Hate To Benefit?

In the article ‘Black People in a White People’s Country’ by Gary Nash, he explains how slavery gave Africans a low role in America’s society, and how because slavery was allowed in the New World, they were “Socially and legally defined as less than people...”. It wasn’t just the fact that they were enslaved that made people treat them horribly, but also where they came from. In the eyes of a European, Africans were very different,

Africa were mainly, hunters, so they used agriculture to their full advantage. However, Africa’s resources were left untouched by the natives, so this gave easy access to the imperialists. Germany was in desperate need of fuel, before imperialism started, which was available in Africa. Gold and diamonds were (and still) the two most valuable resources, which were abundant in Africa, “The discovery of diamonds and rich gold deposits brought… European settlers” to Africa” (5). So, when imperialists came to German E. Africa, they took all of their available land. For all of the citizens in German E. Africa who needed the money had to work as slaves. In fact, most of them were forced to work for the German imperialists. There was a discrimination pattern of labor recruitment. While immigrants were skilled and paid relatively high. African migrants were unskilled and low paid, “Earning about 1/9 of the wage of white men” (6). Specifically, German E. Africans were forced to plant peanuts, cocoa and other cash crops. Imperialism destroyed German E. Africa’s economy and depleted their resources. After Imperialism, exportation of raw materials caused shortage in resources. So, German E. Africa was then a more dependant on an industrialized economy. By the end of Imperialism, the natives were put to work as cheap labour. Which affected their health since, most of them were restless, exploited, weren’t taken at their free will and the Germans took

In the 19th century Europe underwent imperialism, Europe wanted to take control of different continents one of which was Africa to gain power, civilize the African people and grow the economy of Europe. With intentions to help, the Europeans moved to Africa in order to get the resources that were grown there forcing the Africans native to those regions to move to North and South America (Document 9). By 1885 the amount of people living in Africa had increased due to the amount of Europeans (Spielvogel and McTighe 234). The Europeans took resources and goods from Africa to sell and increase their capital. These reasons changed the way of life for the Africans making them adapt to the changes without being able to fight back. While imperialism

The Europeans thought it as their duty to civilize the “inferior” races by expanding western ideals. However, they did so in a vicious and grueling way where citizens were treated inhumanely. From An Anthology of West African Verse by David Diop, he entails

In the 19th and 20th centuries Europe was thriving and wealthy while most of their colonies in Africa were suffering under their rule. The Europeans all wanted a piece of Africa’s land with its plentiful resources and free labor. Around this time, Europe was going through the industrial revolution and because business was booming the European countries need more resources than they already had. The Africans had the land the Europeans wanted to use to continue having booming businesses, they also had African slaves and workers that they can use so they don’t have to pay for labor. In the 19th century leader of the Europeans countries want to discuss how they will divide Africa without the leaders of Africa knowing. The Europeans then started to invade Africa and take control over the citizens. As the Europeans got more powerful, the Africans become more miserable. Unable to match the guns Europe had, African countries began getting claimed, one by one with the exception of two. The Europeans ruled in a cruel way that left many Africans dead or suffering. Many countries tried and successfully broke away from Europeans after many years under colonization. The Europeans had a negative impact on the lives of many Africans in the 19th and 20th centuries, especially with racism and assimilation. People were taught to be a human they had to be like a European which led to many racist views on African people and culture and is why some nations like France used assimilation to make

grueling work. They would treat them as they did the Indians, and for much the

Industrial imperialism (a product of the industrial revolution) ,began in roughly 1880. During this time, people (predominantly europeans) began searching for land to colonize. Imperialism could also be tied to racism, with europeans believing that they were above everyone, and that they therefore, needed more land. These racist beliefs were often connected to social darwinism. This belief could be summed up with “Survival of the Fittest”, with the europeans believing that they were the “fittest”. Europeans also would believe that they had a different bone structure than people of color; more specifically, they would illustrate cartoons that compared african americans to themselves, giving the other a smaller brain.

European Imperialism in Africa had one real driving force behind it, racism. After 300 years of Europeans cashing in on Africa’s coasts, the explorers finally ventured inward, wreaking havoc on the continent’s environment and inhabitants, not giving a second thought to the people whose lives they ruined. This is made clear though the British’s new industry they built their and the economy formed atop it poorly affected the people they took advantage of and the moral obligations they had but did not follow.

