Angelina Kilpack

HIS112104

Imperial Conquest

During the 15th century the African Slave trade supported a global economic order that
favored colonial empires. Colonialism and nationalism took a toll on the world on conquered
other countries and nations in help of the Industrial Revolution for wealth to the mother counties,
so European powers were able to acquire and utilize African recourses which made it facile.
Nations had to unite in order to conquer and expand to join in as one country.

Slave trade made Africa frail, and pushed it down to the bottom of the food chain, over
50 million slaves died for the curse of 300 years. 1 “The result weakened internal trade balance
and population size in west Africa, though individual merchants and rulers benefited.” The Slave
trade ends and the Napoleonic Wars began, Frederick William was king of Prussia and issued a
proclamation to join the surrounding nations and fight against Napoleon. 2 “Remember the
blessings for which your forefathers fought under their leadership and which they paid for with
their blood- freedom of conscience, national honor, independence, commerce, industry,
learning.” Napoleon is defeated, Germany has become their own county for about 20 years, later;
Berlin conference of 1884, Empires make an agreement with arising out of colonization of
Africa known as the “scramble for Africa.” European Countries empower Africa with advanced
technology.

Without the slave trade, Africa would not be the hanging fruit. Many would think The
scramble for Africa occurred to gain resources and mercantilism for Countries to invade for
power and money, nothing will get in their way. Countries united and expand through the power
and belief of their own country, nationalism. “But would you not rather make these sacrifices for
the fatherland and for your own rightful king than for a foreign ruler …for without honor no
Prussian or German could live.”

1Peter Stearns, "The Spread of Slavery and the Atlantic Slave Trade", (New York University Press 2008), 177.
2Fredrick William, A Proclamation by the Prussian King, 1813…(New York: James Harvey Robinson and Ginn 1928) ) in A World History in
Documents, ed by peter Stearns, 224.