How Did Europeans Split Africa

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What caused Europe to tear apart and split Africa? In the 19th century Europeans started to explore the interior of Africa, after many years of slave trade and other forms of business. This caused Europeans to start to take control and form colonies in Africa in the name imperialism. Imperialism is the policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or force. The primary causes that lead to Europeans taking control of Africa was nationalism, economics, and Social Darwinism.
One primary reason that lead to Europe’s rain of power in Africa was nationalism. Many Europeans believed that the only way their great country would become better is if they showed their power and wealth. A prime example of Europeans distributing this is when John Ruskin is giving a lecture at Oxford University in 1870 and exclaims, “This is what England must either do or perish: she must found colonies as fast and as far as she is able, formed of her most energetic and worthiest men; -seizing every piece of fruitful waste ground she can set her foot on, and there teaching these her colonists…”(Ruskin 1870). This showed that many people in these countries would only become the greatest, through conquering, or taking over others (Africa). In conclusion many reasons contributed to the taking …show more content…

In other words they wanted colonies was to gain power in money and wealth. A pure example of this is seen in two graphs that represent the growth of exports for over 45 years,(Document E), and another chart represents all the raw materials found in the African colonies, like cotton, rubber, cotton, and gold.(Document D). In other words the natural resources that were in the continent of Africa allowed the European countries to gain great wealth and pride their desires of economic growth. In conclusion their many contributing factors for imperialism, but one of the main factors was economic