Briefly describes Britain's motivations for imperializing African regions. Includes the text of a speech given by Lord Cruzon entitled, "The True Imperialism."

Briefly identifies some of the decisions made at the Conference of Berlin concerning Africa. A political cartoon about King Leopold in the Congo is provided.

Map of Africa in 1858, prior to the extensive European colonization of the continent established at the Berlin Conference of 1885. This map shows the European possessions of the Cape Colony, Natal, and Orange River Free State, and the...

Read how the nation of Liberia was founded by freed slaves as a result of the end of the transatlantic slave trade and the efforts of the American Colonization Society (ACS).

Selected (12) reading passages (grades 6-11) to pair with "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe. In this classic novel, Okonkwo, a wealthy and respected member of the Umuofia clan, resists the forces of change brought to Africa by...

Selected (11) reading passages (grades 8-11) to pair with "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver. This story follows the wife and four daughters of a Baptist preacher who moves them to the Belgian Congo in 1959, setting the...

Read about Djibouti's history from its colonization by France in the 19th century to the present time. Information is from the U.S. State Dept. Background Notes.

African leaders responded in diverse ways to European colonization. Armed resistance, trade embargos, and forming alliances with European powers are a few methods. Read the example of one African state (Ethiopia) that retained their...

Access university-level course materials compiled for course on European imperialism.

Read about the role of King Leopold of Belgium in the colonization of the Belgian Congo and the extreme exploitation of the people living there in a vivid portrayal by Bertrand Russell.

Read about James Forten's opposition to Paul Cuffe's American Colonization Society, which sought to recruit African-Americans to emigrate to Africa in the early 19th century. In addition, this site provides a link to the text of Forten's...

A short summary of Australia's involvement in the Boer War in what is now South Africa.

This website from the Library of Congress has primary source documents and pictures concerning the development of Liberia as a country for freed slaves in Africa. There are links to other areas on the Library of Congress website.

Newberry Library lesson using digitized primary source explores how Aphra Behn's novel, Oroonoko, compares to other representations of race, slavery, and colonialism in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Questions to consider are...

A collection of primary sources which explores cross-cultural conflicts during the Colonial period of United States history.

European countries began exploring and seeking to dominate the rest of the world during the 15th and 16th centuries, thanks to their ability to control sea routes and to the discovery of the American continent. In the 19th century,...

The archaeological site from PBS of Gedi in Kenya is a unique place to see what life was like for the Swahili in East Africa. Scientists have no idea why this prosperous site was abandoned in the early 17th century, but during its peak...

This is a site from the PBS series "Wonders of the African World." This brief but detailed article gives information about the origins and history of the Swahili people.

Online version of a Library of Congress exhibit, covering information about black history, including colonization, abolition, migrations, and the WPA. It is multimedia and contains hundreds of primary source documents.

This interesting encyclopedia entry tells about Paul Cuffe, a black abolitionist and philanthropist who attempted to form a colony in Africa for freed slaves.

Part of the BBC's "Story of Africa" series, this article covers 19th century exploration and colonization.

Describes the results of colonization, focusing on the lack of economic profit and more on the civil/social motivations and results. Also contains Rudyard Kipling's commentary on colonization as expressed in his poem "White Man's Burden."

Read about Ivory Coast's recent history, the military coups, violence, and the encouraging agreement that has ushered in a transitional government. You can also find out about its history as a French colony. Information is from the U.S....