The colonization of Africa differs from the Unites States colonization in many distinct ways. For the United States, European nations first came to America with the intent of increasing their wealth and boarding their horizons. The Spanish were then the first to settle what is now we call the United States. In 1607, the first colony in the US was founded in Jamestown, Virginia. Many people that came to settle in the new land came to get away from religious problems in their former countries. In 1620 was when The Pilgrims, founders of Massachusetts, arrived and settled on the new land. In both of these new found places, the colonist made it through with some help form some Native Americans. They then survived off of corn that kept them from starving and tobacco then became a valuable cash crop. In the early 1700s is when slavery began and Africans made up a big percentage of the colonial population. Finally, by 1770, there were more than 2 million people in the population in the 13 North American colonies
African colonization was extremely different and a lot harder than it was for the United States. Europeans had and increased fascination with Africa starting into the late 18th century. The 3 men that had importance of the begging of African colonization are James Bruce, Mungo Park, and David Livingstone. James Bruce who was a Scottish traveller was the one who was interested enough to seek the source of the Blue Nile and traced its origins. Mungo Park is the man who was responsible for discovering the interior of Africa and along the River of Niger along and crossed the whole contention from east to west. David Livingstone discovered the sources for the River Nile and was also anti-slavery crusader.
In 1807 the African Slave trade was finally over thanks to Great Britain. It was extremely hard for them to make a transition form slave trade to trading things such as palm oil and groundnuts. This then allowed people the Europeans to increase their mark on Africa because of their trading companies. Later after all of the countries were somewhat colonized Africans became increasingly involved in the worlds economy with getting cash for crops and begging to mine for diamonds and gold. Africans began to get a sense of identity because of the colonialism thought the continent.
World War II was the begging of the Africa political awareness. Shortly after the United Nations was then created with leaders from all around the world. Ghana became the first African nation to gamin independence and then the European settlers made it much harder for places like Kenya and other east Africa nations to gain independence. The Pan African Movement was then started in order to try to get Africans to stick together and think of themselves as unified. Africa had many ups and downs, but all of it made it what it is today and is still a work in progress
I think that the history of Africa plays a huge role on my present day life and it will for the rest of my life. Being a black woman in society is often very hard, but it can never be used as an excuse. Yes, we may have to work twice as hard and be twice as good, but it ultimately makes you appreciate life and everything you have worked for. We have come along way, even being allowed to be at a school like Penn State is history that has been made and continues to be made with African Americans who come here and are able to succeed. I am proud of who I am and how far my people have come and it is just a stepping stone for what shall come in the future.