African Imperialism

Definition

African Imperialism refers to the period during 19th-20th centuries when European powers colonized most parts of Africa for economic exploitation and strategic advantage.

Analogy

Imagine you're playing a game where you have to collect as many resources as possible from different areas on the map. In this scenario, Europe is the player who aggressively takes control over Africa (the resource-rich area) to gain more points (resources).

Related terms

Colonialism: The policy or practice by which a powerful country directly controls less powerful countries and uses their resources to increase its own power and wealth.

Exploitation: Taking unfair advantage of someone or something for your own benefit; in this context, it refers to Europe exploiting Africa’s natural resources during imperialism.

Decolonization: The process by which colonies become independent from their colonial rulers.