The Impact Of The European Colonization Of Africa

Great Essays
We all live on Earth, a world that houses a collection of many diverse nations, individually connected and powered by the personal connections with one another. These continents that make up the earth all possess something special to offer up to one another. Africa is one such continent that offers a great deal of desirable resources to this world. Africa offers a wide collection of religions, languages, animals, and environmental resources that are readily available for the world to benefit from.
The European people saw this continent as a source of endless possibilities and in turn began to take advantage of all the resources that were available. Known as one of the most powerful expeditions, the European colonization of Africa lead to the crucial developing aspects of the late 19th and early 20th century. This unfortunately contributed to the corruption of many African cultures and consequently, set African behind in the race to become the most powerful collection of civilizations in the world. In Europe’s attempt to colonize Africa in search of economic and political power, as well as spread their personal philosophies and religious beliefs, Africa was brutalized, exploited, and brought to the brink of near demise. Despite all of these trials, Africans were still able to hold on to their roots and restore their deteriorated continent and civilization throughout, while finding the impetus for strive for future prosperity. One of the most discernible reasons for the European colonization of Africa was for Europe to gain economic benefit. During this time, Europe was struggling with an economic depression of their own and looked to Africa and the raw goods that they possessed as a solution to escape the dreaded reality of their economic failures. Due to the nature of capitalism, poverty and economic struggle is an implicit flaw, and in an analysis of Hegel’s Philosophy of History and Philosophy of Right Eze states, “For Hegel, the imperial and the colonial expansion of Europe is the necessary and logical outlet for resolving the problem of poverty inherent to capitalism” (Eze 215). Major raw materials and goods desired by the Europeans included “gold, copper, palm oil, cocoa, diamonds, tea, and tin” (Settles 4). The demand for these resources was quite high, as most were unattainable in Europe. The European demand for economic power was underscored by this desperate search and utilization of these exterior resources. Shortly after the initial exposure to the new world for the Europeans, it became clear that the materials, particularly gold, were dwindling, thereby creating the need for a new economic source in the European economy. The intense exploitation of African raw materials diminished in the economic capability of Africa, subsequently derailing their efforts to become the world’s most powerful continent. In 1705, William De La Palma said, “Concerning the trade on this Coast, we notified your Highness that nowadays the natives no longer occupy themselves with the search for gold, but rather make war on each other in order to furnish slaves. . . The Gold Coast has changed into a complete Slave Coast” (Wood). As gold resources began to dwindle, the Portuguese began to search for different forms of economic assets to fuel their powerful country. As Prince Henry, the famous Portuguese advocate, was in search of economic power fueled by the western African coast,
…show more content…
As Eickelmann stated in her brief excerpt about the transatlantic slave trade, “What established the case for using Africans as slaves was not merely the availability of Africans in such large, economic numbers, but European ideas about slavery itself. Europe was, of course, divided against itself at home… Europeans, however, seemed united on one thing: they would not use other Europeans as slaves” (Eickelmann). This demonstrates that while the Europeans had severe conflicts of their own throughout the country, they were all in agreeance that using their own people as slaves would not suffice their need for unity and total dominance. In addition, European Enlightenment philosopher considered the African people “as being of a different, sub-human, species therefore philosophically and anthropologically sanctioned the exploitation of Africans in barbaric ways that were not allowed for Europeans” (Eze 214-215), and this was used as justification for the enslavement of

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Europe has had a significant role in the history of Africa for over 300 years, between 1500 to 1800. Over the years, Europe began to look into Africa, searching and trading for slaves, gold, and ivory, leading to power and wealth in the country. Around early 1800, the trans-Atlantic slave trade was marked prohibited, and soon after, slavery itself was ended. This drove Europe to find a different interest in imperializing Africa, focusing more on exploration and studying the country of Africa. By 1870, Europe only had 10% of Africa under control, such as French Algeria, British Sierra Leone, and Portuguese Angola.…

    • 555 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    European colonialism “opened up the country,” improved life for Africans, and allowed the African continent to begin to emulate the western world and meet European standards for civilization. The Europeans reduced Africa to ignorance, poverty, and disease, without even acknowledging the innumerable cultures, traditions, and histories that made up Africa prior to imperialism. Even more, according to the European colonialists, nations such as Britain were the only ones capable of saving the African people because they had what they believed to be the superior “initiative of the white man,” as opposed to the “life of fear and uncertainty” of the Africans. The belief that Africans were a lost people prior to colonialism is one example of how the Europeans used their classification of Africa and her people to justify their occupation of…

    • 1597 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    During the 1880’s harsh European imperialism took place in Africa. Africa was divided up for other European nations and in the end only two African countries remained free. European countries fought for rule in Africa to the brink of war. But, what was the driving force behind this European imperialism? Based on evidence provided by Docs A-F, Technology, political and economic causes were all factors in the Europeans imperializing.…

    • 415 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Europeans Over Africa Dbq

    • 151 Words
    • 1 Pages

    One of the main reasons the Europeans took over the land was for the good trading and resources in Africa. There were many important resources in Africa that would be useful to the Europeans, like cotton, gold, rubber, sisal, coal, zinc, copper, ivory, etc. Europeans wanted to take over the land so they could use the resources in Africa to make useful things like fabrics, fuel, food products, rope, coins, and other useful items (Doc D). If Europeans took over Africa, they'd be able to trade with a larger variety of people and countries, which meant getting a larger variety of resources (Doc A). After the Europeans took over Africa, they used the resources there to their best advantage; the Europeans sold and traded lots of the resources in…

