The Role Of Imperialism In Africa

Improved Essays
How would you define imperialism? Maybe you’ve heard the word before; you might even know what it means. However, if you don’t, what would be your best guess? Well, look no further, the answer is right here. Imperialism is the procedure of increasing the authority of an empire or nation over other existing countries or nations. In this process, an empire may acquire territories and dependencies. Now that you know what the word means, you can only imagine how many times it’s been put into effect. However, let’s focus on when it occurred in the mid-1800s.
After the Industrial Revolution, many European nations wanted more resources to boost their industrial production. Several nations saw Africa as their source for not only new raw materials, but as a market for industrial products as well. As a result, during the 19th and 20th century, colonial powers took over massive areas in Africa. This divided Africa into several ethnic and linguistic groups. While the idea of domination spread many new ideas, it brought along negative and positive aspects to the realization of the
…show more content…
Previously mentioned, imperialism created improvements in health care as well as other things such as and improved structure in economy. In African colonies, railroads, dams, telegraph and telephone lines were built. This is relevant to the positive features of colonization because it created progression in transportation and communication. One last positive effect of empire-building at the given time was that schools were established. This was an imperative characteristic looking at the positive side of imperialism as literacy rates improved. As you can see, the idea of imperialism is very broad in comparison to all that it brought to history, especially during the mid-1800s. It now acts as a vital contribution to the progression in society we live in

Related Documents

  • 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

    Imperialism is a policy that seeks to increase its size, either by forcing or influencing other countries to submit to their rule. During the 1800s, Great Britain’s empire expanded to include India, other parts of Asia, and parts of Africa. Great Britain’s colonial rule had both positive and negative effects on the colonial empire. There were political, and economic causes of British Imperialism. Great Britain not only modernised countries, but also benefitted from them by their useful advantages.…

    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The word “imperialism” is derived from the Latin noun “imperium”, which means the power to command. Whether or not one has the “power to command” is strictly subjective, however many European countries in the 1800’s felt they were worthy of a world wide empire. This belief led to imperialism, in which Europe competed for land in Africa and Asia. While there were many factors in this drive for expansion, the three that heavily influenced this age were as follows: nationalism and the feeling of superiority in various European countries, the technology created by the Industrial Revolution, and the need for more natural resources and markets.…

    • 797 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    According to, Dictionary.com, Imperialism extends the rule of a foreign country or nation. Nowadays, kids are getting an education, but are not receiving support or any help from their uneducated…

    • 564 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Pros and Cons of American Imperialism America is one of the most powerful nations of the world. Its sheer size, economy, territories, and technological advancements make it so influential that many smaller nations or cultures look up to America as if it were a god. Many decades ago, America established its dominance over other nations, particularly during the two world wars by showing off its military prowess and interfering with what are supposedly local affairs of other governments. Imperialism is more of a negative idea than a positive one – it signifies a nation's thirst for expansion at the expense of others.…

    • 521 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Imperialism is when one country is stronger, has more resources, and normally, a larger population, conquering a country that is less powerful, turning that country into a colony. Imperialism is primarily used to expand politically, economically and socially. A country would expand to have a bigger government, mostly to get more money. Englishmen have built infrastructure for the Indians, but that also took away the Indians freedom. The British have only made 16 percent of Indians literate.…

    • 399 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Imperialism began in the 1870s-1914. Europeans wanted to gain more power and land for trade. Europeans focused on foreign investments to gain more profit and to build its empire. Imperialism. To begin, the understanding of what makes imperialism different from other forms of empires is significant.…

    • 615 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Dbq Imperialism In Africa

    • 368 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Imperialism is the practice of expanding beyond a country’s natural borders for the purpose of military expansion, political gain, raw materials, and nationalism. However, not everyone agreed with the imperialistic views. There were those who believed it had proper ideals, while others believed it promoted the wrong principles of democracy. Imperialism especially affected the people of Africa, India, and Korea. Economic gain is most often related as an increase in jobs.…

    • 368 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Imperialism Dbq

    • 941 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In which others benefit as much as they do. This shows all the good results of imperialism and the results of imperialism. In the case of Africa the British believed that imperialising Africa would cause all the bad in Africa to end and no harm done. Also in document 2 it shows how the British imperialising Africa would lead to success for both colonies. “New skills, new ways of agriculture (wells, irrigation, planting of useful trees, use if manure, use of domestic animals).…

    • 941 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
  • Improved Essays

    Imperialism was a proper and legitimate policy for the United States to assume at the turn of the century. The U.S. economy prospered due to the spread of imperialism. The United States had one of the top military forces in the world, making it easy to take control over other countries. Manifest Destiny also contributed to the idea of imperialism in the United States. There were many factors in place in the United States that were improved by imperialism and helped imperialism flourish.…

    • 492 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Idea Of Peace

    • 705 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The idea of peace is an ever changing concept that is influenced by the society of the time. In early ideas of peace, some philosophers concluded that peace is whatever God wills it to be and other believed that because peace is not something that is natural to humans and therefor peace is unattainable. In a society in which violence is not only occurring on a daily basis but seems to also be accepted by the general public, it is hard to imagine a world peace is a priority. This becomes an even greater challenge when someone attempts to define peace. The concept of peace varies from person to person and even trying to define what peace is can lead to conflict.…

    • 705 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

    Causes Of New Imperialism

    • 1412 Words
    • 6 Pages

    “None of the colonial undertakings was motivated by the quest for capitalist profits; they all originated in political ambitions ... the nation’s will to power ... glory or national greatness” (Document 3). Every country wanted more power and that’s why imperialism happened. Or at least that’s why most imperialism happened. Economic and social forces had an effect, but it was mostly political forces. Every natio wanted power, glory, and national greatness.…

    • 1412 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    The impact that imperialism had on the countries and people were amazing. Although life became improved and advanced for the Africans and Asians, it still had a negative impact on them. By the time that…

    • 1180 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays