African Colonization

    The African continent was one of the last to be colonized by Europeans. In the Americas, the process of colonization began in the 16 century. Three centuries later the American continent had been decolonized and the first industrial revolution was expanding. Given this, the Europeans were seeking new sources of funds to supply its industries. 

    In the 19 century, European Nations such as England, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany began to explore effectively the African continent. The industrial revolution led to these countries to exploit raw materials, especially minerals, among which we can highlight the iron, copper, lead, in addition to agricultural products such as cotton and rubber; all essential for industrial production.

     American Nations that were descolonizadas have become a promising market for European industrial products, considering that demand in Europe for such goods was declining. The European powers, to ensure raw material occupied the Territories contained in Africa, soon after the partition of the continent among the main European countries of the time, giving right to explore the part of each nation. 

    The Division of the continent of Africa has been consolidated through an agreement held in 1885. This event counted with the participation of England, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain. This agreement was executed at the Berlin Conference. However the exploration process in Africa happened even before the partition of the territory, that's because several countries sent delegations of scientists for the continent. According to them, scientists had the purpose of carrying out scientific researches, but in fact they collected data about the potential of the ore, i.e. The riches of the subsoil.

     Years after much of the territory was colonized. Europeans introduced cultures that were not part of the diet of native people, the colonizers promoted the crops with emphasis on the production of coffee, tea, sugarcane and cacao. Another activity developed was the mineral extraction, especially in the extraction of diamonds.

     And so the Europeans managed to ensure for a long time the supply of raw materials to power its industries