    • 151 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Ancient Africa Dbq

    • 282 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Ancient Africa has had many achievements over the years and these are what made Africa strong and powerful. From gaining wealth to upgrading their army, and making more farms, these all helped to make Africa stronger and more powerful. And here are the achievements of Africa ……….. One of Africa's achievements is that Africa had many trade routes going through it so that meant more people would buy their goods and help them to gain wealth. For example, in document 8 there were trade routes connecting Kilwa, Zimbabwe, Sofala, Mombasa, Malindi, Mogadishu, Aksum, Lalibela, Zelia, Jidda, Aden, Calicut, and Muscat.…

    • 282 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Effect of European Control The large continent of Africa is the home to many African tribes. Africa has many resources that other countries desire to have for themselves. During 1884, these European countries met at what was called the Berlin Conference, where they discussed how they were going to divide the continent up between themselves. They gave no say to the people living in Africa.…

    • 875 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Not too long ago, Africa was a country of wealth, attracting many European countries. However, the wealth did not come without a cost. Europeans had little knowledge of Africa because of the dangers of disease such as malaria. Europeans did not explore Africa either because they only needed Africa for slaves. After slavery was outlawed, Europeans decided to explore more of Africa.…

    • 590 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    This paper’s goal is to describe the effects of imperialism on modern Africa. This paper will compare many of the countries that were affected by imperialism, and look at both the positive and negative aspects of imperialism, such as the increase of education and the abuse of the African people. I will also look at the countries that used imperialism, and look how they benefited. By the time this essay is finished I hope to know the best and the worst of imperialism in Africa. And understand why some countries felt the need to conquer smaller countries.…

    • 97 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Africans were so successfully enslaved because they lacked a united African nation, they were not prepared for the militant power the Europeans possessed, and the Africans were guilty of selling each other into slavery as well. According to Dr. Emma Poulter, “The basis of the relationship between Europeans and coastal Africans was purely one of commercial interest.” there was no moral forethought before these exchanges. To keep the enslavement of Africans profitable for Europeans in the New World, they had to establish an institution that worked against black people to keep them oppressed. Evidence of these action can be seen in the Maryland Doctrine of 1638 and the consequences of Bacon’s Rebellion in 1676.…

    • 815 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    All the Europeans did was take all of their resources and have them do all the labour behind it and ship it to there home town. The examples to prove the driving force of the European imperialism in Africa is in the White Man’s Burden, imports and exports of Great Britain and South Saharan Africa, and the technology and imperialism comparison. The first example of the European Imperialism is the White Man’s Burden document. This document shows that the whites thought they had something above the Africans that's why they conquered them and made them work for them and or they would sell them. The Europeans did this because they thought they were someone better than the Africans when in reality they were the same in a way.…

    • 625 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Brilliant Essays

    Negative Effects Of Imperialism In Africa

    • 1743 Words
    • 7 Pages
    • 7 Works Cited

    Politically, European imperialism created tremendous conflict among African people, expanded Europe’s colonial boundaries by carving up Africa, and attempted to restructure society, only to leave Africa’s political structure weak and corrupt. Economically, European imperialism destructed Africa’s self sufficiency and increased dependance on colonial powers; strengthened Europe’s own economy, therefore further weakening Africa’s economy; and exploited many raw materials within Africa. Culturally, European imperialism uprooted Africa’s spiritual and traditional values, exploited the people of Africa, and prompted colonial racism. Works Cited Barnes, Andrew. “Economic Parasitism: European Rule In West Africa, 1880-1960.”…

    • 1743 Words
    • 7 Pages
    • 7 Works Cited
    Brilliant Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The American notion of Africa and Africans seemingly has always been unapologetically filled with convoluted racist overtones and simplifications. From being titled the land without law, civility, and modernity to being the land of exotic primitivism and savagery, Africa continues to be a widely misappropriated continent. Not only was the American psyche regarding Africa shaped by colonial imaginations and mythology, the sentiment heavily persists without much change. The misconceptions of this diverse continent is explored by scholar and professor, Curtis Keim, in Mistaking Africa: Curiosities and Inventions of the American Mind. Keim delves and deconstructs prevalent preconceptions that steer the American consciousness of Africa through…

    • 820 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A New Perspective On Africa “The only man I envy is the man who has not yet been to Africa- for he has so much to look forward to. ”- Rich Mullins The continent of Africa is one of the most under recognized and under appreciated gems of the world. In the past, the continent of Africa was seen as barbaric and hopelessly primitive.…

    • 713 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    It is also clear that the problems facing Africa started when Africa started trading with Europe leading to culture contact which brought about the idea of civilization to the African continent. During the trade, unequal trade terms led to the transfer of wealth from Africa to Europe adding to the much wealth the European countries already had. Due to their advancement in technology Europe was able to infiltrate into the African Land and get themselves the natural resources and as well as manufacture products with their machineries and sell the end products and still get the lions share in the profits acquired. Walter says, “Colonialism was not merely a system of exploitation but one whose essential purpose was to repatriate the profits to the so called…

    • 1401 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    The common thread Rodney displays in these examples is the inherent inequality of the European view of Africa and the consequent actions, proving that even in the process of ‘under developing’ Africa, there was an inherent prejudice towards African subordination. Rodney disputes the commonly accepted bourgeois attitude that colonialism was for the benefit of the African continent, as their economy had clearly stagnated and technological development was significantly lagging. He uses the Marxist explanation that inequality was needed to sustain the capitalist economy such that Europe needed Africa to remain stagnant and ‘underdeveloped’ for it to continue to service the European centered economy. He only further proves this by pointing out that even aspects of colonialism, which were justified as beneficial to Africans, were set up in ways that Europeans ultimately benefitted, social services were only constructed in regions that were particularly valuable to Europeans: “the…

    • 1752 Words
    • 8 Pages
    • 3 Works Cited
    Great Essays