River of the Gods: Genius, Courage and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile

European interest in the African continent first began with Portuguese explorers in the 15th and 16th centuries. The purpose of this exploration was threefold. First, Portuguese explorers wanted to expand European knowledge of the world and geography. Second, these explorers wanted to find natural resources (e.g. ivory and gold). Finally, these explorers tried to locate a sea route to valuable trade routes in Asia that would evade the taxes and duties collected by the Arab and Ottoman empires. The Portuguese first established ports along the western coast of Africa, which enabled them to restock supplies before continuing to the Indian Ocean. They were also the first to become engaged in the African slave trade. Other European countries soon followed the Portuguese.

Prior to European arrival, slavery did exist on the African continent. However, slavery at this time was more like European serfdom. In addition, slaves could marry, own property, and even purchase other slaves. Slavery also ended after a certain period of servitude or if the owner died. African slavery also did not involve generations of families (i.e., generation after generation of families were not enslaved). African slavery differed drastically from the form of slavery that developed in the Americas and elsewhere. The latter was much more brutal and embedded with racism. The trans-Atlantic slave trade lasted for approximately 400 years. Scholars estimate that between 12 and 15 million Africans were forcibly moved across the Atlantic.

European interest in the African continent ramped up beginning around 1750 and lasted until about 1900, becoming known as the “Scramble for Africa.” European empires competed for power by trying to expand their spheres of influence to other parts of the world. Initially, European empires were slow to conquer the continent, but this all changed once they realized it held a wealth of resources. Europeans used the notion of the White Man’s Burden to justify their conquest of the African people. This concept held that Africans were culturally inferior to Europeans. As a result, Europeans had a responsibility to civilize the African people by conquering them. This racist concept has long since been debunked, but its devasting legacy still reverberates throughout the African continent today.

The second reason is Christianity. Since the Crusades, Europeans had been intolerant of non-Christian religions and ideologies. European explorers, government officials, and the public at the time did not understand the diverse cultures and religions found on the African continent. Rather than trying to learn about them, most Europeans simply viewed these practices as savage and lesser than their own. Europeans used the desire to “civilize” African peoples by converting them to Christianity as another excuse for their conquest and exploitation of the continent and its people.   

Commerce represents the final driver of the “Scramble for Africa.” The British abolished the slave trade in 1807, and the slave trade began to decline in the United States in the mid-1800s. However, Western powers still desired economic expansion, especially in light of the Industrial Revolution, which dramatically increased the need for raw materials. Europe turned to the African continent since it had an abundance of raw materials, racing to map the continent to claim territory and exploit resources. Due to the Scramble for Africa, European powers conquered much of the continent. In fact, Liberia and Ethiopia represented the only independent African states by 1914.

The search for the Nile River’s source stems from this European obsession with conquering unchartered territory. Europeans at this time were incredibly interested in ancient Egypt, in part due to the discovery and decipherment of the Rosetta Stone. They became obsessed with wanting to find the source of the Nile River. It became the holy grail of exploration during the 19th century.