In addition to this the first wave was caused by the lust for gold, glory, and mercantilism. The second wave had the desire to secure sources of raw materials and to educate and save the native people. The colonization of Africa happened between the 1 ass’s and 1 ass’s. African societies put up forms of resistance to fight against the attempt to colonize their countries. In despite of the fight, most of Africa had been colonized by European powers. When the European imperialist pushed into Africa it was titivated by three main factors which were social, political, and economic.
Africans were used by the Europeans as a source of salves, raw materials, and riches. The imposition of colonialism on Africa would alter its history forever. There modes of thought, and ways of life were impacted by the change. Prior to the ” scramble for Africa,” their economies were advancing in every area, mostly in the area of trade. The colonizing of Africa was to exploit the physical, human, and economic resources of an area that would benefit the longing nation. Before the colonization, Africa was not economically isolated from the rest of the world.
The African states engaged in international trade and the West Africa had specifically developed extensive trading systems. After Livingston opened African the Western missionaries moved in by the thousands. Benefits of the missionaries being involved were hospitals, colleges, schools, development projects, abolition of slavery, and improved agricultural methods. With all these benefits you would think it was he best thing that has ever happened, but with all these benefits it came with a cost.
European colonialism brought many things to Africa to include rails and roads but it also cut brought conflicts in the societies today. When the rails and roads were put up, it cut the African continent up into several administrative units. In doing this it created a drag on its development but with everything going on in Africa the main conflicts cannot be blamed on colonialism. The African leaders and their greed to satisfy their riches, their ironies and their families is what puts an impact and conflicts in the world today.