colonization of africa
In the late nineteenth century, Europe’s great powers claimed the African continent for themselves. Under the guise of a humanitarian mission, European leaders and businesses exploited African natural resources and people to fuel European economic growth. Africans did not submit to outside control willingly. In fact, African resistance continued throughout the colonial period, culminating in the independence movements of the mid-twentieth century. African experiences of colonialism were diverse. Nevertheless, there are common themes within the continent’s colonial history and its legacies.