ABSTRACT
European imperialism in Africa began when Magellan’s ship concluded the circumnavigation of the earth almost a century after Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal started and successfully organized a series of African expeditions in 1814. This successful exploration allowed trade to fl ourish on high seas instead of overland routes, which were often subject to robberies, demands for tributes, and other uncertainties. Ocean travel using large ships enabled the Europeans to move people in greater numbers, expand the amount of trade goods as well as routes, and establish many naval and trade points along the African coast.
