African Imperialism
Chrissa Pantazis March 20, 2012 African Imperialism Why was the West interested in this region? - large amounts of natural resources - Britain: wanted control of the Suez Canal & East/South Africa to secure their trade routes from India - Belgium: rubber and gold - French: humiliated by defeat in Prussia wanted to reestablish nation?s prestige - missionary converts ? return of Christianity ? thought that Caucasians were superior - wanted to end slavery in Africa and bring Western education, medicine, hygiene and monogamous marriage - nationalism in Europe increases - industrialization had a demand for more resources - needed copper for electrical wiring, tin, chrome and manganese for the steel industry, coal for steam engines and gold and diamonds