Introduction to Colonialism

Introduction to Colonialism

What is colonialism?

• Dictionary definition: The policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers and exploiting its resources

• In basic terms, colonialism is conquering or settling other regions with your people, setting up control of the area and uses the nearby resources for your countries wealth.

Who are the Colonisers?

• Today the most commonly referred to colonialism is European colonisation of Africa in the 18th Century. But in truth colonising is something our species has done for ages.

• In the Mediterreannean during the Bronze Age, the Phoenicians and Greeks colonized the surrounding coastlines and islands. The city of Carthage, for instance, Romes greatest rival in it's early days, started out as a Greek colony on the African coast.

• All massive empires conquered territories and settled them for their benefit, it was certainly not a European invention nor a practice unique to the 18th Century.

The Phoenicians were a sea-faring people in the early Bronze Age who sailed along the Meditterannean coast, trading and settling.

Some of the areas settled by the Phoenicians. They originated in the East, what is called the Levant, today Lebannon, Isreal and parts of Syria.

The Greeks were also great early colonisers- settling all around the Med, establishing colonies and trade routes.

Empire building is as old as civilisation itself. One of the greatest empires was that of Rome. This is the furthest extent of the Roman Empire.

Colonialism in Africa

• Of course, we will study the colonisation of Africa by Europeans in the 18th Century, a topic very relevant to who we are today.

• In essence it's simple- Europeans conquered Africa to take advantage of the natural resources of the continent, thus increasing their wealth and power.

• But in reality it is much more complex and Europeans got involved for different reasons in different places.

Who Colonised Africa?

• The main European peoples who established colonies in Africa were the British, Portuguese, French, Germans, Belgians and Italians (kind of).

• Again each countries motives differed, but the fact that there was huge amounts of money to be made from colonising Africa is indisputable.

• It's important to note also that Africa was not the only continent colonised.