Evidence of the existence of imperialistic empires dates back to the dawn of written history, when local rulers extended their realms by conquering other states. Ancient imperialism reached its climax under the Roman Empire in Europe, but it never extended elsewhere (Pakenham 46). In the West, imperialism was reborn with the emergence of the modern nation-state and the Age of Exploration and discovery. During this Age of Exploration, Europeans had built a few trading posts on the coasts of Africa, but for centuries they had little direct influences on the lives of most Africans. In the late 1800's a dramatic change took place. The Industrial Revolution began and the growth of na

The scramble for colonies in west and Central Africa began in the 1870's. In that period, King Leopold II of Belgium, with the help of Henry Staley, carved out an empire along the Congo River. Stanley who had previously explored the Congo River basin in great detail had hoped that Britain would send settlers to the Congo, but Britain was not interested. So Stanley turned to Leopold II, who was eager to set up Belgian settlements there. At the king's request, Stanley negotiated treaties with local rulers for the right to exploit mineral wealth of the region. The king thereby gained control of the enormous area, which became known as the Congo Free State (Lemarchand 78).

Samori Toure, ruler of an empire in what is today Senegal, signed an agreement with the French in the 1890's. When the French broke the agreement and tried to seize control of his land, Toure fought back. For seven years, he led his army against the French. Finally, in 1898, the French captured Toure and exiled him to Algeria ( Beers 573).

Until the 1870's, the Europeans had little interest in Africa. In the 1600's and 1700's, the Portuguese and Dutch had established forts and trading posts along the African coast. The British and French had also acquired outposts. However, they used these posts only for trade, not as bases for conquest (Beers 563).

The history of imperialism in Africa began and ended with the greedy desires of the Europeans. The Europeans thoughtlessly tore into the African continent and succeeded in destroying the African way of life. Thousands of people were tortured, for no reason other that resources. Europeans wanted the rich minerals and natural resources that were found in Africa, and they did not want to share them with anyone else, including the African people (Pakenham 106).

Pakenham, Thomas. T

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