What did David Livingstone hope to accomplish by opening a route into central Africa?

David Livingstone sought to open a route into the interior of Africa to advance a "trinity" of goals: the spread of Christianity, the promotion of legitimate commerce, and the introduction of what he termed "civilization."12

Specifically, by establishing a path into the continent's heart, Livingstone intended to achieve the following:

• Abolition of the Slave Trade: He believed that fostering legitimate trade would provide an economic alternative to the slave trade, thereby helping to undermine and eventually eradicate it.23
• Missionary Work: He aimed to reach populations, such as the Makololo people, whom he considered well-suited for missionary efforts, moving beyond the frontiers of South Africa to establish new areas for his work.2
• Improved Access: He sought routes that were more practical and safer for travel than those passing through Boer territory, which had become hostile to his mission.2

Livingstone viewed these efforts as a moral imperative, famously declaring in 1853, "I shall open up a path into the interior, or perish."2