6-2 Module Six Short Paper: Competing For Expansion

Anthony Chaves

HIS 301 World History and Culture

June 2020

6-2 Module Six Short Paper: Competing for Expansion

 

Battling for power within the European power politics were Great Britain, Germany, Italy, France, Portugal, Spain, and Belgium.1 Showing national ascendancy they added territories around the world. An important area was Africa. They showed power through social factors. With becoming more industrial some considerable social problems came up. The growth of these problems was the result from not all people could be absorbed by the new capitalist industries. The British had different regions like Asia, Africa, and the Americas. With this growth to the other regions it helped the British take over other regions. With Political motivation coming from the impact of the inter-European power struggles and competition for predominance. On the West African coast, the British Empire was very involved and was directed to the area around the lucrative slave trade.2 Through 1562 to 1807, the Slave trade was finally dissolved. While during the time the British ships carried up to three million people into slavery in the Americas.3

The useful thing that came out of the age of exploration and discovering new lands was the trade-market like the exchanging of crops. There being two main types of exchanges that took place, Biological and cultural. The Biological exchange was people that would trade plants, animals, and diseases. With Cultural exchange is with the trading on goods such as technology

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1 Iwerienor, Ehiebor E.G., “The Colonization of Africa.” (Africana Age: African & African Diasporan Transformations in the 20th Century.”

2 David, Dr. Saul, “Slavery and the ‘Scramble for Africa’.” (BBC: History, February 17th, 2011)

3 Ibid.

and ideas. Having different types of exchanges had a toll on every country plus their people. A negative part of the explorations and discovering of new lands are that the diseases and deaths that came with the change in the population of each country.

Trying to get power over particular countries the British government targeted areas like Africa and America. Ending with the British Empire taking control of most of the countries that were available. Eager to rule over Africa during the time of the “Scramble for Africa” while disrupting the traditions and people’s lives that lived in Africa. Western Africa changed when the British came to and completely change their economy upside down. Which was previously solely dependent on the British trade because of the economic downfall when the British took control.

Colonialism in its core has always had racist connotations.4 The British Empire had on colonialism was clearly structured to be a dictatorship. They used violence to drive their colonial subjects and to maintain order.5 In London there was a British Colonial Office that made all of the decisions that concerned the colonies. Taking notice of how the British was governing. They wanted to get out of the British’s governing. Preferring ethnic groups over all the other specific countries the British government were choosing ones that were governed under British laws. Mostly supported by the extent of the work against the interests of their Africans.

The British in West Africa ended in the time of the Western-educated Africans, who did not have power while the British were in control. This led to the nationalist movements towards accomplishing independence.6 In 1957, Ghana had British Togoland in it. Following Ghana,

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4 Encyclopedia.com, “Africa: British Colonies,” (Encyclopedia of Race and Racism, COPYRIGHT 2008).

5 Ibid.

6 The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “British West Africa: Historical States of Africa,” (Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., March 02, 2012).

 

Nigeria managed to become independent in 1960. 1961 followed Sierra Leone and in 1965, Gambia. Dividing between Nigeria and the Republic of Cameroon was the British Cameroon after the fact of the British Cameroons civilians acquired their freedom and independence. Abolishing the Slave Trade in 1807, Great Britain did this under domestic pressure at home and economic pressure. Great Britain had a strategic advantage with their Royal Navy that had recently achieved a victory against the French and Spanish fleet. This achievement, Great Britain got the rights to stop and search any ship that was thought of having slaves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

 

David, Dr. Saul, “Slavery and the ‘Scramble for Africa’.” (BBC: History, February 17th, 2011) Accessed April 15, 2020. Retrieved from  http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/abolition/scramble_for_africa_article_01.shtml 

Encyclopedia.com, “Africa: British Colonies,” (Encyclopedia of Race and Racism, COPYRIGHT 2008). Accessed on April 15, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/africa-british-colonies

Iwerienor, Ehiebor E.G., “The Colonization of Africa.” (Africana Age: African & African Diasporan Transformations in the 20th Century.” Accessed April 15, 2020. Retrieved from http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-colonization-of-africa.html

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “British West Africa: Historical States of Africa,” (Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., March 02, 2012). Accessed on April 15, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/place/British-West-Africa