Why did France have colonies in Africa?

Why did France have colonies in Africa?

It also provided manpower in the World Wars. A major goal was the Mission civilisatrice or “The Civilizing Mission”. ‘Civilizing’ the populations of Africa through spreading language and religion, were used as justifications for many of the practices that came with the French colonial project.

Why is France interested in Africa?

Economic liberalisation, high indebtedness and political instability of the former African colonies have reduced their political and economic attractiveness, leading France to adopt a more pragmatic and hard-nose approach to its African relations.

Why did France want West Africa?

French West Africa Before Africa was founded as a country, it was invaded by France in 1843. France wanted many of that natural resources in Africa that they attacked and tried to contain them.

When did France start colonizing Africa?

The French presence in Africa dates to the 17th century, but the main period of colonial expansion came in the 19th century with the invasion of Ottoman Algiers in 1830, conquests in West and Equatorial Africa during the so-called scramble for Africa and the establishment of protectorates in Tunisia and Morocco in the …

What did the French do in Africa?

As the French pursued their part in the scramble for Africa in the 1880s and 1890s, they conquered large inland areas, and at first, ruled them as either a part of the Senegal colony or as independent entities. These conquered areas were usually governed by French Army officers, and dubbed “military territories”.

What did France do to Africa?

Why did European colonize Africa?

During this time, many European countries expanded their empires by aggressively establishing colonies in Africa so that they could exploit and export Africa’s resources. Raw materials like rubber, timber, diamonds, and gold were found in Africa. Europeans also wanted to protect trade routes.

Why did the Europeans want to colonize in Africa?

Europe saw the colonization of Africa as an opportunity to acquire a surplus population, thus settler colonies were created. With this invasion, many European countries saw Africa as being available to their disposal.

How many colonies did France have in Africa?

eight French colonial territories
French West Africa (French: Afrique-Occidentale française, AOF) was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), French Guinea (now Guinea), Ivory Coast, Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso), Dahomey (now Benin) and Niger.

Why did France start colonies?

France established colonies in much of eastern North America, on a number of Caribbean islands, and in South America. Most colonies were developed to export products such as fish, rice, sugar, and furs.

Why did European nations want to establish colonies in Africa?

One motive for the Europeans to colonize Africa was the demand for raw materials. They wanted to use Africa as a method to guarantee their sources of raw materials. The reason being was because industrialization was growing rapidly and spreading throughout Europe; therefore there was now a competition for raw materials.

What were the effects of European colonization in Africa?

Three major effects of European colonization in Africa were: – improvement in transportation and education systems. – disregard for existing political or ethnic boundaries. – promotion of free trade across countries.

Why did the European first came to Africa?

The first Europeans to come to Africa’s West Coast to trade were funded by Prince Henry, the famous Portuguese patron, who hoped to bring riches to Portugal. The purpose of the exploration: to expand European geographic knowledge , to find the source of prized African gold , and to locate a possible sea route to valuable Asian spices.

Why did Germany expand to Africa?

Like other colonial powers, the Germans expanded their empire in the Africa Great Lakes region, ostensibly to fight slavery and the slave trade.