Title: The Impact of European Imperialism in Africa
Headings: The Impact of European Imperialism in Africa
The Impact of European Imperialism in Africa
Content: In the 15 years after the Berlin Conference, most of the continent was colonized by the seven major European nations. Countries with overcrowding and limited resources for their citizens moved large numbers of them to Africa, spreading their religion, education, social norms and cultures to that continent. African lands were divided into bureaucratic systems run through indirect rule. While this led to more structure, it left Europeans dictating all aspects of Africans' lives and left very little to their control. Exploitation of resources had a huge effect during the colonization period and after Africa's various nations eventually became independent. For instance, after diamonds were found in the southern part of the continent, Cecil Rhodes, a British businessman and mining magnate, created the De Beers Mining Company in South Africa. This company controlled more than half the world's market in rough diamonds until the early 1980s. Africa After European Imperialism
Most of the continent gained independence from Europe by the 1960s. South Africa's black majority took power after nonracial, democratic elections in 1994. After fighting for decades to overcome imperialism, the continent was left with an economic system still dependent on Europe, including the factories for processing raw materials and importing goods.