French and British Colonialism and Imperialism in Africa...

French and British Colonialism and Imperialism in Africa Africa is home to countless cultures that all have their own unique ideas and customs. During the past couple of centuries, these cultures were threatened to the point where they almost ceased to exist. The Berlin Conference was a very important occurrence in Africa and Europes history. It legitimized what the European powers, mainly France and Britain, had been doing for the past hundred years, without the approval of any African country. During the late nineteenth century, France and Britain began imperialistic ventures into Africa, which eventually led Leopold II to conquer the Congo. It was Leopolds II presence in Africa that to led the Berlin Conference. The Berlin†¦show more content†¦After the 1881 elections, his party no longer controlled the Reichstag (The German House of Representatives). He had to do something to regain some of the lost power since the elections (Sempell 148). Bismarck did not see the need for colonies in Africa, but public opinion forced him to enter upon the global game of imperialism (150). This pleased Germanys constituents, and it eventually led to the obtainment of many valuable resources. The late 19th century imperialistic mentality brought many countries into heated conflicts. The two biggest players, before the Berlin Conference, were France and Britain (Bennett 67). These two rivals had been among the first to take interest in colonies in Africa. The British, by 1880, were mainly located in South Africa (51). They had annexed South Africa way back in 1815, mainly because of the strategic importance it held for trade to British India (69). At first, the British did not observe a great reason for expansion. By 1880, the economical advantages began to present themselves more clearly (Hugon 30). France, like Britain, saw the advantages of having colonies in Africa. Their reasons, unlike Britains, were more of a political nature. The political reasoning of developing colonies abroad began with the Franco-Prussian war. This war resulted in France losing its prestige and the territory of Alsace-Lorraine, and Germany becoming the mover and shaker of Europe (Wessling 10). After this, the idea of revanche wasShow MoreRelatedThe Scramble for Africa Essay1032 Words   |  5 PagesThe scramble for Africa represents the most thorough and systematic process of colonialism in world history. The European colonial powers managed to conquer and control almost the entire continent of Africa in a short, twenty-five year period from about 1875 to 1900. Some of the European states involved were already well-established global powers; the others were up and coming nations that desired to emulate and compete with the dominant imperial states. 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