Part 2: Did technology benefit or hinder the African community? Emanuel Pichardo

In the beginning Africa was an unobtainable land not worth the trouble to most Europeans. Thanks to its natural barriers and regular coastline Africa was locked to the rest of the world. But this soon changed with the technological inventions of the 19th and 20th century and most prominently the steam engine. With it the Europeans were able to plow through and unravel this once forbidden and forsaken land.

The application of the steam engine to boats and railways gave a massive opening for Africa. With the steam boats the Europeans could travel through the rapids to explore the inland of Africa. They brought with them many weapons and appliances. This technology made it easier for them to take the land and all its resources. The technology of the 19th is the basis for that of the 20th century. The 20th century was a lot of improvements in already-existing technology.

In the 20th century came electrification, airplanes, computers, electronics, and the telephone. All of these were applied for military use so that the airplanes could bomb more effectively, computers could detonate bombs and the telephone allowed for better communication. In Africa these advancements were sold and bought by the tribes and groups that were fighting to control the diamond mines. The work in the diamond mines became more automated but rivers are still worked by hand in slave like conditions.

The introduction of technology to Africans only increased their efforts to kill one another. Their constant state of war and race for diamonds made them all the more savage. It’s a shame but as long as diamonds are considered currency the people are doomed to a life of fighting, pain or running.

Part two-Technological Advancements [[By: Michelle Cabral]]

During the 19th and 20th century, Africa was imperialized by Europeans. During this time period the Europeans believed that it was their duty to assimilate the Africans to themselves because they believed that the Africans were "uneducated savages". Another idea that was spread around this time was the idea of social Darwinism. Social Darwinism stated that; the whites were considered more fit in the struggle for survival and so the Europeans used this and the thought that Africans were inferior to them as a justification for Imperialism.
In this time period businesses went into Africa as an effect of the industrial revolution. They noticed the natural resources available in Africa since it would be cheaper and their businesses would profit more.
Some of the technological tools that facilitated the imperialism of the 19th and 20th century were firearms, lightweight artillery,improved steam engines, railroads and medical science. Firearms made conquest easier for the Europeans and they were able to take control and take away whatever it was that they wanted from the Africans since they were not advanced in technology. Firearms also made it possible for a smaller amount of people to defeat and control a larger amount of people. The improved steam engines made it possible for the steamships to have a larger capacity because they required less space for fuel. Medical science was a form of technology that was very important to the imperialists of Africa. Medical science made it possible for people to survive in Africa from the many tropical diseases there making conquest easier as well.
Today in Africa, tools to mine diamonds are used and weapons are as used as well. The weapons have become more widespread and into the wrong hands which causes plenty of deaths in Africa and does not allow anyone there to live a secure life.
Technology has not done much good for Africa. It has not helped them develop as a country at all. Technology is not used in Africa to help them grow economically. The people that do use it to grow economically use weapons which prevents everyone else from growing. No one is able to grow socially because they all live in fear of the items that technology has created and the many lives that are taken from them by these tools on a daily basis. Since the imperialism began and was introduced to Africa it did no good for them. The good and valuable natural resources available to Africa were taken away by these items. Perhaps the only good technology has done for Africa is the advance in medical science but, because of the poverty this medical science is not of significance. There are not many differences in the technological advancements that have been introduced to Africa over the years. They have just become more widespread and more dangerous, showing us that technology is not much of a good deed to Africa.

Part 1- Question #'s 3 and 4

What role do you think the imperialism of the 19th and 20th century played in sparking the civil war in Sierra Leone? (Michelle Cabral)

During the 1800's the Europeans began to dominate Africa as an effect of industrialization. People needed resources for their business and they wanted to get them more cheaply in order to make more money. Many countries looked at Africa and began to notice the many available resources that Africa had to fuel their business so something called "The scramble for Africa" began. This was a race between countries to take control over pieces of land in Africa. Imperialism in the 19th and 20th century played a role in the civil war of Sierra Leone because the goal of the British was to colonize the Africans by taking advantage of the diverse communities that there are in Africa in order to rob the country of this wealth. What the British did later brought other countries to decide to do the same thing which leads us to the civil war in Sierra Leone.
Although the English thought that it was their duty to "educate" the Africas, they did not exactly do so. If they would have done so then maybe the civil war would not have been as serious because the Africans would have an idea of how to manage the resources they have in their country and actually be able to benefit from them. The English left the Africans with no idea on how to manage their government. The first people who imperialized Africa not only introduced this way of stripping the country of its wealth but they also stripped the country of any other natural resources that they had.
The English overused the land in Africa up to a point when it was finally not fertile. If they would not have done this then perhaps the Africans would not have to be a part of this civil war and have to deal with people such as the RUF which is the Revolutionary United Front which attempts to take control of the diamond area.

Compare and contrast the colonization of the Age of Exploration (15th and 16th century) with the imperialism of the 19th and 20th century. (Michelle Cabral)

The Age of Exploration and the imperialism during the 19th and 20th century can be compared because the Europeans were after the same thing, God , gold, and glory. During the age of exploration the goal when it came to God, was to spread christianity. Over the years we can see that the English feel superior to others. They spread christianity because they believed that they had a duty to convert non christians througout the world, and when imperializing Africa they believe that it is also their duty to "educate" them and force on them the ways of the English in order to make them better people.
Another comparison between the age of exploration and imperialism is the link with the gold. People did not only travel because they wanted to spread religion, wealth was also a factor in this. During the age of exploration people were taken advantage of for their natural resources, and they would be taken and then sold for a much larger profit making the people selling the product much richer.

Part 1 Question #s 1-5 by Emanuel Pichardo

1.The Industrial Revolution and the rise of Capitalism sparked interest in Africa and the imperialism in the 19th and 20th century because the different factories wanted to expand. Their employees were getting more rights and the factory owners wanted to maintain the cheap labor.

2.The Berlin conference and the imperialism of Africa only furthered the abuse of the Africans and ripped them of what little possessions they had, meanwhile the Europeans grew richer.

3.The imperialism of the 19th and 20th century was an unexpected turn of events. Of course the Europeans knew to take advantage of the native Americans but they didn't expect them to revolt for independence years later. With the imperialism of Africa they were trying to prevent this from happening and conflict between each other which led to the Berlin conference and the political division of the African land with no regard of the African people.

4.The Europeans went in divided the people, took what they wanted and the left the Africans stripped of resources and full of conflict.

5.I think that businesses will never have enough profit. Two examples of this can be seen with the Dell computer company and vehicle companies outsourcing jobs in other countries that are not of their origin.