CAUSES OF

COLONISATION.
Sub-topic 2
Growth of Search for raw
nationalism materials and
profit
in Europe

Reasons for European

Colonisation of the
African Continent

The discovery Christian

of quinine Missionaries
 UNIT 1: WHAT WHERE THE REASON
FOR COLONISATION OF AFRICA.
Search for raw material.
Europeans wanted to have direct control of raw materials.
They took over the land and formed cash crops.
Raw materials were taken out of Africa to Europe and made
in to finished goods.
The finished goods/products were sold in Africa and the rest
of the world.
 GROWTH OF NATIONALISM IN EUROPE.
• By the end of 19th century, European countries were
fighting amongst themselves and competing to be the
richest and the most powerful nation. Nationalism
means to have great pride, loyalty and respect toward
your nation and feel your nation is better than others
• They were proud of the achievements of the countries
they came from.
• By taking over more land in other parts of the world,
they became richer and strengthened their power over
one another. Land= power
 CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES.
• They wanted to spread their gospel and beliefs and
European customs among African people.
• They believed their religion and way of live were superior to
those of African people.
• The called Africa a dark country.
• They believed that, white people were superior to black
people and they had a duty to bring light to the dark
country.
• In 15th and 16th centuries, Christians from Europe became
missionaries, they believed they had a mission to tell people
about Jesus Christ and encourage them to ask Jesus to
forgive their sins.
 THE DISCOVERY OF QUININE.
(A BITTER CRYSTALLINE COMPOUND PRESENT IN
CINCHONA BARK, USED AS A TONIC AND
FORMERLY AS AN ANTIMALARIAL DRUG.)

• European who tried to explore Africa often suffered and

died from malaria when they were bitten by malaria-
carrying mosquitoes.
• In 1850s, it was discovered that quinine was an effective
medication for malaria. This reduced Europeans death.
• Quinine made it possible for Europeans to live in Africa and
even their armies were able to go into most badly infested
malaria areas in different parts of African continent.
LESSON 2
Why were Europeans able to colonise Africa so quickly
Rivalries between different African
leaders.
African chiefs and kings were also
competing against each other to be the
richest and strongest.
European took advantage of those
rivalries between African leaders.
They persuaded other African leaders to
side with them against other African
leaders.
 Natural disasters.

After 1895, there was a serious drought in many

regions of Africa.
The food shortage caused many death for people
and animals.
The plaque of locust also destroyed crops.
There was also a cattle plaque that killed cattle,
sheep and goats.
This resulted in starvation and death, African people
were weak and unable to fight against the
colonising power.
 The invention of the machine.
Europeans used force to take control of land that
belonged to other people.
They had more powerful weapons than the indigenous
people, and were able to conquer and kill people who
resisted them.
European powers had powerful machines called a maxim
gun, it can fire eleven bullets a second.
Most African had outdated guns, no African had managed
to get a Maxim gun.
African had military disadvantage against the colonising
country.
 New diseases.

In the late 1890s, Africa was affected by the

smallpox epidemic.
Europeans had developed immunity to those
diseases.
Europeans exposed Africans to epidemic diseases.
The indigenous (African) population had no
immunity or resistance
These diseases weakened the African population
and many people became sick and died.
 HOMEWORK
• Activity 1 page 177
• Activity 2 page 178
• Activity 3 page 180