Final answer:
Before the Scramble for Africa, Europeans could not take over Africa due to African resistance, diverse geography, diseases like malaria, and lack of technology. Advances in medicine and weapons later enabled Europeans to conquer and colonize the continent. The Scramble for Africa was driven by European rivalry and the quest for resources and markets.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Europeans could not take over Africa before the Scramble for Africa due to several key factors. The primary reason was the African resistance and the continent's diverse geography, which made it difficult for Europeans to penetrate the interior. Africa's geography presented few harbors for ships, it had no navigable rivers for sail, and crucially, it was home to numerous lethal diseases such as a particularly virulent form of malaria, to which Europeans had little resistance. Technological advancements towards the end of the 19th century, such as the discovery of quinine as a treatment for malaria, and the development of mechanized vehicles and advanced weaponry, allowed Europeans to overcome these hurdles during the Scramble for Africa.
Additionally, African societies were not weak; they often defended themselves successfully and only succumbed when Europeans returned with larger, more powerful armies and superior technology. European nations had interest in Africa for its raw materials and new markets to expand their goods and exert military dominance, which became increasingly prominent towards the end of the 19th century, culminating in the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885. Prior to this, several factors, including dangerous diseases, challenging terrain, and strong coastal states, limited European colonization efforts primarily to coastal regions and not the African interior.