Africa has developed many traditions; Africa had been exploited in the colonial days, for natural wealth, this led to very difficult to consequences such as people…
King Leopard expressed his desire for a slice of “African cake”. Leopard compared Africa with a piece of cake because he believed Africa to be a very “delightful” continent as a cake would be, so he becomes hungry to establish his own colony in a country of Africa. Between the 1870s and 1900s, Africa faced European imperialist aggression, diplomatic pressures, military invasions, and eventual conquest and colonization. The driving forces behind European domination in Africa included political power, economic and industrial reasons, and national pride. However, the most important cause of imperialism was Europe’s economic and industrial reasons.…
Often, achievements of older civilizations are lost in the shadows of their successors. Such is the case with the early civilizations and people of Africa. Before Europe stepped in, they were a quite advanced, flourishing continent by themselves. They had their own trade routes and systems, enormous wealth, as well as a great lack of corruption alongside an abundance of generosity, and were also advanced in the way of knowledge, even valuing it above other resources.…
One of the driving forces behind European imperialism was the need for resources. The Europeans didn’t know anything about Africa and was unknown to them until the mid 1800s. When the Europeans discovered…
The British wanted the fertile soils, diamond mines, and gold deposits of South Africa, but the Zulu tribe stood in their way. The British sent 30,000 troops led by Lord Chelmsford to battle the Zulu nation. As a result, 15,000 Zulus died reducing them to a small quantity. In the final battle in 1899, the British completely wiped out the Zulus and their civilization. In effect, the rest of South Africa fell under British hands. Over in Kenya, the British fought and killed 12,000 Kenyans during the Mau Mau Rebellion, some of them died in confinement camps . A few thousands more were displaced or driven away from the country, leaving their people scattered in neighboring countries. Europeans didn't only bring troops over, they brought diseases too. Rinderpest, a European livestock disease killed off 90-95% of the live cattle in Africa and other grazing animals. The lack of grazing animals changed the landscape that made it easier for tsetse fly to nest. The tsetse flies spread a sleeping sickness that killed about 200,000 Ugandans from 1902-1906 . African tribes were very dependent on their livestock; as a result, tribes like the Maasai in Tanzania lost two thirds of their population. The livestock diseases also brought with it epizootic, a lung disease that hit many animals in South Africa . Other diseases from the Europeans that affected the continent greatly were smallpox and malaria because the Africans didn't have much immunity to them. Disease became a huge factor in the deaths of the African continent, both directly and indirectly; without livestock comes no food, which leads to starvation. However, these weren't the British's intentions. One of their main intentions of colonizing Africa was for their resources. Diamond mining was very profitable for the British in South Africa. They used slave labor force (the South Africans) to dig out the diamonds and left the higher and more important…
Imperialism in Africa: Greed is history’s most powerful motivator. Imperialism, a seizure of smaller countries, was very common in Europe in the 1800-1900’s. Commonly, Africa is the victim of imperialism. However, before the Industrial Revolution, malaria, a deadly disease, was incurable, making Africa safe from invasion. After the Industrial Revolution, Europe needed resources and money, causing the sudden need for African colonies.…
In the time of 1892-1975, The continent of Africa was struggling with imperialist aggression, military invasions and eventually colonisation. Many countries within Africa were occupied by other, more powerful, countries. This impacted the social effect placed on the indigenous people of africa. For…
Between the period from 1880 to 1914, European powers went after overseas empires in Africa. The governments and political leaders of the European powers believed that this colonization of the African empires was necessary to maintain their global influence. A second group of people supposed that African colonization was the result of the greedy Capitalists who \only cared for new resources and markets. The third group of people claimed it to be their job to enlighten and educate the uncivilized people of Africa. Although the political leaders of European powers encouraged colonization of African empires to advance their nation’s global influence, others argued that it was only for the profiteering of the Capitalists who sought new resources and markets from Africa and those who benefited from colonization argued that these actions were necessary in order to civilize the African people.…
The idea that Europe was a radical, cutting edge civilization created a sense of supremacy over less developed nations. They believed Africa to be so outdated that the natives could not even be considered modern men. In fact, they were not considered men at all. The explorers rationalized their corruption of this preoccupied land through the transfer from human status, to that of a wild animal. (Document P) Through the perspective of the Europeans, the seemingly underdeveloped Africa was in need of saving, and with their lavish machinery, they were the perfect nation to graciously come forth and salvage the remains of Africa and claim their habitat. “Take up the White Man’s burden, send forth the best ye breed, go bind your sons to exile, to serve your captives’ need; to wait in heavy harness, on fluttered folk and wild-your new caught sullen peoples, half devil and half-child…” (Document P) The animalistic tone of the words exposed the way they spoke of the Africans with condescending pity, and then acted accordingly. (Document…
