The main characteristics of colonization in Zimbabwe were pain and restriction of the natives to certain areas.  Sometimes colonization even meant battles or deaths for the native Zimbabweans. But, to the British, it was the promise of new land and a fresh, uncultured world, waiting to be taken over by the greater countries. Zimbabwe provided Britain with slaves, minerals, and raw materials such as coal which they sold and used in Britain. Even some gold was found, although not nearly as much as the British had hoped to discover (they had discovered much, much more in neighboring countries, and had hoped to find the same in Zimbabwe). The British imposed their beliefs upon the Zimbabweans, such as beliefs about gender and how women should be discriminated, their own religions like Christianity, and cultural viewpoints, like their beliefs about other cultures and races, especially about the African-Americans themselves.

From the British Perspective - Return to British Homepage.

Why would the British want control of Zimbabwe? - Move on!