Between 1500-1800 C.E. Sub-Saharan Africa experienced changes and continuity as they began to go further with their foreign relations. Culturally, Africa began to form syncretic cults that had Christian teachings and African traditions. Slavery continued to be one of Africa's main way of showing economic wealth. Africa experienced growth and change in their political organization and the rise and fall of kingdoms and states Before the syncretic cults, Africa's old traditions and beliefs surrounded deities, idols, and multiple gods.
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.
Strategic factors played a changing role in Britain’s relationship with its African empire throughout the expansion period 1870-1902, the consolidation period 1902-1955 and the de-colonisation period 1955-1981. In some of these periods Strategy was right at the foreground of Britain’s rule in Africa and other times it was pushed to the back by other major factors. These include economic considerations, International relations, changing attitudes and nationalism. Many historians such as Martin Pugh saw that ‘the most obvious motive for British expansion was strategic’. Britain’s strategic motives in Africa centred on thwarting the growth of rival European powers as well as securing its interests in Africa.
The middle class developed because the increase of trading opened up room for specialized workers Along with the growth of the middle class bankers, capitalists, and other occupations also began to develop. The development of the capitalist industry produced a concentration of banking, and this concentrated banking system was an important force in attaining the highest stage of capitalist concentration in cartels and trusts. As Western Europe began to colonize the Americas, more social changes started to take place. The encomienda system was set up in the Spanish colonies to distinguish the Europeans from the slaves. The encomienda system divided the all the people now living in the Americas into distinct social groups with the foreigners (peninsulares) at the top, those born to European parents in the Americas (creoles) and natives at the bottom.
Mercantilism was first created to make the mother country obtain more power. Mother country had gained its power by getting raw materials from colonies, made manufactured goods and sold them back to colonies. When British bought goods, it had to be shipped in British ships simulating British ship building industry and nay. Another factor is that mercantilism made a favorable balance of trade for mother country, which indicated that there had to be more exports than imports. British wanting to establish mercantilism policy, they made Navigation acts.
SS Gateway Day 4 The age of Imperialism made way for (and was even influenced by) some of the most prevalent inventions, ideas, and innovations in todays world. Imperialism as defined by historians is said to be “a policy of extending a country’s power and influence through diplomacy or military force.” Although this definition is held true to many examples of Imperialism, the actual causes of imperialism can be greater accredited to what is known is the Industrial Revolution. Without the Industrial Revolution and the ideas flowing into the world at the time; Imperialism may have been nothing but a word. The Industrial Revolution was essentially a mechanical and emotional means of progress for the world. The ability to grow coupled with the will to grow both directly influenced imperialism.
The largest continuity experienced during this time was the idea of exploration and expansion. Spurred by Christopher Columbus’ discovery of the Americas in 1492, others countries, besides Spain, began to send their own fleets and voyages over to the New World to claim land for their mother countries. The strong demand that European countries still had for sugar and raw materials was another reason that journeys across the Atlantic took place. As those raw materials were gathered and sent back to Europe, the idea of mercantilism became increasingly prominent towards the end of the 16th century, especially in the North American
The industrial middle class, who had gained greater influence in the governments in Europe, encouraged imperialist ventures to seize control in Africa and Asia. European nations hurried to gain control of territories in Africa
Around 1450-1700 Western Europe expanded their Atlantic trade. They began exploring other parts of the world, and even building colonies in some of these places. They began to explore Africa as well as the Americas. Western Europe gained many things from this new land, which they were able to use in order to enhance their own economy. Western Europe’s expansion of Atlantic trade, through exploration and colonization, not only improved their own economy, but also the economy of America, through sharing new trade products and crops as well as beginning the slave trade.
Africa Imperialism of Africa was directly related to three factors, economic, political, and social. After the collapse of the profitable anti-slave trade, expansion of European capitalist Industrial Revolution there was a demand and assurance of raw material, because Africa was so large and fruitful this brought about the scramble for Africa. European powers, Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, and Spain sought out to gain control of land. This was so intense that the presence of fear of war would evolve, a treaty instilled by the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck was produced at the famous Berlin West Africa conference known as the Berlin Act in hopes of preventing conflict and war. Africa did not partake in the treaty and eventually use military resistance.