Causes of the Scramble for Africa
8th Grade · Social Studies · 45 min
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Learning Objective
I can describe one cause of the Scramble for Africa.
- 1
The Scramble for Africa refers to the period in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when the borders of African countries were largely decided by European nations.
- 2
European powers sought to extract raw materials such as rubber, palm oil, gold, copper, and diamonds from Africa, making the continent a vital resource for the European economy.
- 3
At the Berlin Conference between 1884 and 1885, 14 European countries discussed how they would claim colonial land in Africa and avoid war amongst themselves; notably, no African representatives were invited.
