History of Colonial Africa

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Perspective
The history of colonial Africa began with the arrival of the Portuguese. They were the first Europeans to enter the slave trade in the late 15th century. They traded for slaves at first, and for 400 years, they limited their involvement to trading stations on the African coast. From there, they sent slaves to Europe, often as household servants, and later to Brazil as plantation slaves. Few slave traders dared venture inland from the coast, deterred by disease and hostile tribes in the interior. But technology helped to overcome these obstacles. Increasingly lethal weaponry was developed that included repeating rifles, the Maxim machine gun, and artillery. And the discovery in 1854 of quinine provided an effective preventative of malaria. Diseases such as yellow fever, sleeping sickness, leprosy, yaws, and most of all, malaria, made Africa a very challenging environment for Europeans.
There were compelling motives for Europe’s conquest of Africa. Raw materials were needed for the industries of the Industrial Revolution. The prestige of owning African colonies showed strength to rivals, and missionaries spread Christianity. This culminated in the Scramble for Africa among European empires in the 19th century, whether for raw materials, strategic prominence, or as part of an effort to develop enduring colonies.
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Index
Colonial Africa Index | Society: European Primary • Change | Religion: Christianity • Spirit Churches • Islam in Africa: Jihad | Power: Governance • Economic and Social Change • Scramble for Africa: France and Britain • Resistance | Slavery: Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade • Kingdom of Asante • Kingdom of Dahomey • Kingdom of Kongo • Kingdom of Ndongo • Kingdom of Oyo • End to the Slave Trade | Pre-World War I | World War II | British Colonies | Challenge to Colonial Rule | Shaka Zulu • Independence Movements | Pan-Africanism | African National Congress | Economy | East Africa: Power: Polities • Progression | Ethiopia: Religion • Power: Revival • Disintegration | Kenya | Central Africa | North Africa | Southern Africa: Society • Power: Colonization • Moshoeshoe | West Africa

Colonial Africa: Index

Society

Society: European Primacy

Society: Change

Religion

Religion: Spirit Churches

Religion: Christianity

Religion: Islam in Africa

Islam in Africa: Jihad

Power

Power: Governance

Power: Social and Economic Change

Power: Scramble for Africa

Scramble for Africa: France and Britain

Scramble for Africa: Resistance

Power: Slavery

Slavery: Transatlantic Slave Trade

Slavery: Kingdom of Asante

Slavery: Kingdom of Dahomey

Slavery: Kingdom of Kongo

Slavery: Kingdom of Ndongo

Slavery: Kingdom of Oyo

Slavery: End of the Slave Trade

Power: Colonial Rule Pre-World War I

Power: World War II

Power: British Colonies

Power: Challenge to Colonial Rule

Power: Shaka Zulu

Power: Independence Movements

Power: Pan-Africanism

Power: African National Congress

Economy

East Africa

East Africa: Power

Power: Polities

Power: Progression

East Africa: Ethiopia

Ethiopia: Religion

Ethiopia: Power

Power: Revival

Power: Disintegration

East Africa: Kenya

Central Africa

North Africa

Southern Africa

Southern Africa: Society

Southern Africa: Power

Power: Colonization

Power: Moshoeshoe

West Africa
