5 reasons why the European came to Africa

5 reasons why the European came to Africa

European explorers were motivated by many factors when they came to Africa.

Some people might say that the Europeans were just looking for new land and resources, but there were actually a number of reasons why they came.

Here are 5 reasons why the Europeans came to Africa:

1) To find new land and resources
2) To establish trade routes and expand their empires
3) To spread Christianity
4) To explore and learn about new cultures
5) To find a route to India and Asia

5 reasons why the European came to Africa

Africans should be asking themselves these questions in order to better understand the importance of their continent and its relationship with Europe. The answer to this question is important enough for Africans to look into, even if it comes from outsiders like the Europeans.

The Europeans were attracted to Africa because they knew the many blessings and human resources that lay there.

Africans first became interested in Europe for trade route purposes. Europeans were looking for ways to avoid the taxes of Arab and Ottoman empires in Southwest Asia, and during this time, many European countries expanded their empires by aggressively establishing colonies in Africa so that they could exploit and export African resources. Raw materials like rubber, timber, diamonds, and gold were found in Africa. Europeans also wanted to protect trade routes.

The scramble for Africa, also known as the Partition of Africa, or the Conquest of Africa, was a period of rapid colonization by seven Western European powers during which most of Africa was invaded and occupied.

There are many reasons why the Europeans migrated to Africa, but discussing it among themselves is not farfetched. Here are five reasons:

1) The climate and landscape in Africa were very different from what they were used to back home.

2) Many Africans were skilled in agriculture and other trade professions, which made them valuable trading partners for the Europeans.

3) The European explorers had a fascination with Africa’s great empires and its wealth of natural resources.

4) European colonization of Africa was motivated by religious beliefs, such as the Protestant Reformation that began in 1517 AD.

5) Even after colonizing much of sub-Saharan Africa, Europe still lacked reliable transportation networks and contact with other parts of the world, so African nations remained important sources of labor and trade for Europe over the centuries.

Above, those are the 5 reasons why the European came to Africa only to romance with Africa’s heritage in the name of colonization.

What is the main reason why the European came to Africa?

European traders first arrived in Africa for trade purposes in the early 1700s. Their main motivation was to make a quick profit, and many stayed for only a short time before moving on.

However, some Europeans soon realised the vast wealth that could be found beyond material possessions, and decided to stay and form families with African partners. The commercial aspect was always an important part of their interactions with Africaans.

Trade was a major source of income for African rulers during the first two centuries of the colonial period. They demanded currency materials, such as cloth from India and Europe, in large quantities. Dutch ships imported large amounts of cloth to regions like Senegal and the Gold Coast in the 17th century.

As late as the 18th and 19th centuries, cloth remained an important commodity; a so-called pièce de guinée, an indigo-dyed blue cloth made near Pondichéry in India, was imported by the French to Senegambia and used there as currency on the Upper Senegal River.

Cloth was used as both currency and money in Senegambia, Angola, and the Gold Coast. Copper was also a major import to these areas, especially to Benin and the Gold Coast.

Iron bars were also significant in both regions, particularly on the Gold Coast where they needed to be branded with the mark of an European trading company in order to have any value. Cowries were imported from the Maldives into Benin beginning as early as 1505.

This period also saw the import of jewels, and some manufactured goods like mirrors and basins. However, the value of each imported cargo consisted mainly of goods which could be converted into currency.

Evidence suggests that imported metals such as copper and iron were brought in specific dimensions for trade: copper rings (or manillas) and iron bars of a specified length [especially in Senegambia] which were used then as mediums of exchange.

The metals were melted down by smiths to create agricultural tools, weapons, and artistic works in the 16th century.

This change, which occurred in the second half of the 17th century, when currency imports decreased and were replaced by luxury items such as alcohol and tobacco (especially from Brazil), may have been due to a slowing down in African economic growth.

The trade between Africa and Europe was quite balanced up until the second half of the 17th century. At that time, while African rulers wanted increased supplies of currency, Europeans did not only focus on the slave trade.

Places such as Allada, Benin, Cape Verde, Loango, and the rivers of Cameroon and Gabon all exported cloth in the 17th century [indeed Oyò cloth was traded to Yorubà communities in Brazil throughout the 18th and into the 19th century], with some being sold as far afield as Brazil, Curação [a Caribbean island near the coast of Venezuela, belonging to the Dutch] and United States.

The Dutch invaders of Portuguese colonies in Brazil in 1630 requested that the Portuguese colonists pay them with cloths made especially in the Dutch fortress at Elmina.

The West African textile industry found markets overseas in the 16th and 17th centuries, with basketwork made by Gold Coast communities being highly prized in Holland.

The Sape peoples of Sierra Leone traditionally make carvings from ivory. These carvings have been found in different parts of Europe, and over time they have been turned into everyday items such as saltcellars and candle holders.

In the 20th century, colonial era art historians assumed these ivories came from Benin; however, it has now been established by the American art historian Peter Mark that they actually came from Sierra Leone.

Africa was a place where Europeans, who were looking for new opportunities and wealth, settled. They did so as part of a commercial enterprise, importing goods from each other in an attempt to establish diplomatic relations and gain control over the land.

The Atlantic slave trade was an important part of the history of West Africa, but it did not become as significant as it later became.

The eighteenth century saw a shift in European settlement and trade in West Africa. At this time, the slave trade was dominating and Europeans were settling in fortified trading positions rather than informally with their African hosts.

The economic terms of trade were generally less equal throughout the 18th century, which remained the case until eventually abolition took place.

What are the 4 reasons for European imperialism in Africa?

The five reasons behind imperialism were exploration, ethnocentrism, political motives, religious motivations, and economic benefits.

What are the 5 motives of imperialism?

The primary reasons behind the conquest and occupation of countries around the world were primarily exploratory, economic, political, ideological, and religious.

What are 3 reasons for European imperialism in Africa?

The European imperialist push into Africa was motivated by three main factors: the collapse of the profitability of the slave trade, abolition and suppression of slavery, and the expansion of European capitalist industry.

What were the 3 main reasons for European imperialism?

The Industrial Revolution in the 1800’s created a need for raw materials to power new machines and transportation.

This led European nations to expand their rule over other regions, with the goal of creating an even greater empire.

What are the 4 main causes of imperialism?

The four main reasons empires expand their territory are economic, strategic, religious, and political.

These reasons help to create more wealth for the empire and to gain control over new areas of land that can be used for resources or as a base from which to attack other countries.

What were the 4 causes of imperialism?

Eurocentric imperialism is motivated by greed, national pride, racism, and religious beliefs.

Europeans sought colonies to provide raw materials for their factories and to sell their products in the new territories. Some nations wanted colonies as a way to display their power and dominance.

What were the 4 causes of imperialism?

The world has at least four types of imperialism: military, political, economic, and cultural.

In the past, imperialistic countries used military and political imperialism to conquer new territories and establish themselves.

Then they initiated economic and cultural imperialism in order to consolidate their power over those territories.

What were the motivations for European colonization?

The motivations for European exploration and colonization in the New World have been widely recognized by historians.

These include a desire to find new religious opportunities, access to valuable resources, and a sense of glory.

Conclusion paragraph:

The European exploration of Africa was motivated by a desire for wealth and power. They were looking for new trade routes to the East, gold, silver, and other riches.

Additionally, they wanted to establish colonies in order to expand their empires. Africa provided an opportunity for them to achieve these goals.

Thanks for joining us on this journey through history. What are your thoughts?