Why Did European Powers Seek Colonies Overseas Between 1871 and 1914, and How Did This Affect Relations Between Them?

During the late 1800’s, Europe was looking for a way to improve themselves as a whole. With growing population and a steady decline in available work, something new had to be done. Countries looked towards Africa to serve as new colonies for the Europeans in order to better their own countries. During the European acquisition of African colonies in the period 1880 to 1914 Europe’s attitude towards Africa was that Africa was the inferior race in comparison to the Europeans. With the help of a strong feeling of nationalism, Europeans were motivated to acquire new lands in order to improve their motherland’s

The rise of new imperialism of the 19th and early 20th century involved Europe going into Africa. The causes of imperialism in Africa were partly due to the decolonization in America. The European powers were out political and economic gain by the United States gaining their independence. In 1876 European powers especially King Leopold II of Belgium, agreed in the Berlin Conference to split up the land in Africa, no longer invading to colonize but to gain political, military and economic power. The methods to imperialism of the African land were done differently, by each

Between the period from 1880 to 1914, European powers went after overseas empires in Africa. The governments and political leaders of the European powers believed that this colonization of the African empires was necessary to maintain their global influence. A second group of people supposed that African colonization was the result of the greedy Capitalists who \only cared for new resources and markets. The third group of people claimed it to be their job to enlighten and educate the uncivilized people of Africa. Although the political leaders of European powers encouraged colonization of African empires to advance their nation’s global influence, others argued that it was only for the profiteering of the Capitalists who sought new

In the period of 1880 to 1914, positive and negative attitudes ascended throughout the acquisition of African colonies. Some thought that it would reinforce Europe's economy and government, others supposed it would add pressures to Europe; it end up being a benefit to the economy, strengthen the nation and civilizing Africa. Motivations would be up brought upon the vague consideration about this dilemma.

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)

During 19th century Europe the Industrial Revolution was rapidly spreading through many prominent European nations, such as France, Germany and Spain. The Industrial Revolution was the name given to the period of time, around the 1800s, when many of Europe’s economies switched from agricultural economies to industrial ones. This Revolution spurred on a new age of European Imperialism, European nations set about conquering, claiming and colonising chunks of Africa. The new economic motives, technological advancements and desire for power created by the Industrial Revolution were the greatest motives behind European Imperialism in Africa.

The Great African Land Race: Expanding European Territory Since the 1500’s, Europeans have been utilizing Africa as a center for trading and slavery. But in the early 1880’s, Africa became more of an interest to Europeans like King Leopold who wanted to expand their control over the world. The rush to conquer the mysterious continent began. Many factors caused Europeans to take part in land grabbing; however, the largest force driving Europeans towards imperialism in Africa was the desire for power through riches and natural African resources, which allowed Europeans to expand their economy and territory. Europeans quickly began to seize as much land as they could in Africa in order to win the great race for power.

Since the beginning of modern civilization, man has had a burning desire for land. European nations in particular are well known for being those of imperialists, the act of extending a nation’s power or economy through the process of acquiring land. The strive for power in Africa can be seen dating back to the late 18th century, and continued throughout the early 20th. Europeans practiced imperialism in Africa for several centuries for reasons including economic opportunities, national pride, and the interpreted moral responsibilities.

The European scramble for Africa can be regarded as a major historical event. The scramble for Africa started off with tranquil beginnings and then eventually transformed into violent rebellions, as evident in the documents. There was opposition with instruments of war and peace, diplomatic relations with other countries, and trade relations. These all influenced Europe’s scramble for Africa.

The history of imperialism in Europe is vast, but none more so than the conquering of Africa from military involvement to resources in a country to the use of missionaries to gain trust with natives. The Europeans used military force to conquer land for the resources that could not be obtained in their country. The military was used to enslave the natives to mine the resources, such as gold, diamonds, rubber, and ivory, for the rich at home when the missionaries attempts to gain trust. The missionaries came claiming to want to teach them, but instead they destroyed the unique culture of the area. A combination of these caused an uproar from the natives and the end of imperialism in the area. The history of these also affects how life

Elsewhere in Central Africa, Brazza used more honorable methods to secure trade agreements for France. The rivalry between King Leopold and France marked the opening chapter in the “scramble for Africa.” Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, Italy, and King Leopold all began to turn their attention to the vast areas that any European power had yet to claim. Why was the Berlin Conference organized? To reduce the possibility of conflicts arising among the European powers, German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck arranged for an international conference to be held in Berlin in 1884. The conference was intended to provide a kind of organization to the “carving up” of Africa that had begun several years before. Bismarck was not especially interested in Africa, but he recognized that his country’s position in Europe could be improved through careful manipulation of events in Africa. “Here is Russia and here is France, with Germany in the middle. That is my map of Africa.” —Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Bismarck gave the French his word that he would support

The scramble for Africa represents the most thorough and systematic process of colonialism in world history. The European colonial powers managed to conquer and control almost the entire continent of Africa in a short, twenty-five year period from about 1875 to 1900. Some of the European states involved were already well-established global powers; the others were up and coming nations that desired to emulate and compete with the dominant imperial states. Various factors allowed for and contributed to the conquering of the whole of Africa by European states. The slow, but ever-growing European presence on the perimeter and the completion for dominance between the major European states acted as the platform for the inevitable quest for

After the 1881 elections, his party no longer controlled the Reichstag (The German House of Representatives). He had to do something to regain some of the lost power since the elections (Sempell 148). Bismarck did not see the need for colonies in Africa, but public opinion forced him to enter upon the global game of imperialism (150). This pleased Germany's constituents, and it eventually led to the obtainment of many valuable resources.

The European states became increasingly interested in the scramble for Africa in 1870 and onwards, to gain new colonial holdings so they could supply their countries with cheap resources for industrialization. When studying imperialism there have been conflicting views of what imperialism is and how it is caused between political scholars of the Liberal theory, like John A. Hobson, Social-Psychological theorists, like Joseph Schumpeter, and Marxist theorists, like Vladimir Lenin. In this essay, I will analyze the work of John A. Hobson’s, Imperialism: A Study, Joseph Schumpeter’s, The Sociology of Imperialisms, and Vladimir Lenin’s, Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism, and argue about their differing ideas and contradictions about imperialism, as well as how these different scholars relate and agree upon ideas of imperialism.

The trajectory of colonialism can be traced back to fifteen century conquest of Cueta by Portugal. But not until the seventeenth century did they establish their own overseas empire. The initial rational justification presumed by the colonial powers was the ‘ White man’s burden’. They were preoccupied with the notion that the advanced countries had an obligation to help the people of backward