Hailey Tran
The colonisation of Africa by European powers was driven by the Second Industrial Revolution during the late 19th century and early 20th century in the era of New Imperialism. By 1914, almost 90% of the African continent was under European control. However, the colonisation of Africa differed from that of the Americas and Australia. Several factors made Africa inhospitable to Europeans, including the climate, terrain, and the presence of diseases like malaria and yellow fever, which took a toll on European traders and slavers. Additionally, the existence of established kingdoms in West and Central Africa, such as Songhai, Ashante, Zimbabwe, and Benin, meant that there was no need for Europeans to possess the land or settle there. Instead, they relied on trade with these kingdoms, particularly in slaves, and the maintenance of trading forts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Terrain and Environment | Europeans did not fare well in warm climates, and diseases like malaria and yellow fever took a toll on their health |
| Trade | Europeans were interested in trade with the Far East and Africa was a key part of that trade network. They did not need to settle in Africa to trade |
| Native Populations | Native populations were not devastated by European diseases and could resist European expansion |
| Resources | By the late 19th century, many resources that would have drawn Europeans to Africa were available locally |
| Other Colonies | Colonies in the Americas and the Caribbean offered better economic opportunities and more familiar climates |
| Native Kingdoms | Kingdoms in West and Central Africa were established and actively traded with Europe, removing the need for European settlement |
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What You'll Learn
Europeans were uninterested in settling in Africa until the 19th century
Secondly, early European expeditions focused on colonizing uninhabited islands or establishing coastal forts, which allowed them to control trade routes without venturing into the unknown interior of the African mainland. The only European settlements in Southern Africa during the 17th and 18th centuries were Portuguese enclaves in Angola and Mozambique and a Dutch settlement at the Cape of Good Hope.
Thirdly, the industrialization in Europe during the 19th century led to major social problems such as unemployment, poverty, and homelessness. Europe saw the colonization of Africa as an opportunity to address these issues by creating settler colonies that could absorb their surplus population. Additionally, the increasing industrialization and mushrooming of industries in Europe created a demand for natural resources, which could be met by colonizing Africa.
Finally, political rivalries between European empires in the late 19th century provided the impetus for the colonization of Africa, as seen in the Scramble for Africa, where seven Western European powers invaded, conquered, and colonized most of the African continent. This transition from ""informal imperialism" to direct rule was also influenced by the Berlin Conference in 1884, which regulated European colonization and trade in Africa.
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The African climate was unsuited to Europeans and their crops
Africa's climate is highly varied, with searing deserts, frozen glaciers, sweltering rainforests, and lush grasslands. Most of the continent lies within the tropics, with only its northernmost and southernmost fringes beyond the tropical area. The differences between African climates and European climates were much greater than the differences between European climates and those of neighbouring regions, such as the Middle East and North Africa. This disparity in climates hindered the development of trade and the exchange of ideas between Africa and Europe.
The African climate was particularly unsuited to Eurasian agriculture, and the continent's early inhabitants relied on hunting and gathering for sustenance. As agriculture became more prevalent, Africans had to create their own unique system of cultivation. In some regions, such as Tanzania, Kenya, and Botswana, hunter-gatherers continued to follow the seasonal migrations of large game animals, living nomadic lifestyles guided by the seasons and resource availability.
The Tropics, which comprise a significant portion of Africa, operate by different rules than the temperate zones of Europe. Instead of four seasons, there are only two: the dry season and the rainy season. Wheat and barley, staple crops in Europe, could not survive in this tropical climate. African tribes depended on agriculture just as much as Europeans but had to adapt to the unique challenges posed by their environment.
The African climate also presented challenges in terms of disease prevalence and water accessibility. Tropical diseases were common, and it was often more prudent for humans to keep moving rather than settle down. Additionally, the Sahara Desert acted as a barrier, impeding communication with the outside world and contributing to Africa's relative isolation.
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Africans were resistant to European diseases
Europeans were unable to settle in Africa due to various reasons, including tropical diseases, heat, and local resistance. Africans were resistant to European diseases, and Europeans were resistant to African diseases. This phenomenon can be attributed to genetic differences in immune responses between the two populations.
The absence of the Duffy antigen in many Africans protected them from P. Vivax, a common malaria parasite in Southeast Asia and Latin America. However, Europeans lacked immunity to Plasmodium Falciparum, the most deadly and common form of malaria in Africa. As a result, Africa was known as "the white man's graveyard" for centuries due to the high mortality rates among Europeans from tropical diseases.
European colonial powers had limited interest in settling in Africa until the 19th century. Initially, they sought to dominate trade with Africa and Asia, establishing coastal colonies to facilitate trade without venturing inland. It was only after industrialization that they began to exploit the natural resources of the interior, such as gold and rubber. By that time, medical advancements had reduced the threat of tropical diseases, enabling Europeans to venture further into the continent.
