The European political supremacy battle began long ago involving countries like Germany, the Great British, Portugal, France, Belgium, Italy and Spain. These countries had to expand their territories across the world to demonstrate their national superiority and dominance. The countries demonstrated their power by using social factors, and Africa was heavily affected by the supremacy battles from European countries. The arrival of the Europeans to the African continent increased the industries; however, it came with various social problems as very few Africans would be accommodated in the new companies by capitalists.
The British government captured various other continents like America and Asia, the fact that made it to be more dominant in Africa compared to other European colonies[1]. The impact of predominance competition and the inter-European continent battle for supremacy served to be the political motivation for British.[2] The Britain Empire was much involved on the coast of West Africa because it was an area favourable for lucrative trading of slaves. Between 1562 and 1807, the slave trading was abolished; however, by then the British had transported about three million through ships into America for Slavery.
The trade-market like crops exchange was among the important and useful things that resulted from out of acquiring new lands and exploration age. There were two forms of exchanges that took place, the cultural exchange and the biological one. The exchange, which is biological involved people trading both the plants as well as animals while the cultural type involved trading using commodities like technology as well as ideas. The various exchange forms had a tax on people in the nation. The discovery of new lands and the exploration led to death and diseases in each of the affected countries.
The British government mostly targeted America and Africa in attempt to gain more power over some other European countries leading to the Empire taking over and controlling as many countries as they were available with intention to rule the whole of Africa[3]. The influence and presence of the British disrupted lives and traditions of people who lived in the continent. The economy of West Africa, which previously relied on the British trade previously, was turned upside down as the British too over took over full control and there was no trade anymore.
The colonialism had some elements of racism and the British Empire was structured to exercise dictatorship that utilized violence to maintain order and govern their colonial subjects. The central office of the British colony was based in London, from where all the decisions regarding colonialism where made. In West Africa, some Africans benefited from western education, but they had no power because the British government was in full control, they formed and led movements towards independence accomplishment[4]. And soon the movements started bearing fruits with Ghana gaining independence in 1957, Nigeria acquired the independence in 1960, Sierra Leone in 1961, and lastly in 1965 Gambia also gained it.
The Great Britain abolished the Slave Trade in 1807 due to immerse domestic and economic pressure. The country had a strategic benefit with considering the victory their Royal Navy had achieved by defeating both the Spain and French fleet[5]. With the victory, the Britain acquired the rights to search and stop all the ships suspected to be carrying slaves.
Conclusively, because of political supremacy in Europe, the countries from the content started expanding their territories to gain more power. Africa, America and Asia contents become the victims of the same with Africa being the most affected especially in West African region. The British traded slaves to America but was later abolished in 1807. Movements to push for independence were formed and later the colonizers gave in to the pressure and the countries began gaining their independence one by one.
[1] Encyclopedia.com, “Africa: British Colonies,” (Encyclopedia of Race and Racism, COPYRIGHT 2008). Accessed on April 15, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/africa-british-colonies
[2] Iwerienor, Ehiebor E.G., “The Colonization of Africa.” (Africana Age: African & African Diasporan Transformations in the 20th Century.” Accessed April 15, 2020. Retrieved from http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-colonization-of-africa.html
[3] Encyclopedia.com, “Africa: British Colonies,” (Encyclopedia of Race and Racism, COPYRIGHT 2008). Accessed on April 15, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/africa-british-colonies
[4] The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “British West Africa: Historical States of Africa,” (Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., March 02, 2012). Accessed on April 15, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/place/British-West-Africa
Encyclopedia.com, “Africa: British Colonies,” (Encyclopedia of Race and Racism, COPYRIGHT 2008). Accessed on April 15, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/africa-british-colonies[5]