As European countries raced to carve up the second largest continent in the world for themselves, its inhabitants were forced to wonder as to why they were so eager to take land that was not their own. Nowadays, we are enlightened to these happenings owing in large part to the records kept by European explorers and rulers. Between 1750 and 1914, European countries colonized most of the continent, a policy known as imperialism. The main motives behind European imperialism in Africa are economic competition, the Industrial Revolution, and nationalism. Economic competition between countries was a big factor. Africa was a treasure trove of natural resources that European industries could benefit off of. Rubber, spices, precious metals, and other