Have you ever had the feeling of being more superior than anyone else, and that you could take anything/everything away from them in a period of time. This is what the European countries did to African community such as taking all of their culture, pride, land, and resources.Through 300 years(1500-1800) there were many new creations, inventions, and trades happening around Africa. And Africa went through a stage of horror by the european countries trying to take over parts of Africa. In a political point of view in “Document A” it showed all of the seven countries taking over Africa, In “Document C” it has showed that the technology was a key role in the imperialism, lastly is “Document E” that has showed how all of the money paid into another …show more content…
This is all based on document A “ Partition of Africa, 1884-85”. The first point is that there were seven European countries taking parts of Africa and they were the British, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Belgian, and the Spanish. These countries all took a part in this “taking” of Africa. And it was very dangerous for the African community because they were being taking over as if they were a useless community . But the two main countries of this “taking” were the British and French, and they both took about 70-75% of Africa and that is a ginormous number. That has showed that these two countries have put in a lot and sacrificed many things to take this much land. So as shown all of these countries were desperate to take part of this gaining of territory because they didn’t want to miss …show more content…
This is all based on document c “ Technology and Imperialism”. There were about five technological developments that were created and they were very helpful for many reasons such as trading, messaging, etc. All of these items were made in the early 19th century besides the “steam engine(1787) first used in boats.” The other developments were Maxim gun (1884), Bessemer process(1855), Electric telegraph(1837), Repeating rifle( late 1800s), and method of getting quinine from cinchona tree bark(1820). All of these developments served a strong cause for the European countries such a the cinchona tree bark, it was used to cure a type of tropical disease that if they didn’t use it many men would die and the Europeans wouldn’t be as successful as they were. Another key is the “Bessemer process” this has showed many quick ways to manufacture steel which was used for rails, bridges, and many tall buildings. That has it’s advantages because if they wouldn’t have had this everything would have gone by way slower and not much progress would have been done. All of these developments have been another key point for the Europeans for them to succeed in taking over
Jared Diamond’s thesis in Guns, Germs, and Steel is erroneous because it was mainly the inventions of the Industrial Revolution, specifically the light bulb and railway train, that really separated the European West from the rest of the world and enabled European global domination. The inventions of both the railway train and light bulb had profound impacts on improving manufacturing and transportation efficiency in European countries at different times throughout the nineteenth century. Jared Diamond explains why the Americas or in Africa did not surpass and become global dominants: “Diffusion was slower in Africa and especially in the Americas, because of those continents’ north-south major axes and geographic and ecological barriers”(Diamond
In document C there is a list of some of the main technological advancements. The different technological advancements could have been one of the driving forces behind the European
“No African delegates were present. Simply put, the European powers agreed to recognize any areas that were already occupied to being developed by other European nations. Because of this, there was a big push to the interior of Africa by competing European Armies, as they all rushed to establish…legitimate claims on areas not occupied by other European powers.” This really struck me because it shows they didn’t care about the African people at all, in fact they could care less. And that’s what starts rebellions.
European expansion into Africa created great controversy. Within approximately half of a century, Europeans had gained control of all African lands except for Ethiopia and Liberia, (Doc. 4). By taking their land and power, European nationalism had occupied full control of the continent. Technology also played an important role in the removal of many occupations. Since machinery was taking the place of workers, factories needed less workers to operate the equipment.
With imperialism and the new control over countries there was a need to create a new economy that would benefit the European country. With their
The European nations divided African and China into colonies. European nations took over the colonies from Africa, Asia, and many others. The British scholars took all the wealth and lands of the colonies(Doc 5). All the money was in the hand of the British scholars and they become in control. The British enslaved the Africans, who got their land taken away from them by the European nations.
In fact, the commercial ties between Europe and Africa operated mostly on equal, reciprocal terms: “African trade with Europe was very much the mirror image of European trade with Africa” (Thornton 54). Understanding this reciprocal nature is helpful in appreciating the equality of Europe and Africa, both being independent, autonomous characters. We must appreciate this equality in order to move past the academic objectification of Africa. As a complete contradiction to Early’s assertions, Afro-European relationships could be hurtful to Europeans. As a specific example, a British trader in the Dahomian territory of 1812 wrote with frustration about the extreme subordination Europeans in Africa experienced: “the ferocious King of Dahomey…tyrannizes over the Governor and the few people about him, as to render such subjection utterly disgraceful to the British flag” (Law 61).
What was the driving force behind European Imperialism in Africa? Between 1500 and 1800 the Europeans knew little about the interior of Africa their presence was to buy and sell slaves for pots, cloth, and weapons and set sail to America. Late as 1870 ten percent of Africa was under Europeans control and most was along edges by 1914 ninety percent of Africa was in control four years later. Due to the countries that held African colonies in 1914 that involved the British, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spain, and Belgian. France and Britain were the main conquer in African colonies, because there conqueror of land in Africa.
So Europe invaded Africa, took possession of Africa, and divided Africa into colonies of Europe. The period of invasion, lasting some twenty years, was more or less completed by 1900. There followed a longer period, between sixty and ninety years, of direct European rule, called colonial rule. This was a time of profound upheaval for all of Africa’s peoples. It brought irreversible changes” (4).
This is an example of what they had to do to become the strongest. Nationalism is a patriotic effort to make their country better. And that is what Europe did, which helped them take over Africa. This is just another example of a driving force that Europe
The Europeans development of gunpowder was the most influential innovation to military development and forever changed how Europeans fought. Originally the Chinese had experimented with gunpowder hopes to fend off their Mongolian aggressors in the 1200s. Unfortunately, the Chinese were never able to master the art. But the Europeans were able to build on the Chinese models, and develop a sustaining type of gunpowder. This gunpowder was far easier to load and a lot more powerful than any earlier form of gunpowder.
European imperialism played a significant role of the evolution of transportation, military, and communication technologies. Since the Industrial Revolution occurred before the age of imperialism, the production of weapons and tools became more efficient and quicker. Thus, inventing the
In The Legacy, Basil Davidson discusses the legacies of colonialism in Africa and gives an insight on modern Africa and the successes and downfalls that it possesses. Moreover, he states that many of the issues seen in modern day Africa are not new and have their roots in the long years of European colonialism that profoundly shaped and continues to shape the continent. Throughout the documentary, various themes regarding postcolonial Africa are mentioned in depth. A few of the themes that Davidson highlights are modernization, ethnicism, corruption, inequality, dictatorship, and neocolonialism.
The only thing Europeans loved more than political power was increasing their trade. In the 1800’s European nations had a desire to get a lead to widespread imperialism in Africa. With the end of slavery in 1833, European interest in Africa shifted to seizing colonies. King Leopold of Belgium acquired a private country in Africa that was 95 times bigger than Belgium and his purpose was to make money by taking out ivory and rubber.
The “Fate of Africa” by Martin Meredith it gives the reader an insight on prominent political leaders views on the best way to build a stable independent nation-state and free themselves from the European powers. In chapter four it discusses the French and there fourteen