How did colonial powers control African countries?
Usually with religion and military force. Have you read Chinua Achebe's book called Things Fall Apart? If you haven't, you should.
http://www.google.com/search?q=control+african+colonies&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7SUNA
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/things/
Colonial powers were able to control African countries through various means, including military force, political manipulation, economic exploitation, and cultural dominance. Here's a breakdown of how they achieved and maintained their control:
1. Military Force: Colonial powers used their superior military technology and trained armies to establish colonial rule. They often overpowered local resistance and used military force to suppress any uprisings or challenges to their authority.
2. Political Manipulation: Colonial powers established puppet governments or directly ruled the colonies through appointed colonial administrators. They often manipulated existing power structures, played rival factions against each other, and created artificial boundaries that divided ethnic groups to maintain control.
3. Economic Exploitation: Colonial powers exploited African countries for their natural resources, such as minerals, timber, and agricultural products. They established extractive industries and forced Africans to work in mines, plantations, and factories, often under harsh conditions and for low wages. The profits generated from these activities were mostly repatriated to the colonizing country.
4. Cultural Dominance: Colonial powers imposed their own cultural norms, practices, and languages on African societies in an attempt to undermine existing traditions and disrupt social cohesion. They often promoted the superiority of their own culture and imposed their laws and educational systems to shape the minds of the local population.
5. Divide and Rule: Colonial powers encouraged divisions among different ethnic and tribal groups, exploiting existing tensions or creating new ones. By fostering conflicts and holding one group against another, they weakened any potential united resistance to colonial rule.
It is important to note that the methods and degree of control varied between different colonial powers and different African countries. Some colonies experienced harsher forms of control, while others had a relatively more lenient approach.