The Colonialism Effect of Africa
As the world races for its place in history, many continents excel on their mark on the map. It is because Africa was in the right place, but in a different time they were taken advantage of their glory. Although it is difficult for Africa to retrace and reclaim its memoirs, it has an origin that had existed before colonialism. The attempt of challenging modern history has desperately provided an economical realm that extracts and injects into Africa resources. Due to various cultural differences from external forces Africa has prevailed. Uniquely enough, the major problems seeded from colonialism had gradually disrupted the progression of billions of Africans living in various societies. As functional as
…show more content…
Even though African societies existed in a peaceful and prosperous state before colonialism the slow interactions than in turn intersected regional and cultural diversity. In a few cases, indigenous communities had in fact been better off before colonialism. It is important to understand the issues that are represented in African history because of the effects it has globally. The power surge of colonialism changed the lives of billions who were affected by its brute force. Even so the perception of Africa is an indigenous society, even till this day it has casted a shadow on its realities.
Within the transition of European settlements in the early nineteenth century, Europeans wanted to change African societies because of its unusual methods. In this case, Europeans, found African norms unusual and ineffective when actually Africans had thrived in a social order. Furthermore, African societies had proved as a type of utopia of their own ‘Checks & Balances’ in which benefited everyone. In some cases, the form of currency had rendered useless until capital investment were placed on Africa’s resources, including young men used for the transatlantic slave trade and the discovery of oil.
As the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1919, it had created a power vacuum leaving Africa opened for grabs. Territories had than became inherited by the control of Europeans.
European powers shamelessly exploited the people and resources of Africa in the 19th century. They often tried to justify their actions by using ideology, religion and moralism. After the end of the African slave trade, the development of steam power, and medical discovery, European nations started exploring not only the coast but also the unmapped interior of the continent. In this essay, I will explain the main driving forces behind African Imperialism. The Western europeans countries all competed for land and resources because of their self interest. They sought natural resources, and technology gave them the ability to exploit them. The philosophy of national pride however, was the primary reason. (Main document) (Doc C, D & B)
Africa’s persistent poverty interrogates the continent’s past through institutions, government, demography, economics, colonialism, and the impact of the trading. The colonial era affected the variety of Africa’s historical development for it was quite the game changer since it put a halt to the continuous drain of scarce labor and paved the way for the expansion of land concentrated forms of agriculture, and engaging smallholders, estates, and communal farms. The establishment of the colonial rule over the African interior reinforced African commodity growth in export. The colonial control facilitated the construction induced significant inflows of European
During the 1800s, Europeans had a great desire to take over the colonization of Africa completely. This imperialism changed the way the African people lived, entirely. All ways of life, political organizations, and social structures were adjusted due to the large effects the Europeans had on the countries. However, one of the biggest changes was the European-dominated hierarchies and the arrival of Christianity, and Western ideals spread throughout Africa. However, the primary driving force behind European imperialism in Africa is the relentless pursuit of Africa’s abundance of raw materials to share among their countries.
Have you ever been on vacation and was scared to go into the ocean because of sharks? Since many people are unaware of the potential danger of the ocean, they would be enlightened to know about the deadliest sharks, ways to prevent attacks and even about Bethany Hamilton’s horrific story!
For centuries, European nations had been trading slaves, gold, ivory, and more with the west coast of Africa. Throughout the early 1800s, Europeans barely knew anything about the rest of the country of Africa. This quickly changed as Europe grew a sudden interest in exploring the rest of the country and taking advantage of their many valuable resources. Many wonder what motivated Europeans to Imperialize Africa, or extend their country’s power throughout Africa. The driving forces behind European Imperialism in Africa were the strive for ultimate power in Africa between competing countries, the need for money and technological advancements in European civilizations, and the constant attempt for Europeans to spread their cultures throughout
All this is a little too close to what A. G. Hopkins called, in the Introduction to his brilliant Economic History of West Africa, the 'Myth of Merrie Africa'. This myth, and any static picture of the African past, does an injustice to the dynamic and innovative features in African society.
“In imperialism nothing fails like success. If the conqueror oppresses his subjects, they will become fanatical patriots, and sooner or later have their revenge; if he treats them well, and governs them for their good, they will multiply faster than their rulers, till they claim their independence,” William Ralph Inge. It was not a good beginning for European imperialism in Africa. Between the 1500s and 1800s, european slavers and traders did not travel far from the african coast. The west coast of Africa was known as “the white man's grave.”
