Question
Imperialism ACTIVITY CARD During the 19^th and 20^th centuries (1800s-1900s)European nations used their overwhelming technological superiority to create massive colonial empires. These empires included parts of Africa , Asia, the Middle East and the islands of the Pacific. Some were so large it was said that the sun never set upon them, meaning that there was always at least one part of their territory in daylight. The creation of empires through the seizure of a country or territory by a stronger country is called imperialism. What factors drove the Europeans to create these empires?
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Benjamin
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Answer
European imperialism in the 19th and 20th centuries was driven by several key factors:1. **Economic Motives**: European nations sought new markets for their goods and sources of raw materials to fuel industrialization. Colonies provided access to these resources and served as captive markets for European manufactured goods.2. **Political Competition**: European powers competed for territorial dominance and strategic advantage. Colonies offered military outposts, naval bases, and control over key trade routes, enhancing a nation's geopolitical power.3. **Nationalism**: The rise of nationalism fueled imperialist ambitions, as acquiring colonies was seen as a demonstration of a nation's strength and prestige. Imperial expansion was often justified as a civilizing mission or a duty to spread Western values and Christianity.4. **Technological Superiority**: European nations possessed advanced military technologies such as firearms, steamships, and telegraphs, enabling them to conquer and control territories with relative ease.5. **Ideological Justifications**: Some Europeans believed in the superiority of their civilization and felt a moral obligation to "civilize" and "modernize" indigenous peoples. This ideology, known as the "White Man's Burden," provided a moral justification for imperialism.6. **Search for Resources and Markets**: Industrialization created a demand for resources like rubber, minerals, and agricultural products, which could be found in abundance in colonized territories. Additionally, colonies provided new markets for European goods, stimulating economic growth.These factors combined to drive European imperialism, leading to the establishment of vast colonial empires across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.