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The Scramble for Africa, also called the Partition of Africa is the Conquest of Africa or the Rape of Africa, was the invasion, annexation, division, and colonization of most of Africa by seven Western European powers during a short period known as New Imperialism. The Scramble for Africa refers to the period between roughly 1884 and 1914, when the European colonizers partitioned the – up to that point – largely unexplored African continent into protectorates, colonies and 'free-trade areas'.
During these years, almost all of Africa came under the control of the major European powers, including: Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Portugal and Spain. The ‘Scramble for Africa’ is the term that historians use to refer to the expansion of European empires into Africa. It is referred to as a ‘scramble’ due to the way in which the European nations raced to capture territory to expand to their empires.
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It is considered to have occurred from approximately 1870 until the outbreak of World War I in 1914. During these years, almost all of Africa came under the control of the major European powers, including: Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Portugal and Spain. There are several main causes to the Scramble for Africa, including: European competition, ethnocentrism, the spread of Christianity and new innovations. It is referred to as a ‘scramble’ due to the way in which the European nations raced to capture territory to expand to their empires.
The Scramble for Africa was revealed as a major event that eventually saw the African continent colonized and then divided by the major European powers. These events include: European interest in the Suez Canal, Berlin Conference, First Moroccan Crisis, Second Moroccan Crisis, European colonization in South Africa, and the brutal rule of Leopold II in the Congo.
The first significant event of the Scramble for Africa was the Berlin Conference of 1884. It was called by German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck and lasted from 15th of November, 1884, until 26th of February, 1885.
