How did imperialist european powers claims control over most of africa by the the end of the 1800s?

In the late 1800s, Britain, France, Germany, and other European powers began to compete for African territories because of their wealth, easy access to the slave trade and the millions of people they could govern. (many considered Africans as inferior to Europeans) Within about 20 years, the Europeans had carved up the continent and dominated millions of Africans living on the lands. Although many resisted, sadly, Africans could not prevent European conquest of their territories.