In summary, Africans' resistance to European diseases can be attributed to genetic differences in immune responses, specifically the absence of the Duffy antigen, which protected them from certain forms of malaria prevalent in other regions. This, coupled with Europeans' fear of tropical diseases, limited their presence in Africa until industrialization and medical advancements changed the landscape of colonization.
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Europeans were interested in trade, not colonisation
The interest of European nations in Africa was initially driven by trade, particularly in gold, ivory, and other mineral resources. The Portuguese, who were the first Europeans to explore the African coast in the 15th century, were primarily interested in controlling trade in selected areas of the coastlands. They established trading posts and forts, such as São Jorge da Mina (modern-day Elmina Castle) on the Gold Coast, to protect their commercial interests and ensure that local people sold their gold only to Portuguese agents. The Portuguese crown took steps to exclude foreign rivals and bring the trade under its direct control. This period marked the beginning of the integration of Africa into the new world economy and the dominance of Europeans over the indigenous inhabitants.
European companies quickly developed mercantile ties with indigenous powers and established warehouses, or "factories," on the coast to store goods and defend their trading rights. Independent Portuguese merchants, known as "lançados," settled along the coasts and rivers of Africa and served as middlemen between European and African traders. Goods imported to Africa included cloth, iron, copper, cowry shells used as currency, jewellery, beads, mechanical toys, alcohol, and firearms.
It is important to note that pre-colonial Africa had well-established trading networks with the Mediterranean world, western Asia, and the Indian Ocean region. Local manufacturers produced items of comparable or even superior quality to those from pre-industrial Europe. For example, advances in native forge technology in some regions of sub-Saharan Africa resulted in the production of better-grade steels than those in Europe. However, the novelty and rarity of European imports made them desirable as status symbols among powerful rulers, who adopted them as courtly regalia.
While the Portuguese had colonies in Africa as early as 1500, they were primarily used as checkpoints for traders or fleets en route to India. The prospect of extensive colonisation of inland Africa before the 16th century would have been challenging, similar to the prospect of conquering Egypt or the Caucasus. It was not until the 19th century that European powers began colonising Sub-Saharan Africa, driven by improved medicine, steamboats, advances in communication, and political and ideological factors such as nationalism and imperialism.
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African kingdoms traded with Europe, so there was no need to colonise
Several factors made Africa less hospitable to Europeans, including tropical diseases like malaria, inhospitable terrain, and the lack of belief in the existence of resources worth exploiting in the interior of Africa. European powers were primarily interested in trade with the Far East, and colonies in Africa served as convenient stopover ports for trade routes to Asia.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, European kingdoms, particularly the Portuguese, established small colonies and trading posts along the coasts of Africa, seldom venturing inland beyond checkpoints and fleets headed to India. They forged connections with African kingdoms, such as the Kongo kingdom, and engaged in the slave trade and the exchange of goods. The Portuguese influence in west-central Africa, while destructive, was initially peaceful, with the conversion of the Kongo king to Christianity. However, this was soon followed by slave traders, and the kingdom of Kongo became entangled in the demands of the transatlantic slave trade.
The Scramble for Africa, driven by the Second Industrial Revolution and political rivalries between European empires, marked a shift from informal economic penetration to systematic political control. By 1841, European businessmen had established trading posts along the African coasts, but they rarely ventured inland due to the challenging terrain and the lack of perceived economic incentives. The end of slavery in the 1830s also shifted European attention towards colonisation to secure resources like gold, rubber, and lumber.
African kingdoms, such as the Songhai, Ashante, Zimbabwe, and Benin cultures, actively traded with Europe, particularly in the slave trade. This trade was lucrative for both parties, and there was no immediate need for Europeans to possess the land or settle permanently. The maintenance of trading forts to manage commerce was sufficient. The relative cooperation between African kingdoms and European powers, particularly during the slave trade, further reduced the urgency for colonisation.
In summary, while there were interactions and trade between African kingdoms and Europe, the primary motive for colonisation was the shift in economic interests, technological advancements, and the race for power among European nations. The belief in a civilising mission and the desire for state-led development also contributed to the eventual colonisation of Africa.
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Frequently asked questions
Europeans did settle in African colonies, but the inhospitable climate and prevalence of diseases like malaria and yellow fever took a toll on European traders and slavers. The terrain of Africa, with its steep mountains and dense jungles, also discouraged outsiders.
Europeans were not looking to settle in Africa but to trade with the Far East. They set up an elaborate triangular trading system to transport enslaved Africans, import plantation produce, and export European goods to both Africa and the Americas.
Europeans did not want African states to develop their own technology and manufacturing capabilities. They wanted to maintain control of Africa and its wealth, often through brutal massacres and treachery.
The Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 transformed Africa's colonisation from informal economic penetration to systematic political control through its 'effective occupation' principle. It laid down the rules of competition for seeking colonies and prevented wars between European powers as they divided the continent among themselves.
