Essay On African Colonization

Improved Essays
The continent of Africa is well known for its history of slavery and mistreatment to the inhabitants there. Africa remained controlled by European nations well into the 20th century. Some of the stronger African societies tried to enforce resistant on the European colonization; however, virtually all of Africa was colonized. One of the main reasons for the impeding of Africa was because of the problems that were occurring in European nations. The only way to make the problems better was to colonize. Even though Africa tried to put up a fight against European colonization, they were unsuccessful; however, by the 1960s, Africa was able to gain Independence from most of the European nations.
Since the intrusion of European nations caused chances
…show more content…
Great Britain was one of the most powerful nations and can be viewed taking over many territories. India was under British rule and as Bal Cangadhar Tilak wrote “One fact that this alien government has ruined the country” (qtd. in Bal 56-65). Therefore, Africa cannot be viewed as cowardice because they ended up losing. Africa should be recognized for their bravery in defending their home country.
Africa’s reaction to the colonization of European nations was very successful when viewed by the 21st century because they acquired their independence. Africans stayed strong throughout the colonization period and with the words of Kwame Nkrumah, “A union of African states will project more effectively the African personality. It will command more respect from a world…” (qtd. in Kwame x-xii). Therefore, with unity a group of people or a nation can overcome any dispute no matter the size.
Africa faced many difficulties during the 19th and 20th centuries; however, with the unity they were able to gain their independence. Africa faced many European nations and was unsuccessful in fending off the colonization of the continent. However, in the 1960s, the independence that Africa gained from the European nations makes their actions very successful in the eyes of the

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    The Scramble for Africa, when European countries rushed to claim land in Africa to colonize, a period of time after the Berlin conference in 1884, a meeting between European powers discuss splitting parts of Africa among them while not including any African leaders in the meeting. Before the Berlin Conference the European countries for 300 years from 1500 to 1800, were trading along the coast of west Africa. They traded for gold, ivory, and slaves, but never did they venture deep into Africa. There were many reasons to why the European countries decided to imperialize Africa in the late 19th century. There was the sense of a national competition that brought nations to compete with each other in obtaining the most land, technological advances…

    • 1163 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    European Imperialism started in Africa as early as the 1500s, beginning with the slave trade, coastal outposts and colonies. Eventually it became something different as the European powers each sought to have their own piece of land in Africa. Throughout the years, Africa was affected positively and negatively through social and economic elements. The African people were forced to change in ways that made them “better,” or more modern, and tourism began growing, but there were also views and attitudes of some Europeans as being “superior races.” Africans were also affected economically because of colonies becoming linked through railroads, the forced advancement of society, and through the expansion of territories.…

    • 1027 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The Decolonization of Africa by David Birmingham is a detailed account of the struggle between African and European countries to decolonize. As many African countries began to come together, they decided that they were more fit to govern their own people than any outside controllers. However, in this essay I will argue that it was Ghana that created an African revolution and led to more countries becoming decolonized; but it was a long and difficult road for all countries and many things were sacrificed to achieve the ultimate goal of independence. The Decolonization of Africa created a timeline of the decolonization of many African colonies.…

    • 1544 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    European colonialism “opened up the country,” improved life for Africans, and allowed the African continent to begin to emulate the western world and meet European standards for civilization. The Europeans reduced Africa to ignorance, poverty, and disease, without even acknowledging the innumerable cultures, traditions, and histories that made up Africa prior to imperialism. Even more, according to the European colonialists, nations such as Britain were the only ones capable of saving the African people because they had what they believed to be the superior “initiative of the white man,” as opposed to the “life of fear and uncertainty” of the Africans. The belief that Africans were a lost people prior to colonialism is one example of how the Europeans used their classification of Africa and her people to justify their occupation of…

    • 1597 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The United States and various European countries met in 1884-1885 at the Berlin Conference to regulate European colonization of Africa. At this point in history, imperialism was occurring, where a country would increase it’s power by gaining control of another country. European imperialists were deciding the fate of Africa. The Scramble for Africa was three decades after the Berlin conference, where European powers began to colonize areas in Africa. Not all natives were pleased by the Europeans occupying their country.…

