As Europeans ventured into Africa and the Americas, many positive and negative changes occurred. What were some of these changes? Identify and explain no more than three.
The migration of Europeans occurred in great numbers to venture and settle in Africa and the Americas in the 1500 century had many changes both positive and negative. They reached the Americas and Africa with different motives. Some reached the two continents as explorers, others were Christian missionaries, others traders while others wanted to colonize the regions. Europeans such as Christopher Columbus, as Spanish expeditor, reached the Americas in 1492, after which European venture expanded rapidly. The Industrial Revolution period was booming in Europe. The European had found the Americas and Africa as a crucial source for raw materials. The scramble to venture into the two regions then began. Eventually, the entire Africa and the Americas region was under the control of various European nations with different venture motives. As a result, the Europeans venture into Africa and the Americas had many positive and negative changes. The paper discusses some of the three changes that occurred.
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One of the negative changes introduced by Europeans in the Americas and Africa is the introduction of African slavery. The Europeans who ventured into Africa took part in human slavery. Millions of Africans were captured and taken to work by force on sugar and cotton plantations in the Americas. Most notorious source of slaves was West and Central Africa, and South West Africa. South America, majorly Brazil which had large-scale sugar plantations and North America which had large-scale cotton plantations were the most popular destinations for slaves from Africa. The slaves were subjected to harsh and inhumane conditions while working in the farms. Some of them were even overworked or even tortured to death by their employers. They were denied basic human rights. The practice of taking slave from Africa also ha adverse effects on Africa. The Africans’ traditional cultures were broken as members of families were alienated from their ancestors.
The lives and culture of the native people was changed by the Europeans. Europeans venture caused harmful effects, they divided the African colony among themselves thus creating African rival tribes. As a result, several civil wars broke out. However, on the other hand, European venture expanded the economies of Africa and the Americas. This was due to the demand of sugar and cotton products in international markets especially in Europe. Americas especially became industrialized because of the need to process the sugar and cotton raw materials before transporting them to Europe. Mineral wealth in Africa and the Americas were taken away from the natives. The Europeans took minerals such ad Gold, Diamond, and Copper especially from Africa which was rich in minerals and the natives did not have the required technology and knowledge to mine them. Slaves were used in mining and processing fields. This deprived the Africa and the Americas their natural resources.
The positive change of European venture into Africa and the Americas is the fusion of the native Americas and European cultures to produce the modern Latin American cultures. European languages such as English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and French were introduced in various Americas countries. For instance, English is spoken in Jamaica, while Portuguese is the most used language in Brazil. The European introduced modern architecture in the Americas region. Modern structures of European design were introduced in the Americas while the natives’ structures were brought down. Even the natives in the Americas and Africa lost their land independence to the venturing Europeans, the regions developed and were able to compete with the rest of the world. Europeans also introduced modern technology such as the use of modern guns in hunting and even in war fields. For instance, the native communities in South America used arrows and bow while hunting. The Europeans introduced more sophisticated and efficient weapons to carry out such as activities.
European venture in Africa and the Americas also had positive political change. The European countries introduced an efficient system of administration in the nations they ventured in. There administration gave the natives a more structured and organized political government. Most of the countries in Africa and the Americas still hold to the same system of administration introduced to them by the Europeans. The Europeans also introduced other concepts in governance such as the use of the constitutional and democratic governance. However, Europeans also introduced some ideologies such as nationalism which led to many conflicts and revolutions especially in Africa. Eventually, nationalism had positive changes on the natives while the Europeans experienced the negative changes.
In a nutshell, European venture in Africa and the Americas brought many changed both positive and negative. The introduction of slavery and slave trade was one of the major negative changes as a result of European venture. However, it is worthy to note that the European powers came together and agreed to end slavery. European venture brought about modernization of the Americas. The natives adopted the use of European languages which are also used to date. The interaction between the Europeans and the natives brought about changes in the cultural and political systems. Most political systems of administration introduced by Europeans are still used today in several countries in Africa and the Americas.
- Kishlansky, Mark and Susan Lindsey Lively, eds. Sources of World History: Reading for World Civilization. Volume 1. 3rd ed. New York: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2003.
- Smith, Bonnie et al. Crossroads and Cultures: A History of the World’s Peoples Volume II: Since 1300. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012.
