Chapter 18
With Europe's growing affluence, this created the need for extensive raw materials and agriculture products. Such as wheat from the American Midwest and southern Russia, meat from Argentina, bananas from Central America, rubber from Brazil, cocoa and palm oil from West Africa, tea from Ceylon, gold and diamonds fro South Africa. All of these changed the patterns of the economy and social life in the countries of each origin. Europe still had to sell its own products. In 1840 Britain was exporting 60% of its cotton cloth production, sending 200 million yards to Europe, 300 million years to Latin America, and 145 million yards to India. The Europeans investors often found it more profitable to invest their money abroad than at home. Between 1910 and 1913, Britain was sending about half of its savings overseas as foreign investment. Industrialization occasioned marked change in the way Europeans perceived themselves and others. Ways of working were a huge impact. Many groups such as migrant workers, plantation laborers, day laborers, men and women experienced the colonial era differently as their daily working lives underwent profound changes. Old ways of working were eroded almost everywhere in the colonial world. Many of the new ways of working derived the demands of the colonial state. In 1946 French Africa, all natives were legally obligated for statute labor of ten to twelve days a year. Women lives in Africa were much different. They were active farmers with responsibility of planting, weeding, and harvesting food. Men cleared the land, built houses, herded the cattle and did field work. Women were expected to feed their own families and be involved in local trading activities.