    • 1097 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    African states tried to resist European Imperialism, although only two were able to remain independent. Great Britain's empire in Africa was larger than Great Britain itself. The Ottomans lost all control of all of their colonies in Africa by 1875 and 1914. The British, Dutch/Boers, and Zulus fought for control of South Africa, but in the end the British gained control. When the exploration of Africa began, the leaders of Europe came together to “split-up” the continent, because an agreement of boundaries would occur between them.…

    • 893 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Kings started to take Africa for themselves, giving the natives no regard. Later, Europe starts to divide Africa up. They made agreements about respecting each other, but did not care about the African’s land rights. Africans were not even invited to the meeting. Europeans were desperate for the African land.…

    • 590 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Dbq Imperialism Analysis

    • 756 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Over a century ago, the Europeans were put in a competition that they did not want to miss, for the grand prize was to be treated like gold. For 300 years, Europeans traded for resources and slaves. A decision of venturing to Africa was made, and European leaders held a conference, with the prominent desire to divide Africa. In the late 1800s, the race for African lands was transpiring and this is known as imperialism. But what drove the Europeans to embark on a quest to conquer and seize Africa and its territories?…

    • 756 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Africa is a continent known for its plentiful natural resources, and unfortunately European countries also noticed this early on. Europeans began to colonize African countries, and soon enough they would control most of Africa's territories. European imperialism endured for 300 years, between 1500 and 1800. What drove the European imperialism was economic prosperity, national competition, and cultural beliefs.…

    • 876 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the movie, “The Battle of the Algiers”, I am able to learn about the Algiers revolt against the French military and paratroopers. The French ruling forced Algerians into confinement by using laws and regulation .The movie emphasizes Algiers tactics in fighting against the French, as well as its prominent leaders, including the death of Ali la Pointe. The Europeans invaded and turn Algeria into a French colony around 1830. This was in response to the Ottoman Empire attacking European shipment involved in the Mediterranean trade.…

    • 439 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    As political and industrial revolution scoured across Europe in the 19th century, governments and businesses began to take a particular interest in a continent of Africa. Due to the challenges it presented in previous centuries, it was not susceptible to imperial conquest similar to the Western Hemisphere in the 16th century. With the outset of the Industrial Revolution, along with its subsequent aspiration for raw materials and potential markets, a new set of motivations helped shape the dispute whether or not to make a presence in Africa. From economic gain, to building a sense of national honor and pride, European powers consumed the continent below them with a mentality that only the “survival of the fittest” being able to prevail.…

    • 388 Words
    • 2 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
  • Great Essays

    Pre Colonial Africa

    • 1477 Words
    • 6 Pages

    INTRODUCTION. Pre colonial Africa was has varied has the continent itself. Different circumstances produced different societies with different tradition, customs, and politics these societies rose, fell and adapted as the centuries passed. Despite this variety, it is possible to divide political organisation amongst these communities into two broad categories states and stateless societies. Low population densities and the production of relatively small economic surpluses, hindered the formation of states in many parts of pre colonial Africa.…

    • 1477 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great 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
  • Great Essays

    Given the limited focus on African history in Western education this book provides an eye-opening experience, which challenges the dominant understanding that the West can do no harm, perhaps one of Rodney’s goals in writing this particular piece. Although the book’s discussion of African history ends in the 1970’s, this does not make it any less valid today, as many of the patterns described by Rodney can be observed in present day African society. An argument can be made that the aid industry in Africa is following a similar trajectory to formal colonialism and only goes to further Rodney’s original thesis that the only true way to develop Africa is through a severance of ties with the international capitalist economy. Overall, Rodney’s How Europe Underdeveloped Africa was a refreshing read, which challenged Western accounts of African history. His arguments were well supported and have stood the test of time; both of which are important for academic texts.…

    • 1752 Words
    • 8 Pages
    • 3 Works Cited
    Great Essays