Why was Britain able to conquer so much of Africa so quickly, and why were African societies unable to stop them? In this gripping and accessible account, historian Lawrence Mbogoni explores the deeper historical forces behind Britain’s military domination of Africa between 1824 and 1920. From flawed and often fraudulent treaties to fractured political systems and the devastating impact of European firepower, Mbogoni examines how conquest was achieved and why African resistance proved ineffective.