group assignment

• Explain in detail six factors that attracted European colonial countries into Africa. Give a detailed analysis of some of the travails faced by African states under colonial government and what is the impact of colonialism on African economy.
• Colonization of Africa


  The process by which European nations established colonies in the continent
• Some African leaders agreed to treaties with the colonizers but others saw no value in doing so
• In some cases military force was used against those who refused to submit to Colonial rule
• A map of colonized African territories illustrates the changes and borders caused by colonialism
• European nations created boundaries for African countries without taking into account the local political systems and ethnic groups
• European colonizers primarily focused on exporting goods and paid little attention to local development
• They shifted local communities farming practices to produce crops destined for European markets
• They also built Rail lines to transport resources from the interior to Coastal ports but did not develop Regional links
• While colonizers were trying to export goods they failed to provide local communities with the necessary resources to support themselves
• In the 19th century European countries began to settle in Africa, initially only about 10 percent of the continent was under European control but in the 20th century nearly 90 percent of the continent was under the control of European nations
• This process known as the scramble of Africa resulted in the division of African land into many smaller regions
• During the colonial era many resource-rich countries were targeted by rival powers and were exploited for raw materials
• Many of the countries had long lasting Civil Wars in the decades following these countries were dependent on exports and commodity-based economies which were susceptible to political instability
• Colonization of Africa had a profound impact on African societies and is also a catalyst for a number of political and cultural changes
• Although colonialism was relatively short-lived the effects on Africa remain negative
• In human societies power is the ultimate determinant of relations within and between groups, it determines how maneuverable a group can be in negotiations and the degree of respect and survival among people
• Losing power during colonization is one of the causes of underdevelopment
• Colonization stunted the physical development of the African people by creating chronic undernourishment and malnutrition during this time
• Bourgeois propaganda conditioned Africans to think that malnutrition was natural
• Colonial town


  A city with an administrative and Industrial base in addition to being the city's Center of industry and administration
• These towns attracted large numbers of Africans, the colonizers offered jobs based on unskilled and irregular labor
• The result was a society that was not able to build its own productive base
• The conference was called by Otto von Bismarck who wanted to establish rules governing trade and colonization in Africa
• The Berlin Conference was held from November 26, 1884 to February 26, 1885
• The Berlin Conference established European control over most of Africa
• European powers agreed to respect existing boundaries between their territories
• The Berlin Conference also led to the scramble for Africa where European countries competed against one another to claim as much territory as possible.
• European powers were given free reign to exploit African resources without any regard for the rights or welfare of the people living there.
• African states were forced into unequal treaties with Europeans
• African societies were disrupted by colonial rule which often involved forced labor, land confiscation, and cultural suppression
• Colonialism had long-lasting effects on African economies, politics, and cultures
• Many Africans resisted colonial domination through armed rebellion or peaceful protest
• Many Africans died due to diseases brought by Europeans such as smallpox, cholera, and malaria.
• Many Africans resisted colonialism through armed rebellion, but they lacked modern weapons and technology which made it difficult to fight back effectively.
• Colonialism had long-lasting effects on African economies, politics, and culture
• In some cases, resistance movements succeeded in driving out colonizers, such as Ethiopia's victory over Italy in 1896.
• Independence movements emerged across Africa during the mid-20th century, leading to the eventual end of most European empires in Africa