Primary Documents

ttp://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1952kenyatta-kau1.html
This is an article written by one of the leaders of the Kenyan African Union 9 years before the country gained independence from Britain. In it, he emphasizes the need for the Africans of Kenya to unite in their pursuit of independence and the implementation of their own democracy. He notes that he does not mind the presence of the Europeans in Kenya, but rather, is frustrated by the fact that the Kenyans aren’t treated as equals in their own country, and that they don’t run their own government. He advises how to unite together in the pursuit of independence, and clarifies that the KAU is not a terrorist organization. Kenyans must pursue independence through diplomatic, peaceful, and sober means.

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1893lugard.html
In this article, a British Captain explains that colonization is necessary for British progression. However, the Captain goes on to justify British the colonization of Africa, explaining that the implementation of British education, industry, and religion will improve the futures of those African countries, like Kenya, as well. Britain is portrayed as the hero, saving African colonies from poverty and anarchy, and providing them with the infrastructure that they would not be able to develop on their own. Thus, the Europeans are justified in their colonization and the superiority that they assume in those colonies.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1280/1252641808_8cb370643a_o.jpg
This political cartoon, printed in the United States in 1888, depicts John Bull as the "octopus of imperialism”. We can see from aristocratic style (the hat), he is meant to represent the ever consuming “beast” of imperialism. He has his tentacles on all of Africa, India and even Egypt. Though not specifically gobbling up Kenya Colony, this cartoon clearly shows the lack of regard for the place as a nation of peoples but rather another piece of profit and name on a laundry list of colonies. With all of this in mind, it is evident as to why imperialism deeply affected such places like Kenya Colony, because clearly the “octopus” doesn’t care about what he is grabbing, so on a larger scale, the British did not care about the demands of an underdeveloped and under industrialized nation.