Toward the end of the nineteenth century, Africa was embroiled in a sea of ​​change. By 1880, the slave trade was almost abolished, thanks to many European powers. This has resulted in an almost complete reshaping of the political, social and economic landscape; the upper class of Africans who participated in this horrendous trade had lost one of their greatest means of acquiring wealth. Fortunately for the rest of the population, goods that had a high market value: ivory, copal, cloves, beeswax, honey, wild coffee, peanuts, cotton, rubber and palm oil, could be procured through simple harvesting or farming practices. This led to “a more equitable distribution of wealth, especially in rural areas” (Boahen, 4) because everyone, not just the ruling class, could participate in this emerging economy. This, in turn, gave rise to the status of the average African, because he could now produce goods to sell. Furthermore, since there were no worries about becoming a commodity himself, he was free from the worry that he might be enslaved and shipped off to some unknown land. But most importantly, with the absence of slavery came a period of peace and stability as the rulers of the various kingdoms ceased to participate in the wars and raids that provided them with slaves. It is because of these factors that, on the eve of colonial conquest and occupation by European powers, Africa was growing politically, socially, economically and intellectually. One could therefore hypothesize that if not for the imposition of the colonial system, the then emerging nation states, or indeed the entire continent itself, would have become a formidable world power. .... half of the paper ... and they felt ready to face any challenge that was thrown at them. Above all, they seemed determined to defend their sovereignty and their way of life” (Boahen, 23). And it is even more evident if you look at the words of the rulers of the time. But we must also note their desire to work and collaborate with the Europeans, they wanted peaceful relations. Unfortunately they did not achieve peace, rather war and conflict took control of the continent with such force that only two states remained independent from European influence, Ethiopia and Liberia. One can only wonder if the European powers had regarded the African people as real human beings rather than for the racist attitudes they had, how much the history of the vast continent had changed. Works Cited Boahen, Albert Adu. African perspectives on colonialism. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University, 2008. Print.