The 19th and 20th centuries were characterized by the more developed countries of Europe acquiring the land and controlling resources of undeveloped countries. This idea, called imperialism, can be defined as the policy of extending a nation’s authority by territorial acquisition or by establishing economic and political authority over other nations. The European powers saw imperialism as their right and duty to exert their superiority, while the indigenous people of the inferior areas resented the Europeans greed and unrightfully taking control. Western European countries and developed a variety of attitudes toward imperialism. Economic factors were a chief motivation for colonization to European countries.
In their competition for colonies and trade, European nations grew a strong sense of national pride. Some nations felt superior then their neighbors if they had more colonial power. As more Europeans colonized Africa, a sense of superiority among Europeans grew. Racist attitudes were taken against Africans because they’re scientific and technological progress was nowhere as evolved as that of the Europeans. A popular theory among Europeans, called Social Darwinism, was that those who were fittest for survival enjoyed wealth and success and considered better than others.
These inventions (refer to Document C for examples) caused great economic expansion across Europe. Yet at the same time, these exact inventions caused for a need of more raw materials. This is where Imperialism began to take shape, because before Imperialism in Africa had begun, there were still many examples of Europeans who’d enslaved africans on their own land. Which meant that once raw materials for machines that needed simple labor in a factory rather than the fields were needed to maintain their great economic boost; whichever European country had the most property in Africa, got to conquer the most land in its entirety (Scramble for Africa). Meaning these now obsolete slaves were being subject to have to watch European countries take over their lands and began industrializing on african soil because of how rich in materials the African land is.
Gregory Mendel’s genetic work with variation in pea plants seemed to give out a connotation, to some people, that some humans were evolved more than others. According to those sitting on top of the hierarchy, the greater the physical and cultural difference from Europeans, the less developed that other race was. With this in mind, Europeans began to invade Africa (1880s-1890s), this time using violence in order to stake their claim on Africa’s raw materials, and establish missionaries. Europeans became less concerned with converting Africans to make them civilized; instead they used this to their advantage. They made the claims that because they were uncivilized, this was a perfect justification for conquest.
People from all different nations and countries, are eager to take things from Africa, because of their rich culture and goods. This shows how people only care about themselves, and ways they can make their own lives better; even if it means taking from others. Africa would be slowly torn apart and destroyed, in result of the worlds greediness. In document 4, the cartoon “The Devilfish in Egyptian waters” shows the British Empire and its extent. The empire stretched all around the world, touching and influencing everywhere it went.
All of history has been determined through a serious of economic, social, and political causes. After the Industrial Revolution the nations of Europe had advanced their industries and economy vastly. They turned to the rest of the world looking for raw materials and a new market to trade with. Thus, the colonization of Africa and other less-developed nations began, and is referred to as new imperialism. The Europeans asserted their dominance over these less-developed areas for economic reasons, but also to spread European customs and heighten the sense of pride they had in their nation.
Eric Williams' economic reductionist argument presented in his 1944 Capitalism and Slavery supported the theory that the move toward African enslaved labour in the Americas was entirely a matter of economic expedience that helped catapult Western Europe to the forefront of a new global capitalist economy. [2] In White Over Black published in 1968, Winthrop Jordan argued that the social forces in Europe that gave rise to African slavery in the Caribbean centred around issues of Christian, White and nationalistic European identities. [3] Whether a matter of economics, identity or a combination
They even practiced their religion and cultural beliefs toward Africans. Then Europeans soon began to industrialize soon after. And what the Europeans wanted and needed for their industry was raw materials. And since Africa had the resources they needed, they ended up taking control. Though they struggled to involve the proliferation of conflicting European claims to African territory during the imperialism period.
Underdevelopment There was several immediately obvious aspect of that underdevelopment that we need to elaborate. Colonialism has its own logical concept on the Europeans and Americans. It was not true that the idea to colonize Africa was the issue to make profits. But their target was human capital associated with slavery. Africans were skilled, knowledgeable and creative individual who manage themselves without outside help.
Menelik II had successfully managed to manipulate European powers against each other as well as gaining numerous arms and modern weapons against one another. This can be seen through Boahen's view that "the decisive victory at Adwa, achieve primarily because, for the first time in all the Afro-European encounters, the African side enjoyed the technological and military superiority"[3] this helps to show the large amount of support gained from other European powers against the weakest other European powers. Important factors that need to be focused on throughout are about the modernisation that occurred within the state, along with the diplomacy that was struck up with European