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European nations held the [[Berlin Conference]] in 1884-1885 in order to decide how to divide Africa in order to best suit their interests. No Africans were invited to the conference. Ethnic and cultural differences within Africa were ignored, and lines of demarcation were drawn to aid the European nations in their quest to subjugate the continent and its peoples. All of Africa, except for Ethiopia (which resisted Italian control in 1896) and Liberia, was divided and colonized by the European nations.  

European nations held the [[Berlin Conference]] in 1884-1885 in order to decide how to divide Africa in order to best suit their interests. No Africans were invited to the conference. Ethnic and cultural differences within Africa were ignored, and lines of demarcation were drawn to aid the European nations in their quest to subjugate the continent and its peoples. All of Africa, except for Ethiopia (which resisted Italian control in 1896) and Liberia, was divided and colonized by the European nations.  

 

Imperialism may be argued to have had both good and bad effects. The Europeans brought advances in technology, built hospitals, and improved the infrastructure, such as railroads, telephones, telegraphs, sanitation and other public works; this improved trade and communications and reduced disease. However, as Walter Rodney writes, the idea that Africans benefited from technological advances brought by imperialism is easily countered by the fact that colonialism found Africans practicing agriculture with a hoe, and left Africans practicing agriculture with a hoe.<ref>Walter Rodney, ''How Europe Underdeveloped Africa''. (Washington: Howard University Press, 1974. 219)</ref> Europeans also built schools, but used them to teach European language, culture, and religion rather than respecting local traditions. Literacy did improve as a result, however. Europeans displaced Africans from their individual farms and shifted them into working for European businesses, which resulted in lost control of their land and saw a reduction in their own food crops. African workers were also purchased and shipped to other territories outside of Africa. Europeans disrupted African cultural groups and village life, resulting in arbitrary geographical boundaries that contribute to war and strife to this day.

Imperialism may be argued to have had both good and bad effects. The Europeans brought advances in technology, built hospitals, and improved the infrastructure, such as railroads, telephones, telegraphs, sanitation and other public works; this improved trade and communications and reduced disease. However, as Walter Rodney writes, the idea that Africans benefited from technological advances brought by imperialism is easily countered by the fact that colonialism found Africans practicing agriculture with a hoe, and left Africans practicing agriculture with a hoe (Walter Rodney, ''How Europe Underdeveloped Africa''. (Washington: Howard University Press, 1974. 219). Europeans also built schools, but used them to teach European language, culture, and religion rather than respecting local traditions. Literacy did improve as a result, however. Europeans displaced Africans from their individual farms and shifted them into working for European businesses, which resulted in lost control of their land and saw a reduction in their own food crops. African workers were also purchased and shipped to other territories outside of Africa. Europeans disrupted African cultural groups and village life, resulting in arbitrary geographical boundaries that contribute to war and strife to this day.

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==References==