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Historical Background
It was in the nineteenth century that the scramble for Africa began. Taming the wild stallion that was Africa might have once been considered a fool’s dream. But soon enough, the Western powers of Europe began to recognize the incredible potential for wealth the people and plains of Africa could bring to them. Through the eyes of the Europeans, Africa was seen as one big factory with an endless supply of free labor. Great Britain and France held reign over most of Africa, but Germany, Italy, Spain, and Portugal were also involved in the decolonization of Africa. Africa became known as a place that needed to be saved by religious activists and conquered by kings for profit. By 1905, almost all of Africa was claimed by Western European governments. Europeans enslaved Africans for free labor and looked to profit from Africa’s resources, especially gold and rubber.
It was by means of propaganda the Europeans justified their actions towards Africa. Religious figures and writers in Europe came up with the idea that it was the white man’s job to colonize and organize black people to save them from their non-Christian ways. It was the Europeans who began to instruct different tribes in Africa that their means of religion was wrong. The Europeans then forced the well-established Christian religion upon the people of Africa.
One of the reasons for the beginning of the decolonization of Africa was explorer Henry Morton Stanley. Although he did not directly influence the enslavement of Africans, it was his exploration of the Congo which led to Africa’s demise. After Henry Morton Stanley was reportedly the first man to explore the Congo in Africa, he was summoned by the King of Belgium, King Leopold. The explorer told King Leopold of the vast resources and the vast unclaimed lands that were in Africa’s deepest jungles. Stanley also told the King of the unarmed Africans that lived in these areas. King Leopold knew that he could exploit the untamed areas of Africa for his own gain and did so cruelly.
One reason for Europe take control of Africa was because European countries such as Great Britain and France were economically and resourcefully exhausted from their involvement in WWII. They were in need of resources and needed a cheap means of attaining them. Once they found out what Africa had to offer in terms of Ivory, rubber, gold and free labor they could not pass up the opportunity.
It was in the nineteenth century that the scramble for Africa began. Taming the wild stallion that was Africa might have once been considered a fool’s dream. But soon enough, the Western powers of Europe began to recognize the incredible potential for wealth the people and plains of Africa could bring to them. Through the eyes of the Europeans, Africa was seen as one big factory with an endless supply of free labor. Great Britain and France held reign over most of Africa, but Germany, Italy, Spain, and Portugal were also involved in the decolonization of Africa. Africa became known as a place that needed to be saved by religious activists and conquered by kings for profit. By 1905, almost all of Africa was claimed by Western European governments. Europeans enslaved Africans for free labor and looked to profit from Africa’s resources, especially gold and rubber.
It was by means of propaganda the Europeans justified their actions towards Africa. Religious figures and writers in Europe came up with the idea that it was the white man’s job to colonize and organize black people to save them from their non-Christian ways. It was the Europeans who began to instruct different tribes in Africa that their means of religion was wrong. The Europeans then forced the well-established Christian religion upon the people of Africa.
One of the reasons for the beginning of the decolonization of Africa was explorer Henry Morton Stanley. Although he did not directly influence the enslavement of Africans, it was his exploration of the Congo which led to Africa’s demise. After Henry Morton Stanley was reportedly the first man to explore the Congo in Africa, he was summoned by the King of Belgium, King Leopold. The explorer told King Leopold of the vast resources and the vast unclaimed lands that were in Africa’s deepest jungles. Stanley also told the King of the unarmed Africans that lived in these areas. King Leopold knew that he could exploit the untamed areas of Africa for his own gain and did so cruelly.
One reason for Europe take control of Africa was because European countries such as Great Britain and France were economically and resourcefully exhausted from their involvement in WWII. They were in need of resources and needed a cheap means of attaining them. Once they found out what Africa had to offer in terms of Ivory, rubber, gold and free labor they could not pass up the opportunity.