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European trade with Africa becomes well established.
As early as the 1450's, Europeans start trading with Africans. Africa is vast, vast enough to fit the United States, China, India, and almost all of Europe within its borders. Powerful armies, belonging each to a different culture group (there are thousands of groups) fight Europe away from Africa's heart. Europeans can't navigate the African rivers or topography, and are vulnerable to African diseases. So, the Africans pretty much keep the Europeans at bay (literally), for 400 years. -
East India Company collapses due to Sepy Mutiny; British Raj begins.
The talk of the town is that the controlling Brits are using pork (which Muslims don't eat) and beef (which Hindus don't eat) fat to grease the Indian soldiers' (sepoys') rifle cartridges. After the British try to ignore the sepoys' refusal of the cartridges (which are bitten open), the sepoys riot. They don't "win", due to religious differences and weak leadership, but the British do away with the East India Company (previous British presence in India) and start direct control, with the Raj. -
Suez Canal links the Mediterannean and Red Seas.
After Napoleon fails to gain control over Egypt, the Ottomans send a new leader, Muhammad Ali, to govern the area. To thwart European interest, he starts to modernize Egypt, and breaks away from Ottoman control. Ali's grandson, Isma'il, continues this modernization, by building the Suez Canal, a waterway through the Isthmus of Suez. The path is awesome for trading, but bad for Egypt, who finds it can't pay off the canal's construction debts. Egypt succumbs to British occupation. -
Berlin Conference convenes for a year to discuss African colonization.
By the 1880's, European countries are so thirsty for wealth from African resources (for example, people find diamonds in southern Africa) that they fear war might break out. To ease competitive angst, the usual suspects meet at the Berlin Conference. There, European countries carve Africa into European pockets (for example, the Germans get most of east Africa), paying no attention to Africa's thousands of cultural groups. Really, the Berlin Conference causes African violence and chaos. -
Queen Liliuokalani takes the throne of Hawaii.
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Ethiopians defeat the invading Italians at the Battle of Adowa.
Despite the evidence of the Berlin Conference's evil success elsewhere in Africa, Ethiopia (in nothern Africa) remains independent. This independence is mostly due to the mind of Ethiopia's emporer, Menelik II, who plays thirsty Euroean powers against eachother. At the Battle of Adowa, which Menelik called to thwart invading Italians, the Ethiopians were successful, and remained independent. -
Spanish-American War breaks out; Puerto Rico, Spain, and the Phillipines are taken from Spain.
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Boer War breaks out in Africa.
In the early 1800's, the British take the Cape of Good Hope from the Dutch and push the Boers (Ducth settlers) farther up north (this movement is called the Great Trek). The Boers find gold and diamonds. Once other people hear about the riches, there is a rebellion against the Boers, who put blame on the British. The Boers start the Boer War, in which Brits respond to the Boers' guerilla tactics with arson and "camping" POWs. The Brits win and start the Union of South Africa in 1910. -
Most of Africa is under European control.
By 1914, the Berlin Conference shows many benefits for the Europeans. France, Great Britain, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Portugal and Germany control most of Africa besides Ethiopia and Liberia. Although European intervention in Africa sparks famine (turns to cash crops shorten the food supply), violence, and the death of many traditional African cultural practices, European colonization in Africa also brings about economic growth (from European technology) healthier living conditions, and schools.