The ‘scramble for Africa’ was a phenomenon in the world between the years 1880-1914. The ‘dark continent’ was relatively untouched by Europeans up until this point, with few ports of control on the coasts in the west, which were remnants of the slave trade, and in the south, Britain held the Cape, taken from the Dutch during the French Revolutionary Wars. So, during a period of 30 years, it came to pass that almost the whole of Africa was taken by Europeans. (Except Liberia a colony for freed American slaves, and Abyssinia managed to hold out against Italian aggression). It will be my objective in this essay to analyse the economic factors which resulted in the almost complete colonisation and takeover of Africa, and also to determine to
Throughout world history, various countries and kingdoms have strived towards achieving power, territory and control. Many rulers would compete against each other at the expense of their armies and civilian population. The largest empires started small, slowly enlarging by engulfing smaller, weaker empires using religious, ethnical, and political strategies. Simply using the aid of technological advancements in machinery and power. During the 16th century, there was a rapid growth of inventions around the world and developments in technology, which helped pave for the Industrial Revolution to occur. This Industrial Revolution was the primary catalyst amongst European nations to conquer others for more power and land. Lack of natural resources in Europe, led the Europeans to Africa in search of lumber, raw materials, and cheap labor. When Europeans went to Africa to look for lumber, raw materials, and cheap labor, they noticed how the natives had a completely different religion than theirs and the Europeans took the opportunity to start a land grab in the African continent to gain more power, territory, and convert the Africans to Christianity. Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, displays the warfare and consequences of European Imperialism in the Niger River region by focusing Nigeria’s early experiences with colonialism, from the first contact with the
Before beginning the actual negotiation process you and your spouse should decide when and where to negotiate. You should also make a list of the issues to be negotiated and what information and documents you will both need to bring to the negotiations. Meyer, (n.d)
The history of Africa is very complex. Europeans invaded Africa and stripped them of their culture and denied future generations their history. Despite the focus on the time of enslavement in modern history, African history expands far beyond that. African history has been consistently whitewashed and many historians have attempted to put our history in a box. In order to understand and study the African experience, one must realize that the history of Africa extends far beyond the times of enslavement and colonialism.
Beginning in 1880, there was a growing desire for European countries to expand and control their rule. The only continent at that time that was left uncontrolled and, in the European's eyes uncivilized, was Africa. This was the start of Western Imperialism. All European countries wanted their piece of Africa and to get it, they would let nothing stand in their way. They would change the entire government, religion, market, and behavior of most of the African nation and affect almost every person living there. An account of the impact of Imperialism is given in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. This book shows the changes that occurred in Africa during Imperialism and its affect on the community and the people
The first chapter in Boahen’s book is titled “Eve of Colonial Conquest” and this section gives the readers a background of the colonialism in Africa through a look at the fundamental economic, political, and social changes that occurred just a few decades before colonialism took root. Boahen states that the trade of “natural products” is the most significant economic change in Africa by 1880. Just before the trading of “natural products” slave trades were abolished.
In studying the continent of Africa, a person simply cannot underestimate the importance and impact the time period 1770-1875 had on the shaping of pre-colonial Africa’s historical experience. By diving head first into Africa’s past and closely examining several themes and concepts of the time, one can fully comprehend just how much the colonization of Africa changed it forever, both for the better and the worse. The many reasons as to the “how and why” Africa was shaped into what it has become today can be seen within Thomas Getz’s book, Cosmopolitan Africa. Specifically, it is through the examination of the themes of the globalization of Africa in the oceanic era, the practice and belief of religions, and the significance of the Industrial Revolution, that the specific ways Africa was shaped from 1770-1875 can clearly be demonstrated.
Africa, also known as the motherland, is a phenomenal and unique place in the world like no other. The saying “motherland” refers to Africa as the founder of human civilization. As the origin of human existence, many problems occurred during the pre colonialist time period in which Africans were being traded for rare staples such as salt and gold. By eliminating the existence of Africans from their own country, a place of complete havoc was created. In effect, relationship fragmentation was created, trade with specific countries were destroyed and depopulation in Africa was at its all time nadir point.