European Acquisition Of Africa Dbq Essay

The nineteenth century was a period of industrialization and unifications of colonies. As the second industrial revolution had begun empires, colonies, cities, and even towns became stronger with the use of railroads, electricity, and the power of transportation. The offering and creating of new materials allowed an expansion of power in Europe, developing the "age of progress". Other countries surrounding the borders of France were incapable of making the same amount of "progress" and called for many downfalls. Such as Africa and it's failed attempt to westernization. With so many countries failing many colonies began to hope to acquire these countries for both a political gain and expansion of their powers. The motivations behind the European

Europe needed reassurance that their already strengthened empire would maintain. In the year 1876, Benjamin Disraeli (doc 2) spoke up about the meanings of gaining Africa. His expression and tone about the subject helped lead people to acknowleding that the "purchase" was a political transaction. Because Disraeli would want to appeal to his own house of commons he is naturally going to want to show that he still has confidence of his country but believes expanding their empire is always better than being weak.Supporting the idea that handiling Africa was a political purchase used to extend Europes already demanding Empire. Attending to this claim would be British politician Archibald Phillip Primose in his letter to the London Times. (doc 4) Primrose writes about the tasks needed to be done in order to become a leading empire and claiming Africa is considered on that list. Primrose's letter justifies countries looking at Africa as a boost of confidence in their own terms. One would expect a man like Primrose to defend the decisions with excuses such as, Africa being a better place to populate but instead he expresses the truth of the matter that the main motivation behind the acquisition of African colonies was an expansion of their own

As continued countries began to plummet the choice of new territory became not just a want but a need. Including Germany. A the German social democratic party congress came up with a resolution in 1900, (doc 5) They issued the benefactors of the new colonies explainning that it would become a place of opportunities to innovate and to invest. Finically this would become very beneficial for Germany as they would be able to create new markets and gain capitalist exploitation. The authors choice to control some of Africas colonies clearly shows a commitment to form a better Germany based on the intention of trying to eliminate Germany's financial crisis. Someone also hopeful of Africa bringing better advancements for their country was Joseph Chamberlain, a British industrialist. (doc 3) Chamberlain spoke of the situation as a hope for a better tomorrow. The British population would rise and rise again until as a nation they would begin to starve. Having extra colonies would give the British more room for their expanding population to grow. Because Chamberlain is trying to address the finical/food struggle that the British are going through most likely resembles his determination in declaring more land in support of his own dying