The Spread of European Imperialism Essay - 1162 Words

Throughout the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries, the world witnessed a global expansion as well as a compaction of people, cultures, and ideas. The need for goods, as well as the process of mercantilism to inflate economies, was instrumental in the advancement of seafaring technologies, the need to spread religion, and the eventual globalization of the slave market. The four major regions in the world, which were the stepping stones of globalization, are Africa, Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean, the Americas, and finally East Asia. The abundance of resources, especially salt, gold, and slaves in Africa, especially after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, was too much for Europe to ignore. Most European countries, Italy†¦show more content†¦European presence in Africa also helped the people of Africa to expand. With the collapse of the Great Silk Road, trade routes through the waters became more necessary. Muslims and Europeans fought over the Indian Ocean and the several prosperous ports (plus major cities and villages in Ethiopia) during the fifteenth and sixteenth century. (McKay et al., 2009) Although Muslims had controlled the Indian Ocean trade for centuries, Portugal’s ability to circumvent the southern tip of Africa led to war and Portugal’s eventual defeat of Muslim traders and their imperialism throughout the Southeast Asian market. Africa’s Swahili people and their ivory, copra and rhinoceros horns and China’s â€Å"age of commerce†, which was developing within the neighboring countries of Vietnam and Burma, multiplied the available goods for Europeans to bring back home. (McKay et al., 2009) Portugal, as with most European countries, was beginning their recovery financially after years of war and plague. With the growth of trade and the amount of people in the Indian Ocean area, religion quickly followed. (McKay et al., 2009) Again, Muslims and Europeans were in battle. But this time they fought for religious supremacy in numbers. Each faction quickly moved to convert as many people as possible. Settlements were formed, cities grew, and customs and culture began mixing in an early version of a melting pot. (McKay et al., 2009) Once ColumbusShow MoreRelatedCompare And Contrast The Old And New Imperialism1600 Words   |  7 PagesImperialism is the movement of colonizing people by gaining political and economic, cultural control of other regions. There are two types of imperialism happened in different time periods which are the old and new imperialism. The old imperialism occurred between the sixteenth and the eighteenth century. It was the time when the European powers started to expand their empires through conquest and trade with other countries. 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(Esler, page. 632) European imperialism began in the 1800s. â€Å"European nations won empires in the Americas after1492, established colonies in India and Southeast Asia, and gained toeholds on the coast of Africa and China. Despite these gains, between 1500 and 1800, Europe had little influence on the lives of the peoples of China, India or Africa.† (Esler, page.632) Then the Europeans industrialized and believe western cultures wereRead MoreEssay on Imperialism: From Europe to The West1514 Words   |  7 PagesEarly in the twentieth century, imperialism was brought up by European powers of the time; Germany, Great Britain, France, and Russia. These nations were after raw materials in A sia, Africa, and South America and when they realize that they could not retrieve it, they began to colonize smaller counties that contain the many resources they need and used it for their benefit. Western values played a big part in European imperialism. European civilization experienced a period of extraordinary rapidRead MoreImperialism Essay771 Words   |  4 PagesImperialism could be considered as a defining characteristic of America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Imperialism is defined as â€Å"a policy of extending a countrys power and influence through diplomacy or military force† (Imperialism and Immigration). When it comes to imperialism in America, I must say that other factors were more influential than social Darwinism. Although I do agree to a certain extent that social Darwinism did play a big role, things such as expansionist objectivesRead MoreCauses Of Imperialism1107 Words   |  5 PagesImperialism Essay Growing up, many children play the board game â€Å"Battleship,† where a player’s main goal is to conquer his opponent’s ships and, eventually, land. Similarly, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the nation of Europe and other countries took over and influenced countries that they believed were inferior to them. This process, known as imperialism, is defined as â€Å"a policy of extending a countrys power and influence through diplomacy or military force† (googleRead MoreUuhujsdkkd1008 Words   |  5 PagesGlobalization demonstrate the spread of historical globalization and colonial influence? Explain using examples. The map demonstrates the spread of historical globalization and colonial influence because it represents the European Imperialism and Europe’s scramble for empire. European Imperialism contributed to the spread of science, religion, philosophy, and technology - which originated from Europe -, to the countries it colonized. 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