African Colonization Research Paper

European domination in Africa began because the Portuguese wanted to establish a faster route to India. Yet, when the Portuguese arrived they began to set up a trade of gold, slaves and ivory. The Europeans pretended to be Christian humanitarians and attempted to convert the Africans to Christians. They used god to justify their mistreatment of the natives. Many of the natives did convert to Christianity and accepted the Europeans mistreatments. The Europeans set up port cities on the African coast in order to help their ships on their journey to India. At the port cities, they could stop, rest, and replenish their supplies.

The European colonization of Africa, also known as the Scramble for Africa, Partition of Africa, or Conquest of Africa, occurred between the 1870s and 1900s, and was the invasion, occupation, colonization, and annexation of African territory by European powers during a period of New Imperialism. European control of the continent increased from 10 percent (1870) to 90 percent (1914), with only three territories, Saguia el-Hamra, which was later integrated into Spanish Sahara, Ethiopia and Liberia remaining independent of Europe’s control. There were many reasons for the European colonization of Africa, including economic and political motives, with the Berlin Conference serving as a catalyst. Africans resisted the European invasions of their lands, with the two main methods of opposition were guerilla warfare and direct military engagement. European influence on Africa still remains today, though these influences are generally negative and hurt Africa’s overall development.

Africa has had a long and tumultuous road of colonization and decolonization the rush to colonize Africa started in the 17th century with the discovery of the vast amounts of gold, diamonds, and rubber with colonization hitting a fever pitch during World War I. However, the repercussions of colonization have left deep wounds that still remain unhealed in the 21st century. Early on, European nations such as Britain, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany and Belgium scrambled for territories. Countries wanted land so they could harvest the resources, increase trade, and gain power. The European colonization of Africa brought racism, civil unrest, and insatiable greed; all of which have had lasting impacts on Africa.

Europeans began to export slaves out of Africa and eventually into the Americas through Triangular trade. This put Africa on the map economically, but this economy began to disrupt their society. Different tribes began to start wars over obtaining slaves to trade for European goods. Eventually slave trade also led to a decrease in population in Africa, which caused a loss in potential for growth and as a result weakened African civilizations. Many regions were left dominated by females because of the demand for male slaves. This disrupted the previous traditional African family structure. The Europeans also took it upon themselves to impose Christianity on the Africans, who formerly practiced many different religions based on their

The Europeans thought it was their burden as white men to bring religion and God to whom they thought were uncivilized people (Spielvogel and McTighe 227) . When coming to Africa the Europeans spread the word of God through missionaries and bible teachings and converted a lot of the Africans to Christianity. As explained through an African proverb, “When the whites came to our country we had the land and they had the Bible, now we have the Bible and they have the land” (Document 3). To justify taking African religion the Europeans said it was their job as white men to give the Africans God so they can experience what comes with it. Bringing new beliefs to the Africans it replaced the other religious ideas and in turn lost much of the culture the Africans held. Incoming Europeans were more concerned with protecting their traditions and culture and spreading it to this new region rather than respecting the Africans and their existing traditional culture. While the Europeans worked to conserve their culture, religions and traditions they were looking to gain economic stability from Africa to help them to become more powerful and overall have good economic

During the nineteenth century, Europe was scrambling to colonize Africa. Before the year 1880, Europe controlled only ten percent of Africa. However, due to the Industrial Revolution and its inventions, Europe obtained the means to go into Africa and take what they wanted. Some countries wanted the raw materials from Africa while others thought that by taking control of the land, it would show how they were superior to other nations and would gain respect. Some Europeans thought that because they were superior it was their duty to help the Africans. European powers scrambled to colonize Africa because they wanted respect, to strengthen the economy, and to civilize the Africans.

The Scramble for Africa took place during the period of time around 1880 until 1914. During this time Africa found itself being split up and divided amongst several European countries. In essence Africa was like a fresh baked pie and everyone wanted a slice.

During the period of the 1450s to the 1750s, Africa entered the world economy through the slave-trade. Its incorporation produced differing effects on African societies, but many societies had to adapt in ways that placed them at a disadvantage. Despite the different views on the slave trade, it was not justified in the 1450- 1750 timeframe. The enlightenment ideas viewed the existence of slavery as violation to the humanity of the slaves. From the points of view of slaves in Africa, slavery was a cruel practice that is not justifiable. European missionaries, on the other hand, argued that slavery was justified by god and the bible.

British expansion during the late 19th century primarily focused around the scramble for Africa. Although there had been a British and greater European presence in Africa prior to the last two decades of the 19th century it was primarily coastal and revolved around the slave trade. With the abolition of the slave trade within the British Empire in 1803 and a complete abolition of slavery across the empire in 1834 there was little interest in Africa by Britain until the end of the century. This lack of interest in Africa did not include The Cape Colony though, which the British gained at the end of the Napoleonic Wars and which served a key role in outfitting ships on the British trade

3. The colonization took place between the 1870’s and 1900’s. European control over a majority of Africa resulted in economic, religious, environmental and cultural changes. The Handbook of Black Studies mentions that, “All African countries (except for Ethiopia and Liberia) were subjected to rule by one or the other of the European colonial powers” (Okigbo, 32) Additionally, colonization discontinued the use of many African languages and dialects. The government in Africa was heavily influenced by European language. Their language plays a large role in their culture. In regards to religion, christian missionaries traveled from Europe to Africa to convert African citizens. The practice of orthodox religions has declined a lot. Colonization

Slavery as an institution has been implemented in various cultures throughout history, effecting people of various races, ethnicities, and religious affiliations. Few civilizations, however, have been as victimized by the institution of slavery as those found in Africa. Slavery in Africa was typically an institution that varied in importance and necessity based on location, and it was not an economic staple until the 18th century.

Missionaries came over to Africa with the goal of spreading Christianity, and eventually other western traditions. They believed that everything European was superior. When the missionaries arrived they went to work pretty quickly, in Things Fall Apart they described this time as full of sadness and confusion, “They built their church there, won a handful of convents and were already sending evangelists to the surrounding towns and villages. This was a source of great sorrow to leaders of the clan” (Achebe 143). The missionaries came with the theory that if they could

Along bring the Christian faith into Africa; the missionaries also bring with them their education system that acts as guidance for the native people by educating them.

In the late 1400’s wealth-hungry traders arrived from all over Europe - Belgium, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom - and started their colonial practices. They set up trading posts in Africa, with a special interest in coastal regions. European traders raided towns and instigated slavery. A profusion of disease and starvation hit Africa during the initiation of its colonization. European traders also looked to exploit Africa’s abundant raw materials. European missionaries infiltrated Africa to convert the locals to Christianity and hoped to instill European customs and ideologies, which in turn destroyed African traditions and religion. U.S. and European colonizing leaders negotiated how to split up the continent, without consent from African natives. This produced increased African inter-ethnic-group tension and aggression, which paved the path for future socio-political and cultural conflicts in African countries. By the late 1800’s, European culture was assimilated by the African population. Europeans had split up most of the continental territory by the late 1880s and between 1884 and 1885, European representatives created codes for annexing territory as a method to stop competition for African colonies. The colonial government and the colonial economy were two factions of European policy in

The preconceived European ideas about the African natives were unjust and unsubstantiated. The missionaries viewed the Africans as savages and that everything that they did was evil. Missionaries that were sent to spread the view of Christianity would have to change their beliefs and their social interactions to save them from the