Most of Africa was generally unknown to the rest of the world until the 1870s. Then, an ambitious and ruthless king from a minor European country initiated a rush for glory and riches known years later as the 'Scramble for Africa.' The result was a carving up of the great continent, first into colonies and later nation-states that generally ignored the cultures and histories of the indigenous peoples who lived there. We will examine the roots and legacy of the Scramble, specifically how the map of Africa evolved into the configuration we recognize today.