3. Reasons for Colonization
• Africa has many raw materials and natural
resources not found in Europe including:
– cotton
– rubber
– ivory
– minerals including gold and diamonds
4. Reasons for Colonization
• New industries in Europe needed metals
like copper and tin.
• Europeans also used Africa as a source of
cheap labor.
• African countries were new markets for
European goods.
5. European Influence
• Europeans looked down upon African
ways of life.
• Europeans wanted to change African
culture to be more like European culture.
• missionary- a person who goes to a
foreign country to spread his or her
religion
• Missionaries brought Christianity to Africa.
6. Beginnings of New Imperialism
• the Age of New Imperialism- countries
competing for land and power at the end
of the 19th century
• The growth of European colonies in Africa
was called “The Scramble for Africa.”
• European countries were “scrambling” to
get their piece of Africa.
7. Great Britain
• Great Britain and France often fought for
control of parts of Africa.
• The British controlled the gold and ivory
trade in West Africa.
8. France
• The French wanted to spread their culture.
• Established themselves in northern Algeria
and West Africa.
• Trade outposts were built in West Africa
for the slave trade.
• Most of the French-controlled land was
desert.
• They traded palm oil and timber.
9. Belgium
• Belgium also competed for African land.
• King Leopold II purchased the Congo
River basin.
• The amount of land purchased was bigger
than Belgium itself.
10. Berlin Conference
• a series of meetings held in
Berlin, Germany in 1884
• European nations attended the
conference.
• African rulers DID NOT.
• The European nations divided Africa
amongst themselves.
• Europeans owned almost all of Africa by
the end of the conference.
