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Seriously, the Europeans sailed across the ocean in 1492 and colonized the Americas (prior to 1492 actually, if you count the Vikings), but they couldn't colonize the continent directly below them until 400 years later? That doesn't make sense, the only reason I can think of is that the great Ottoman Empire kept them at bay. But seriously, why did it take them so long?
I'm just throwing this out there but maybe because they were busy with apparently more lucrative places like the New World, the East Indies, India, China and such first. When all that was tapped then they turned attention to Africa.
The Germans were big colonizers in Africa and until the late 19th Century they'd been too busy with European affairs and their own unification to think much about colonizing.
Perhaps you can find an answer in Africa's climate and geography. North America was much more welcoming and hospitable for Europeans, as well as being less populated.
Disease was the biggest reason. It was also the reason Islamic expansion of Africa stopped right at the start of the Tse Tse fly's range. European expansion in to Africa began in earnest following the development of an extracted version of quinine in 1820.
Disease was the biggest reason. It was also the reason Islamic expansion of Africa stopped right at the start of the Tse Tse fly's range. European expansion in to Africa began in earnest following the development of an extracted version of quinine in 1820.
Interesting theory, but the same problem with diseases existed in the sugar colonies, the coasts of the Gulf territories and most of Central America. This did not stop the Spanish and French from establishing colonies there two hundred years before quinine extracts.
Interesting theory, but the same problem with diseases existed in the sugar colonies, the coasts of the Gulf territories and most of Central America. This did not stop the Spanish and French from establishing colonies there two hundred years before quinine extracts.
Sorry for taking so long to reply.
There were many diseases that came to the new world later on, but with a few exceptions they were not here when Colombus landed. Many diseases including malaria were brought to the new world, by Europeans and Africans post colonization. In addition to this there are a bunch of diseases, like sleeping sickness, that are only really found in Africa.
guns, germs, and steel read it. The diesease part was the main thing. A lot of the the world ex India had access to the same technology more or less as the europeans and were able to fight back. Many places werent fully colonized until modern medicine was able to get rid of a lot of the dieseases that killed off the European invaders.
A reverse example of this is Papua New Guinea where the native people never died out because by the time europeans came and tried to colonize it small pox had been brought under control.
Malaria? Are you claiming that Europeans introduced the mosquito to the new world?
The mosquito itself no. Human malaria yes. Very likely by either African slaves, or settlers from the Mediterranean. Not to mention a whole host of other diseases.
Last edited by Randomstudent; 04-24-2011 at 09:26 PM..
Malaria? Are you claiming that Europeans introduced the mosquito to the new world?
I can't remember where but there was an example of a new world population only being able to fight back against colonization after an earlier wave of invaders introduced a diesease that a newer group was not able to fight off and it helped them resis for a bit.
I think it was malaria or typhoid or something might have been about the maroons in jamacia (it was somewhere in the carib.)
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