African Imperialism Effects

Introduction
The Age of Exploration began all the way back in the late 1400s to early 1500s. Exploration of Africa was limited and remained the “blank continent,” while other continents became “colored” as European powers focused on locations in North and South America. . Although Africa didn’t become a major target until the late 1800s to early 1900s when the Scramble for Africa began when major European powers wanted stakes in Africa’s natural resources, especially ivory, and a increase in political power by throwing off the balance of power in Europe. For instance, King Leopold II of Belgium employed Henry Morton Stanley to assist in setting up businesses and a colony called the Congo Free State, which is where Heart of Darkness primarily
One impact was the brutal treatment of the Africans from specially the Belgians, who were known for their announced mission to go and civil the savages, but in actuality, they inflicted the natives with unnecessary brutality. For instance, King Leopold cut off the hands of natives who didn’t meet daily quotas or worked at slower speeds. Leopold convinced the natives into giving up evertything in their home, especially the natural resources and labor in exchange for alcohol and firearms. Leopold even convinced other countries that his mission was to end the slave trade, even though he exploited the labor of the Africans for his own personal advancements. He retained 50% of fees, taxes, and revenues that came into the Congo. When one man named George Washington Williams recruited blacks to go work in the Congo with the belief that they would be benefitting the mission, he quickly realized just how wrong he was when he saw the atrocities of the Congo and wrote an article that detailed Leopold’s lies, which he quickly repudiated. But this behavior cannot be limited to just the Belgians as Marlow encounters various men from various European countries who are just as cruel and greedy as the Belgians. The fact that Marlow is English and yet he goes in service of the Belgium is quite interesting, especially if he had heard of the atrocities they inflicted upon the Africans. It makes one wonder the extent of his morality and his level of integrity. One could answer this by saying his adventurousness and curiousity outweighed his morale, but how can one willingly go to a place that has done such horrifying deeds to the natives of Africa, who whether one wants to admit it or not, are