Colonialism of Africa

13 Pages 3207 Words

lony and British Afrikaner relations.
Britain’s early presence in Africa was exclusive to Sierra Leone, Gambia, The Gold Coast and The Cape Colony. They gained control of these areas in the late 18th or early 19th centuries. It is not until the 1860’s that Britain and other European powers began to assert themselves in terms of gaining African territory making treaties. The scramble for Africa really has its beginnings in the late 1860’s but does not began to fully take off until the 1880’s when Britain, Germany, France, and to a smaller degree Italy begin to stake their claims. Britain’s previous African expansion had been very different then it would be in Africa during the scramble. The early British territories were either in primarily un-inhabited coastal regions or they had been gained from other European powers that had previously established sound control of territory such as with France in regard to The Cape Colony.
Britain’s attitude toward African expansion doesn’t really change in the last two decades of the 19th century from its long held overall view of keeping Africa on a shoestring. It’s actions change radically though because of newly discovered economic opportunities and a need to respond to the actions other European powers. Although economic influence and foreign pressure created a reason for British expansion in the last two decades it is key to look at the small ways the British built a foundation for expansion starting in the 1850’s and 1860’s. For example David Livingston’s exploration in Africa and the resulting publicity in the Victorian media opened England’s eyes in regards to Africa. He was most effective in creating interest by awakening Victorian morality concerning the still active slave trade occurring in east Africa. David Livingston had caught the public attention with his accounts of his explorations and his reminder that a slave trade on the east coast was still taking a...