THE IMPACT OF EUROPE ON AFRICAN CIVILIZATION IN THE EARLY DAYS?Joshua E. AwathaProf. Lisa BrattonMarch 14, 2014The impact of Europeans in Africa in the early days is a controversial topic. Different individuals have different opinions; some believe that European colonization brought civilization to Africa. They believe that Africa in early times was a primitive, uncivilized and underdeveloped place. Therefore, they believe that Africans benefited greatly from European colonization. There is a different opinion, some believe that the European colonization of Africa was not aimed at colonization. Colonization brought violence, ethnic tensions, slavery and the division of Africa. They argue that Europeans had vested interests in Africa intended to exploit and intimidate Africans into slavery. Africa had been open to trade long before the European invasion, mainly with Arabs and Indians. The first Europeans came to Africa as missionaries, mainly to preach Christianity and introduce education. According to Andrew,1 although missionaries came to Africa to spread and introduce the gospel, they served as the foundation for colonization. Missionaries had already studied African culture and mapped the continent, sending the information home. This information was in turn used by colonizers to conquer Africans. The missionaries introduced education to Africa but taught against violence and war; therefore, it is ironic that their statesmen used the same negative virtues to conquer Africa. Missionaries had succeeded in subduing the minds of Africans long before the colonizers landed in Africa. The colonizers brought civilization... middle of paper... South Africans made do with poor housing with little to no healthcare, water, security, education, good transportation and employment. This led to the death, imprisonment, torture and suffering of the South African people under the apartheid rule of the European colonizers. In conclusion, the arrival of Europeans in Africa had a negative impact on the continent. It brought cruelty, hatred, division, mistreatment and color discrimination against Africans. This has led to extensive suffering, murder, torture, poverty, underdevelopment and exploitation of Africa's resources. The consequences of European colonization are still felt in Africa today in extreme activities such as the genocide in Rwanda. Africa is also characterized by ethnic violence, slums, landlessness and underdevelopment, all of which can be traced back to the European invasion of the continent..