British Military Expeditions and the Conquest of Africa, 1824–1920

A history by Lawrence E. Y. Mbogoni of British military domination of Africa between 1824 and 1920, winner of the Professor D. Simon Evans Prize for Distinguished Scholarship. Why was Britain able to conquer so much of Africa so quickly, and why were African societies unable to stop them? In a gripping and accessible account, Mbogoni explores the deeper historical forces behind British conquest. From flawed and often fraudulent treaties to fractured political systems and the devastating impact of European firepower, he examines how conquest was achieved and why African resistance proved ineffective. Vivid case studies range from Egypt to the Gambia and include episodes from Zanzibar, Tanganyika, and the Nile Valley campaigns. Mbogoni invites readers to reflect on the unfinished business of history, including reparations and the urgent need for deeper regional cooperation. Mbogoni is also author of Aspects of Colonial Tanzania History, Human Sacrifice and the Supernatural in African History (both 2013), and The Cross vs. the Crescent (2005); a former professor at William Paterson University, with a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania.