Scramble for Wealth in Africa 1880-1900 Was Essay

Scramble for Wealth in Africa

1880-1900 was a period that was characterized by rapid colonization of the entire African continent by European nations. This was what was known as the scramble for Africa and it took place due to various economic, social as well as political evolutions that were taking place in Europe. This scramble was known as the race of Africa or partition of Africa was a process of invasion, occupation and eventual annexing of the African territory by European powers during the new imperialism period.

By 1880, around the coast of Africa and a small distance inland found along major rivers like Niger and Congo were under the European rule which was only a small part of Africa. This paper will therefore look at the scramble for Africa and the reasons that led to this evolution. There are various factors that led to the impetus scramble for Africa, most of the factors were due to events that were taking place in Europe and not Africa as it can be assumed. First the slave trade had ended; Britain had successfully halted slave trade particularly around the African shores but inland Muslim traders were still carrying out trade and most of local chiefs refused to let go of the slaves. Another reason was exploration; this was rampant in the nineteenth century and there was no year that went by without a European expedition in Africa. As the years went by the European explores changed their goals and instead of traveling to satisfy their curiosity which were their initial reasons they started to make a detailed reports on markets, goods and resources for the wealthy philanthropists who were financing their trips. Henry Stanley Morton an American an explorer of Africa was the most closely connected to the beginning of the scramble for Africa, he had crossed the continent and located what was termed as the missing 'Livingstone" but was infamous for his exploration that he made on behalf of king Leopard 11.capitalism is another reason that was attributed to the fact that the end of European trade of slaves paved way for need of commerce between Europe and Africa. Capitalist might have been enlightened by slavery and gotten over it but they still had the desire for exploiting the continent and they branded the encouragement of what they termed as legitimate trade. They located vast reserves for…