What Lead to French Involvement In Africa?
After the Napoleanic Wars had ended in Europe, the Congress of Vienna had decided to take a great deal of France's power away. The country had faded out of being one of the most powerful and influential countries while it watched as Great Britain had grown ahead. By the time Europeans had begun to make discoveries in Africa, France became thirsty for expansion. The Berlin Conference had given France a great opportunity to seize power and rise again as one of Europe's greatest powers. The colonies granted to France were: Dahomey (Benin), Algeria, Guinea, Niger, and Senegal.