Final answer:
European involvement in commerce with Africa began with the search for gold and quickly transitioned to the lucrative slave trade. The need for resources and markets later led to colonization and the 'Scramble for Africa', where European powers divided the continent among themselves.
Step-by-step explanation:
The initial motivation for European involvement in commerce with Africa was the pursuit of gold and other natural resources. However, by the mid-15th century, this focus shifted as Europeans found the slave trade to be significantly profitable due to the demand for labor in the New World, where indigenous populations were dwindling from diseases brought by Europeans. Over time, the allure of Africa's resources, such as diamonds, spurred further involvement, leading to colonization efforts for access to raw materials, markets for European goods, and increased prestige and power among European nations. This penetration into Africa is infamously known as the 'Scramble for Africa', where territories were divided among European powers without the consent of African peoples.