European Imperialism In Africa Research Paper

Introduction
The arrival of Europeans had both historical and economic impacts on the African continent. The first interactions between Africa and Europe occurred mainly on the west coast of Africa when the Europeans were searching for a trade route to India. This evolved into European traders coming to Africa in search of slaves after the America’s were discovered. Later, the Europeans decided to settle within Africa and use its people to harvest the raw materials the continent had to offer. After the initial period of coastal trading, Africa was mostly harmed through its interactions with the European superpowers. European colonization in Africa had negative economic impacts on Africa through their emphasis on exports, the introduction of cash crop agriculture, and altered labor systems through forced labor.

Initial Contact with Africa
The first contact between Europeans and Sub-Saharan Africans occurred while the Europeans were trying to find a sea route to India to trade with them. To gather and refill their supplies on their way to Asia, the Europeans would stop off the coast of Africa. Coastal trading included gold, ivory, nuts and palm products in exchange for European goods such as guns and alcohol. Most of the trading with the Europeans was limited to coastal areas as established kingdoms made it difficult to trade with the
This led to the need and desire for raw materials by the Europeans (Aryeetey-Attoh, 2010). Likewise, the Industrial Revolution had led to issues such as poverty, unemployment and homelessness back in Europe. One way they could fix this was from gaining a trade surplus from Africa. Another reason for European interest in Africa was the fact that the Europeans were competing in the world of politics. Acquiring foreign territories around the world, like in Africa, was one way to demonstrate their strength (Iweriebor,