Europeans explored and exploited Africa for a variety of reasons. They did this to spread christianity, to civilize the African people, to gain wealth/power and to fulfil the need for slave labor in the New World colonies. Europeans wanted to spread christianity and they did this through the 4 C’s which are christianity, civilization, commerce, and last but not least conquest. The Europeans converted Africans to christians to get rid of paganism. They set up churches, medical clinics, and urge about the end of slave trading. Europeans believed Africans to be paternalistic and by introducing them to christianity they felt this would better them. They exploited Africa for…
Although a representative of British power, the narrator sympathizes with the oppressed natives and their country but is forced to act according to imperial aims. When the narrator receives a call, he is commissioned to bring a runaway elephant under control. In order to defend himself in the case of an attack, he takes a rifle, which makes the natives think that the elephant is going to be shot. When the narrator arrives, he finds a peaceful elephant eating, which offers no danger. He feels as if he should not shoot, but there is the mass of natives, or as he calls “yellow faces” behind him that demand the police officer shoot the elephant. After an inner struggle, the narrator finally gives in to the power of the natives’ demanding and shoots. He has to fire several shots for the animal to die painfully. The officer cannot stand the sight and leaves while the natives have already started tearing the elephant apart. “The crowd would laugh at me. And my whole life, every white man's life in the East, was one long struggle not to be laughed at”. He admits that shooting the elephant was necessary as a means of demonstrating the power and ensure British…
Economic motives created by the Industrial Revolution played the most important role in Imperialism in Africa in the 19th Century. One very important economic motivator was the need for resources for production. As Africa had been barely touched by Europeans, there were many opportunities for finding…
European Nations wanted more land, power, and natural resources. They got this by conquering and colonizing new lands. Africa was not colonized, making the continent a prime area for colonization. Prior to the 19th century European nations only used Africa for its slave trade, therefore, only settling on the coasts. The driving forces behind these European conquests in Africa were caused by political, cultural, and economic reasons.…
Imperialism brought change and positive effects to Africa. The British introduced new Ideas in forms of transportation, technology, health care, and schools this greatly benefited the African. The technology that the British brought to Africa was trains that can make trade easier, steamboats to help transport goods, dams that stopped flowing water. The telephone was another wonderful peace of technology that was introduced. The telephone helped with commutation all throughout Africa. In addition when the British came they improved economic expansion by the African goods becoming more valuable. British built hospitals with new medicines that would only suppress the symptoms of the diseases. The British as well gave schools to educate the children and people and to give knowledgeable information to the Africans. The British improved sanitation this was improved by running water and a sewage system. The causes of the imperialism in Africa were the natural recourses found on this marvelous piece of land Social Darwinism, spread of religion and geographical expansion. The natural resources that were found were cotton, copper, iron and rubber that were very much needed to the British. Social Darwinism was the growing sense of racial superiority that the westerners had embraced. The spread of religion was another cause because the British wanted to spread Christianity around because they thought it was the only religion that should be followed. The geographical expansion was rapidly growing throughout Africa in an incredible rate more people came to live there as the colonies became to take over Africa. Some methods to Africa were the economic interest,…
Mortimer Chambers et al define imperialism as a European state 's intervention in and continuing domination over a non-European territory. During the 'Scramble for Africa ' in the late nineteenth century, the most powerful European nations desired to conquer, dominate and exploit African colonies with the hope of building an empire. According to Derrick Murphy, in 1875 only ten percent of Africa was occupied by European states. Twenty years later only ten percent remained unoccupied. There were several factors which attracted European imperialists to Africa. There were opportunities for profitable investment and trade. Raw materials, which Africa possessed in abundance, were also desired. A cheap source of labour was required as it would result in higher profits. In addition, there was international rivalry among European nations. Domestic political interests and social Darwinism may also be blamed for attracting European imperialism to Africa.…