Question

how did great Britain's capture of the suez canal contribute to increased european imperialism in africa

Answer 1

It demonstrated the economic value of African territories to other European countries.

Answer 2

The Suez canal sparked off imperialistic rivalry because great Britain believed that it had to control it, to secure its interests in India. To control it, it had to control Egypt. This was beside the fact that canal had been built by the french, through London finances and Egyptian labor. The french thus felt cheated.

The Suez canal is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. The new short cut, impacted greatly on the eastern coastline of Africa, besides sparkling  colonial rivalry that ended with the Berlin conference which was convened by Germany chancellor Otto Von Bismark.
<span />