Relations between Europe and Africa started as far back as the 15th century. European influence on Africa was apparent during the Atlantic slave trade. The Atlantic slave trade began in 1441, when an African man and a woman were arrested on the coast of Western Sahara and taken to Portugal.
Slave trade lasted for 400 years in which an estimated 10 million to 13 million people were smuggled from Africa. The bulk of slaves went to Brazil and the Caribbean, and a small portion went to the United States. The Atlantic slave trade was conducted by European traders based on the West African coast.
They purchased slaves from African owners by trading guns, alcohol, cloth, or other European-manufactured goods; as well as cowrie shells, which served as money in pre-colonial Africa. The British parliament ended the slave trade by majority vote in 1807.
Africa: The Colonial Era
In 1870, there were some signs that European powers were not interested in dividing Africa among themselves. Indications pointed to the direction that the Europeans wanted to create indigenous political entities to consolidate their authority and eventually develop into nation-states.
For example, in West Africa, the kingdom of Ashanti (Asante) had formed a strong central government, an advanced system of roads, well defined boundaries, and a national language. Economic gains spurred by gold and the slave trade made Ashanti quite prosperous. The place seemed destined to grow stronger.
Another good example is Buganda in East Africa. It developed a reputation for being the chief naval power on Lake Victoria and was known for its powerful king, the Kabaka; its strong army; and its growing trade. "Secondary Empires", so –called because they relied on imported European military technology, were all over Africa during that time.
Secondary Empires
Many of these secondary empires were established by Muslim societies. Their wealth enabled them to promote Islam in sub-Saharan Africa. In East Africa, the sultans of the island of Zanzibar expanded their control to the mainland. It was Egypt who held the reins in the northeastern part of Africa. Their troops extended to Lake Victoria by 1876. Egypt's empire seemed to be expanding into central Africa.
In southern Africa, it was the "Boers" or Afrikaners, practicing a very conservative form of Christianity, who established a nineteenth century secondary empire. With modern rifles and cavalry tactics, the Boers defeated the powerful Zulu in key battles. They established farms in grasslands areas which was depopulated by a series of African wars sparked by Zulu expansionism. The Zulu were acquiring modern arms themselves and remained a major force in the region under a king ruling through an aristocracy.
European influence on Africa during colonial era paved the way for creation of smaller, independent political entities which were largely self-governing.
Source:
Copson, Raymond. Africa Backgrounder: History, U.S. Policy, Principal Congressional Actions.
http://www.fas.org/man/crs/Crsafric.htm#African%20History:%20An%20Overview
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