European imperialism had a strong impact on the African continent through cultural, economic and political ideas. This historical era is strongly imbued with the aspect of ethnocentrism, which is the belief that one's culture is superior to that of another. Europeans colonized Africa believing they could bring civilization, but they often ignored Africa's very complex societies. The European powers divided the African continent among themselves, without any consent from the populations who actually inhabited it. Tribal stratification was transformed into a caste system in which racial, ethnic, and religious differences were of utmost importance, as delegated by European rule. The structure and affairs of the African economy were directed by what the colonial powers deemed necessary. European powers intervened in African society and inflicted their seemingly superior lifestyle on them. The slave trade was an important method used by Europeans to dominate Africa. Although the slave trade began to decline in the early 19th century, it gave Europeans passage across the continent, allowing them to divide the land as they pleased. The division of the lands was not without wars and resistance. Europeans stole land from Africans and imposed their way of life on African society. The imperialists brought military technology with them, decreasing the likelihood that Africans could resist their ethnocentric civilizational forces. To make matters worse, each country in Europe wanted its own share of the African continent. The imperial powers reached an agreement on available lands in Africa at the Berlin Conference in 1884 and 1885. They agreed to establish... middle of paper... a colonial system. It is evident that none of these statements, which have been made, are true. European administrators apparently made no effort to delegate these principles within the African colonies. It's one thing to say something and then do the exact opposite. Actions speak louder than words, and Europeans failed to uphold their ideals within the African colonial system. It is possible that the Europeans never intended to uphold such ideals and only used them as a cover for the corruption that existed in the African colonies. Europeans attempted to “civilize” African populations, but failed due to the pursuit of selfish gain. But who's to say they weren't "civilized", Africans had very complex societies that had existed for thousands of years, much longer than Europe's lifespan as a country today..