is the routes to India the most important factor in determining British influence and expansion in Africa
‘Assess the claim that the protection of the trade routes to India was the most important factor in determining British influence and expansion in Africa from 1868 – 1902’
There is much deliberation when deciding what the most important factor was for Britain and their determination for British influence and expansion in Africa. Although the trade routes to India were important there is still a vast range of other reasons to why Britain wanted to gain control in the North, South, East and west of Africa. These will be addressed and explored in the following paragraphs to assess the claim above.
Firstly, protecting the routes to India can be justified as the most important as it provided sailors a way of trading with India and other countries on the other side of the world providing them with stop offs. However it can be argued that there is no longer any need for the protection of the cape route, as in 1869 the Suez canal had been built and opened, by the French, meaning that there was a quicker and faster way of travelling to India without needing as many stop overs. Nevertheless the cape route was still needed as the cape route could only take boats powered by steam due to there being little, if any, wind along the Mediterranean Sea. Also it was important for Britain to contain power over certain docks such as Mombasa. Therefore it can be seen to many as an important factor, but is it really the most important?
Many people believe that trading within western and northern Africa was an important factor as it provided travellers with new products and resources to buy as well as sell for a good and reasonable price. West Africa provided Britain with a range of great resources from palm oil to rubber, allowing Britain to produce other products such as soap and tires from these. It also provided great Nigerian cocoa to which great chocolate manufactures, Rowntree of York and Cadbury of Birmingham, kept demanding to produce their delicious products. North Africa
There is much deliberation when deciding what the most important factor was for Britain and their determination for British influence and expansion in Africa. Although the trade routes to India were important there is still a vast range of other reasons to why Britain wanted to gain control in the North, South, East and west of Africa. These will be addressed and explored in the following paragraphs to assess the claim above.
Firstly, protecting the routes to India can be justified as the most important as it provided sailors a way of trading with India and other countries on the other side of the world providing them with stop offs. However it can be argued that there is no longer any need for the protection of the cape route, as in 1869 the Suez canal had been built and opened, by the French, meaning that there was a quicker and faster way of travelling to India without needing as many stop overs. Nevertheless the cape route was still needed as the cape route could only take boats powered by steam due to there being little, if any, wind along the Mediterranean Sea. Also it was important for Britain to contain power over certain docks such as Mombasa. Therefore it can be seen to many as an important factor, but is it really the most important?
Many people believe that trading within western and northern Africa was an important factor as it provided travellers with new products and resources to buy as well as sell for a good and reasonable price. West Africa provided Britain with a range of great resources from palm oil to rubber, allowing Britain to produce other products such as soap and tires from these. It also provided great Nigerian cocoa to which great chocolate manufactures, Rowntree of York and Cadbury of Birmingham, kept demanding to produce their delicious products. North Africa