Effects Of Colonialism In Africa

The main reason the Europeans imperialized Africa were their cultural and social beliefs in ethnocentrism. They believed “[the natives] needed European help, reform, or civilization” (Document K). The Europeans considered the Africans savages

The transatlantic slave trade began in the 15th century, after the Portuguese started exploring the coast of West Africa. This had a long term effect on Africa because even though it started out benefiting the upper class in Africa, the long term effect was devastating. While the Europeans started to enter Africa, they enjoyed “the triple advantage of guns and other technology, widespread literacy, and the political organization necessary to sustain expensive programs of exploration and conquest”(Doc 4). Africa’s relations with Europe depended on common interests, which they did not have. Europe’s contact in Africa, involving economic exchanges and political relationships, was not mutually beneficial.

The Industrial Revolution gave a reason to need imperialism. Europe was in need of the resources that Africa had. One way to obtain the resources necessary was to colonize and trade with the Africans living in the continent. For example, in order for Germany to obtain rubber and cotton from Tanganyika, they colonized the country and began trading. This led to the creation of fabrics, waterproof clothes, and tires from these materials.

Before the industrial revolution though Africa was hard to capture and conquer fully, this was due to serval reasons the main reasoning being diseases (conquerors would die from diseases before they could explore far into this content). With the industrial revolution though explorations had better ships to explore up that lead into central Africa, they had better guns to kill Africans with; which made exploration into Africa even easier and soon came the discovery of the cinchona tree that contained quinine that prevented malaria. In time Africa became divided and conquered by serval European nations, which meant that African political power would shift to the nation that conquered them and that the society and people would be treated as slaves to produces a much raw resources for Europeans to sell and make

Europe’s colonisation had major influences upon Africa’s development as a society. The book “Guns, Germs and Steel” written by American Ecologist, Jared Diamond, claims that Africa developed independently and with little major influence from Europe and its people. Moreover, Africa was colonized because of the natural landscape rather then the social and cultural influence from Europe. Controversially, historian Gene Callahan, opposes and describes Africa was developed based was off their own tradition and knowledge rather than through the influence of Europe. Jared Diamond has a valuable perspective on how Europe possibly impacted Africa’s development as a society.

In addition, Document C is a chart that presents inventions and discoveries that aided European colonizers in taking over Africa. The purpose of this document was to display European advancement and the utilities which were brought about by the acquisition of raw materials, which allowed them to travel further into Africa, take control, and continue the process of harvesting their raw materials. This evidences how the search for raw materials led to the creation of the inventions listed on the chart and how their purpose was to bring the European nations who used them power on the grounds of geopolitics. Although some of these inventions don’t seem much now, the steam engine, electric telegraph, and other such creations were made in certain places of European places and will forever being remembered as a certain nation’s product, which is similar to Germany and Japan with Toyota and Volkswagen brand cars, respectively, that are still currently being made

In order to produce goods,“factories in Europe required raw materials to be manufactured into marketable products.” As a result, they sought both a source for new materials (like rubber, ivory, gold and diamonds) as well as a marketplace to sell them. (DBQ - document D) They “played a large role in the colonization of Africa”, as Europe wanted to access Africa’s natural resources to produce goods that they could then sell back to Africians for their personal economic

European expansion into Africa created great controversy. Within approximately half of a century, Europeans had gained control of all African lands except for Ethiopia and Liberia, (Doc. 4). By taking their land and power, European nationalism had occupied full control of the continent. Technology also played an important role in the removal of many occupations. Since machinery was taking the place of workers, factories needed less workers to operate the equipment.

After the European nations took over many colonies, the European nations produced raw materials for themselves. The European nations conquering other nations leaves the native people in needs of money. The African culture was dominated by the Europeans and they were forced to learn the bible. The nations that were colonized by the Europeans, their government becomes weak and unable to help the native people. The Industrial Revolution and the Imperialism have many negative and positive effects on both the European nations and their

This question is still being asked and there are many opinions about this specific question, but there is one answer. The driving force behind European imperialism in Africa is resources. Africa provided resources that the European countries desperately needed. You see, there was competition in Africa among the European countries, technology development increased, and power gain. These reasons may sound complicated, but it’s actually quite simple each reason

What was the driving force behind European Imperialism in Africa? Between 1500 and 1800 the Europeans knew  little about the interior of Africa their presence was to buy and sell slaves for pots, cloth, and weapons and set sail to America. Late as 1870 ten percent of Africa was under Europeans control and most was along edges by 1914 ninety percent of Africa was in control four years later.  Due to the countries that held African colonies in 1914 that involved the British, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spain, and Belgian. France and Britain were the main  conquer in African colonies, because there conqueror of land in Africa.

So Europe invaded Africa, took possession of Africa, and divided Africa into colonies of Europe. The period of invasion, lasting some twenty years, was more or less completed by 1900. There followed a longer period, between sixty and ninety years, of direct European rule, called colonial rule. This was a time of profound upheaval for all of Africa’s peoples. It brought irreversible changes” (4).

The fact that the exports from Africa increased and became greater than the imports during the colonization period shows how Europe was using Africa as a source of income and took advantage of the resources within Africa.  Document

"The slave trade actually prevented the coming into being of an agrarian revolution in Ghana, and likewise an industrial revolution. Because before you can industrialize you need to have stable agricultural production.” (“Slavery 's long effects on Africa”, para 6) Since during that time they got attacked to kidnap people and burn places they had nothing to start living. “The period between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries was a time of economic stagnation for Africa, which fell further and further behind the economic progress of Europe as the years passed by.” (“Riches & Misery: The Consequences of the Atlantic Slave Trade”, para 5)

Discourse on colonialism generally results in the different opinions of the colonizer and the colonized. The upshot of such discourse shows that colonialism has divergent interpretations. For the colonizer, it is ‘a civilizing mission’; to the colonized, it is exploitation. Such concept is better understood when both the views are studied with an objective approach. Things Fall Apart is a perfect novel to study colonialism as it deals with the perspectives of the colonizer and the colonized.