Why Did European Imperialize Africa Dbq Research Paper

Europe has had a significant role in the history of Africa for over 300 years, between 1500 to 1800. Over the years, Europe began to look into Africa, searching and trading for slaves, gold, and ivory, leading to power and wealth in the country. Around early 1800, the trans-Atlantic slave trade was marked prohibited, and soon after, slavery itself was ended. This drove Europe to find a different interest in imperializing Africa, focusing more on exploration and studying the country of Africa. By 1870, Europe only had 10% of Africa under control, such as French Algeria, British Sierra Leone, and Portuguese Angola. But what made Europe imperialize Africa? The driving force behind the imperialism of Africa was led by the rich resources Africa contained, like land, money, natural resources, etc. …show more content…
According to document D, the natural resources Africa includes are cotton, coffee, sugar, ivory, gum, zinc, lead, coal, gold, diamonds, etc. These resources were valuable to Europe because they grew the economy, resulting in more money, and displayed power and influence within Europe. Inventions and discoveries also helped Europe take over Africa. For example, according to document C, the electric telegraph, invented in 1837, helped spread European influence through Africa. The treatment for the disease of malaria, made from cinchona tree bark in 1820, also made Europe more powerful. The Maxim gun, invented in 1884, and the Repeating rifle, invented in the late 1800’s, boosted power in the European army and military forces, used as an advantage over the African