themselves more power. This ultimately led to the establishment of European based settler-colonies in places such as Tunisia, South Africa, Namibia, Angola, Algeria,

Europeans were going to rely on a heavy reliance on military power, size, and strategic tactics to take and maintain control of African colonies. France set out to establish itself in North Africa shortly after 1870, first by establishing a protectorate in Tunisia in 1881 with the signing of the treaty of Bardo. With the French raid of Algeria and defeat of the Tunisian Kroumer tribe, the French looked to gain more territory. Jules Ferry, a French foreign minister, played a crucial part, managing to send a small army of French forces consisting of approximately 36,000 troops to defeat the Kroumer tribe. French armed forces continued their advance and invasion into Tunisia shortly after. The Treaty of Bardo was then signed on May 12, 1881 between representatives of the French Republic and Tunisians Muhammed III as-Sadiq. The French met little resistance from both the Kroumer tribe and from as-Sadiq. After the signing of the Bardo, the French began to gradually withdraw their military resistance. With this new treaty in place, the terms of the agreement gave France sole control over the defense and foreign policy decisions of Tunisia. The French military occupation of Tunisia was stated to be temporary, until Tunis became a French

The Voulet–Chanoine Mission, a military expedition, set out from Senegal in 1898. The Voulet-Chanoine’s mission was to establish itself in the Chad Basin and help strengthen all other French territories in West Africa. This expedition was accompanied by two other expeditions, the Foureau-Lamy and Gentil Missions, which were plans of advancement from Algeria and Middle Congo. Along the French’s mission to claim most of Central Africa, the French faced some military resistance. Muslim warlord Rabih az-Zubayr, gave the French some of their more challenging obstacles in their route of conquest. With the death of the Muslim warlord Rabih az-Zubayr, and the creation of the Military Territory of Chad, the Voulet-Chanoine Mission was a success for the French. Although, the accounts and recordings of the mission sparked a scandal back in Paris. A fellow officer was dismissed by one by Voulet after demanding his release. He then penned his wife, detailing the tragic events and inhumane crimes that took place before his eyes. Events such as the mistreatment of the African people and scandalous behavior of the Voulet and Chanoine. The solders wife later approached her local authorities, which got its way up to the French council. With orders for Voulet and Chanoine to stand down, they fired upon their own and killed Lieutenant-Colonel Jean-François Klobb. With news making its way back to