Second Period: 9:24am to 10:14am
Fourth Period: 11:20am to 12:09pm
Fifth Period: 12:49pm to 1:39pm
European Colonization DBQ Documents
For the 300 years between 1500 and 1800, European nations traded for slaves, gold, and ivory along the west coast of Africa, but they did not go deeply into the continent. In the 1800s this changed as European explorers pushed their way into the interiors of western and central Africa. By the 1880s Africa was under full assault as European nations competed with one another for control of the continent. This DBQ takes a look at this quest for colonies and asks what was the primary driving force behind it.
Before writing, the class will go over the attached documents to help you and your peers better formulate your arguments as to what the motivating factors were for the European colonization of Africa.
European Colonization DBQ Quick Write
For the 300 years between 1500 and 1800, European nations traded for slaves, gold, and ivory along the west coast of Africa, but they did not go deeply into the continent. In the 1800s this changed as European explorers pushed their way into the interiors of western and central Africa. By the 1880s Africa was under full assault as European nations competed with one another for control of the continent. This DBQ takes a look at this quest for colonies and asks what was the primary driving force behind it.
This short background brings us to the question asked by this DBQ. For more than three centuries Europeans had avoided the African interior. Now, powers like England, France, and Germany showed a fresh interest in getting and holding large pieces of the African continent. But why this new interest? More specifically, in the late 19th Century, what was the driving force behind European imperialism in Africa?
Please answer the above question with 2-3 paragraphs. You should cite the documents in your answer and should have at least two citations in each paragraph.