European Imperialism heavily impacted the African continent through culturally, economic, and political ideas. This era of history is heavily drenched in the aspect of ethnocentrism, which is the belief that one’s own culture is superior that of another. The Europeans colonized Africa believing that they could bring civilization, but they were often ignorant of Africa’s very complex societies. The European powers divided up the continent of Africa among themselves, without any consent from the people who actually lived there. The tribal stratification was changed to a caste system where racial, ethnic, and religious differences were of utmost importance, as delegated by European rule. The structure and business of the African economy was

In the early 1880’s, the powers of Europe started to take control of regions in Africa and set up colonies there. In the beginning, colonization caused the Africans little harm, but before long, the Europeans started to take complete control of wherever they went. The Europeans used their advanced knowledge and technology to easily maneuver through the vast African landscape and used advanced weapons to take control of the African people and their land. The countries that claimed the most land and had the most significant effect on Africa were France, England, Belgium, and Germany. There were many reasons for the European countries to be competing against each other to gain colonies in Africa. One of the main reasons was that the

The indigenous people of Africa suffered many setbacks, when the Europeans arrived. When the Europeans arrived in Africa they made the indigenous people feel inferior, lack self-confidence, and be stripped of their responsibility. As shown by Document 2, when it says, “...convince us that our civilization was nothing less than savagery, thus giving us complexes which led to our being branded as irresponsible and lacking in self-confidence.” Some people may agree, that this seems like something out of a genocide. Originally the indigenous people of Africa were supposed to be cheap labor. However, this soon changed when the Europeans enslaved the African people. This is portrayed in Document 6, when it says, “...Beneath the noonday sun, My brother was strong…” By doing this they stole all of the human rights from the Africans, who had done nothing wrong. This is shown in Document 3, when it says, “Whereas fundamental human rights...are denied to Africans.” During this extremely horrific time in African history men were worked to death, and women were raped. This is found in Document 6, when it says,”The White Man killed my father,My father was proud, The White Man seduced my mother, My mother was beautiful.” This shows the negative effects are much worse for the Africans, than for the Europeans. But, there are some positives in this dark hour. When the Europeans arrived in Africa, they provided the

Between 1870 and 1914, European countries ceased about ninety percent of Africa. Native Africans faced political, military, and imperialism pressure from various European countries. After the end of the profitable slave trade in Africa, due to abolishing of slavery, Europeans explored for new guaranteed markets, and heavily profitable investments. In addition, European countries were under industrialization, the demand for raw materials heavily increased. Europeans as well faced power struggles with one another and competition for political influence in Africa. European power struggle ultimately lead to the “Scramble for Africa.” Europeans undertook the process of imperialism in Africa in the late 19th century by exercising political, economic, and military power on their African colonies. Some African leaders and societies welcomed Europeans in hopes to protect and develop their native land. Some African leaders and societies responded to European occupation by gathering resistance groups in attempt to fight off foreign imperialists.

Since as early as the fifteenth century and continuing to the present day, European colonies have always viewed Africa as an economic object with a wealth of resources waiting to be extracted and exploited through colonization or by what ever means necessary. The recent history (500 years) of the world justifies the conclusion that Europeans have always sought to assert superiority over people of darker pigmented complexions (all of who just happen to be non-Europeans) by the free and unrestrained assertion of their will and authority, unfettered by any moral constraints on human conduct. As a substitute for any notion of a “humane” code of conduct, the European psychology operated a regime based upon the principles and practices used to control and domesticate lower forms of animal life. In the beginning, the slave trade was the main attraction of these European nations because they saw a law filled with cheap labor and always felt that Africa was uncivilized country begging for colonization. There was undeniable thirst for Africa, deeply rooted in racism. The European nations saw Africa as empty and undiscovered land simply because there were no Europeans present. Judging by the particularly heinous treatment of the Congolese people, it is far to posit that these Europeans believed

The dispersal of different ethnicities and the conflict that ensued because of the colonization of different countries, by Europeans, changed the culture and boundaries, set previously, by many overthrown nations. Africa was one of the biggest targets for European colonization and colonialism. The spread of the ideals that sprouted out of the 1884 Berlin Conference and the Scramble for Africa later spread to African American and Cuban culture. The ideals that were brought forth during this time broke apart the heart of Africa and many other countries, and by doing so also developed the concept of and ideals for White supremacy.

Europe is nothing without Africa not the other way around. By the early twentieth century most of Africa, excluding Ethiopia and Liberia had been colonized by European powers. Earlier between the 1870s and 1900 Africa faced many hardships from the Europeans such as imperialist aggression, conciliatory pressure, invasions from the military, prospective journeys and colonization. Although African societies put up resistance the scramble for African soil was taken by the Europeans. W.E.B Dubois declares his concept of the color line providing the dark cynical view of the worlds relationship to black civilization and its potential following the Berlin conference.