European Colonialism In Kenya

European nations traded for slaves, gold, and ivory along the west coast of Africa for the 300 years between 1500 and 1800. The European nations wanted to express their superiority because they felt that their countries were the best. According to Wikipedia, “Imperialism is taking a country's pride, their culture, or capturing their land.” That is exactly what the European nations did to Africa. The reasons behind European imperialism in Africa are nationalism, cultural reasons, and economic reasons.

Beginning in 1881 and subsiding in 1914, Africa underwent an invasion of European power known as Imperialism. While african territory was being occupied, divided, and colonized by larger countries, the driving force behind European Imperialism in Africa became rather transparent. The sizable countries sought after power and resourceful profit in which they looked to the smaller African colonies to provide. Two of the biggest winners in the race to seize these colonies were Britain and France, they desired a gain in technological advancements, exported African resources, and economic growth.

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.

Amidst the thriving chaos of the Industrial Revolution and subsequent to the politically volatile French Revolution, Europe in the 1800s was an ever-changing realm of new systems, machines, methods of transportation, ideas, and leaders. Those leaders faced a plethora of challenges both internally and externally, as both their subjects and other countries were angry with them for various reasons. One of the problems these rulers faced was the matter of imperial power on other continents. So, the more relevant European leaders met at the Berlin Conference to decide what each country was allowed to colonize. In doing so, the rulers they legalized the Scramble for Africa, therefore allowing colonization

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.

Before the Europeans began to explore Africa, little was known about the continent. However, after some initial exploration of Africa, the Europeans soon realized how economically important this area was, and how much they could profit from it. At the time, European countries had only small colonies in Africa, but after they realized that they could make money from the resources in the inner regions of Africa, they wanted to invade the African regions and assume control. This led to “ the race” and ultimately, the partition of Africa. There were many motives for the Europeans to imperialize Africa. There were humanitarian and religious goals, political goals, military goals, and most importantly, there were economic interests. During the Berlin conference, The European powers decided that they were going to spread the three C’s (Christianity, Commerce, and Civilization) in Africa. To do this, the conference had three aims “ Ensure free trade for all nations throughout the Congo, to ensure free navigation for all countries on the Niger River of West Africa, and agree to set rules by which the Europeans could proceed to divide the rest of the continent.” (Part II: The European Conquest, Pg 11). Later in the document it states that not one African representative was present at the Berlin Conference to discuss Africa's future. The European people tricked themselves into thinking that what they were doing

European Imperialism and Colonization of Africa created many social and economic changes including superiority over different people, technological advances, and new territories for European countries.

There was a great question asked by numerous individuals in the eighteenth century with what happens to people’s lives when their country is a colony of another country. This was very important to Americans when they were being ruled by Great Britain, and even to this day it remains important when countries find themselves controlled by more powerful outsiders. But what is colonialism? Colonialism occurs when one nation takes control of another. Kenya’s experience as a colony of Great Britain gives us more of an idea of what being colonized meant both to the people being controlled and to those who control them. Although it seems hard to believe, Kenya was created by the Europeans and generally this had a positive on effect on Kenyans because it began development.

During the time period 1850-1914, even though Britain imperializing, Kenya was, in turn, very beneficial for the inhabitants of Kenya. However, the direct rule of Britain put Kenya through a massive transition from being independent to being colonial dominant, in which the natives of Kenya had lesser rights than did before and were treated inhumanely. Before being imperialized, Kenya was already divided into forty-two tribes. The two main kinfolks to be known are the Masai and the Kikuyu. These tribes helped in making the country's diversity, rich culture and heritage. Nonetheless, Kenya didn’t have much global contact; however, they did trade with the Arab merchants but kept it limited because they wanted to preserve their traditional

During the Berlin Conference, the nations of Europe divided up Africa as though no on lived on the continent and the land was free to take. Also, Europeans lived at the expense of the Africans, who received little or no pay for the labor they have to put up with. The Africans were tormented in so many ways and their deprived souls.

During the 1870’s Europeans started colonizing countries in Africa. Europeans did this because they needed all of Africa's valuable resources.Africa was a big target because they were not very modernized in technology so it was easier for the Europeans to seize control. The Europeans were able to enter Africa through ships and scare the Africans with their guns. The Europeans controlled Africa in two ways direct and indirect rule. Direct rule is when the country in charge rules strictly over the country and they try to civilize the people they are ruling. For example in Algeria the French had direct rule. The French were in Algeria and gave Algerians their needs but no rights. Indirect ruling is when the country in charge is ruling from far

European imperialists built on the information provided by adventurers and missionaries. For example, a Scottish missionary named David Livingstone, went to Africa in the 1840s and spent three decades exploring the interior of Africa. This exploration sparked interest in Africa and others followed, including the imperialists. (Imperialism in Africa). The Berlin Conference of 1884 allowed Europeans to draw lines on maps and carve Africa into colonies. The result was a transformation Africa, with essentially all parts of the continent colonized in about fifteen years. The Europeans continued to interfere with African land and culture. Thus, leading to independent revolts and eventually lead to the Boer War. This was a conflict between The British and the Dutch farmers. Black South Africans decided to help the Dutch who were fighting back against their enemies. The British captured many of these men and put them in concentration camps where many of them died. The establishment of colonies were actually a positive for Africa. It made for a new way of life socially, politically and economically. So even with the horrible and unjust concentration camps, Great Britain was able to give back to the people they conquered in

With the beginning of the end of the slave trade fast approaching in Europe and Africa, and too little room for expansion within Europe, powerful advancements by European powers such as Germany, France, Britain, and Belgium were made to expand the empires of each country and develop places of trade and commerce through colonies, and a build in world prestige for each European power. The leaders of these European powers would meet in Berlin from 1884-85 in order to partition and agree upon the division of Africa to each nation, creating spheres of influence to be administered by each nation, and only that nation. This form of forced imperialism would lead to exploitation and atrocity of truly epic proportions in the soon-to-be-developed Congo

The British colonization of Kenya destroyed the culture and economy of the native people, but it established a democratic government and left Kenya a more modernized country.[1] During the 1880’s through 1914, the start of WWI, was an age of imperialism. One place that felt victim to this imperialism was Africa. At this time Africa was a wholly unmodernized continent. The reason the Europeans went after Africa was the introduction of the idea of social Darwinism and the “white man’s burden”. Social Darwinism is the belief that only the strongest and the most cunning can make it to the top of the social ladder, and it was the White Man’s Burden to step in for these undeveloped countries

In order to keep their cultural and religious heritages existent new adaptations of religions begin to form after the invasion of the Europeans. The