**The Suez Canal and the Contest for Influence in North Africa**
This document examines the critical developments surrounding the Suez Canal, completed in 1869, and the ensuing geopolitical tensions in North Africa, particularly between France and Britain. The canal not only revolutionized globa...
Hello ! Take your studying to the next level! For more organized and effective study
materials, check out my profile and flashcard shop Maggie's Flashcards - Payhip. From
notes to flashcards, I've got you covered!
Course : History
Theme : Colonialism
Topic : Egypt and Marocco
Years : 1870-1914
As Text
Egypt
The Suez Canal, completed in 1869, revolutionized global trade and navigation by
providing a direct sea route between Europe and Asia. The canal's strategic importance
lay in its ability to project military power and facilitate the movement of naval vessels.
This led to tensions between France and Britain, with the latter seeking to safeguard its
interests by purchasing a majority stake in the canal's shares in 1875.
Egypt became a focal point for competition between France and Britain, with each
country having conflicting interests and policies in the region. The British took control of
Egypt in 1882, initially due to the instability caused by local rebellions and later as a
means to protect their colonial possessions in India. The French had previously
controlled Algeria and sought to expand their influence in the region.
The Fashoda Incident of 1898 marked a significant escalation in tensions between the
two powers, as they clashed over their competing territorial claims in East Africa. The
incident was sparked by French ambitions to build a trans-Saharan railway and British
fears of French encroachment on their spheres of influence in Egypt and the Nile.
In 1904, France and Britain signed the Entente Cordiale, marking a significant
improvement in their relations and paving the way for future cooperation on various
issues. However, this did not deter Germany from seeking to assert its influence in
Egypt.
, Morocco
At the beginning of the 20th century, Morocco was a country with significant strategic
importance due to its location and proximity to the Suez Canal. France had significant
influence in North Africa, but Germany sought to challenge this by backing Moroccan
independence.
In 1905, Kaiser Wilhelm made a speech in Tangiers, calling for Moroccan independence.
The international conference held in Algeciras, Spain in 1906 guaranteed French
influence over Morocco, but also allowed for trading opportunities with other countries.
However, tensions continued to escalate over Morocco. In 1911, Germany sent a
warship to Agadir, which was seen as a challenge to French dominance. France
responded by invading Morocco, which led to Germany being compensated with land in
central Africa.
By 1912, France and Spain had established a protectorate over Morocco. This marked
the beginning of French colonial control over the region. Germany's attempts to assert
its influence in Morocco had been thwarted, but it would continue to seek opportunities
for expansion elsewhere.
By the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Europe was divided into two sets of alliances:
the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy) versus the Triple Entente
(France, Russia, and Great Britain).
Voordelen van het kopen van samenvattingen bij Stuvia op een rij:
√ Verzekerd van kwaliteit door reviews
Stuvia-klanten hebben meer dan 700.000 samenvattingen beoordeeld. Zo weet je zeker dat je de beste documenten koopt!
Snel en makkelijk kopen
Je betaalt supersnel en eenmalig met iDeal, Bancontact of creditcard voor de samenvatting. Zonder lidmaatschap.
Focus op de essentie
Samenvattingen worden geschreven voor en door anderen. Daarom zijn de samenvattingen altijd betrouwbaar en actueel. Zo kom je snel tot de kern!
Veelgestelde vragen
Wat krijg ik als ik dit document koop?
Je krijgt een PDF, die direct beschikbaar is na je aankoop. Het gekochte document is altijd, overal en oneindig toegankelijk via je profiel.
Tevredenheidsgarantie: hoe werkt dat?
Onze tevredenheidsgarantie zorgt ervoor dat je altijd een studiedocument vindt dat goed bij je past. Je vult een formulier in en onze klantenservice regelt de rest.
Van wie koop ik deze samenvatting?
Stuvia is een marktplaats, je koop dit document dus niet van ons, maar van verkoper maggiestudynotes. Stuvia faciliteert de betaling aan de verkoper.
Zit ik meteen vast aan een abonnement?
Nee, je koopt alleen deze samenvatting voor €2,99. Je zit daarna nergens aan vast.
