Causes Of Imperialism - 1107 Words

Imperialism 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† (google.com). Clearly, both children in military board games and Europe in the real world used imperialism when they seized lesser countries like Africa and the Philippines. However, there were many different factors that caused countries to be†¦show more content†¦Clearly, making money was important to European nations, so that is how the economy influenced imperialism during this time period. The economy was not the only force responsible for imperialism in Europe; anothe r very important cause was the political aspect that related to government affairs. According to Raymond Aron, imperialism was caused by â€Å"political ambitions†¦ the nations’ will to power†¦ [or] glory or national greatness.† This means that Europe used imperialism because they wanted to be the most powerful force in the world and have glory over everyone else. Specifically, this political power was apparent in the French military because they had the strongest weapons, warships, soldiers, and cannons (Gian, Phantom Thanh). Therefore, they were easily able to take over other any desired country and go wherever they wanted without resistance. Furthermore, another political cause of imperialism was that many nations wanted to gain land and natural resources by taking over lesser countries. One of these unfortunate countries was Africa, as shown in a 1914 map. In it, Africa was divided into numerous territories that were ruled by seven total countries: Britai n, France, Belgium, Germany, Portugal, Italy, and Spain (African Map in 1914). Only one territory was independent and not conquered yet, which really shows how imperialism spread all across Europe in this time periodShow MoreRelatedCauses Of Imperialism843 Words   |  4 Pages1914. Instead they have narrowed it down to some main causes. The main factor that lead to the outbreak of World War 1, was the desire by the nations of Europe to expand their empires. Along with this there were some less significant contributing factors to the outbreak, such as previous historical tension and nationalism. Supporting evidence shows that imperialism was the main and most significant factor of the outbreak of World War 1. Imperialism is defined as the domination of one country’s politicalRead MoreCauses Of New Imperialism1120 Words   |  5 PagesNew imperialism was a period of colonial expansion by European powers during the late 19th century and early 20th century. It is distinguished by the continuous territorial acquisitions of Africa and Asia by European powers. These powers include Great Britain, France, Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium (Tusan, Scramble for Africa, October 23rd). There were many reasons behind this aggressive competition. To them, these newfound lands were an opportunity to expand their power and exploit further resourcesRead MoreCauses And Effects Of U.S. Imperialism812 Words   |  3 Pagesanalyzing the causes and effects of United States Imperialism from 1870 to 1916, one finds that there are three main factors. These major factors of United States Imp erialism in this time period are: Hawaii, the Spanish-American war, and Theodore Roosevelt. In this time period Hawaiian islanders were very happy to live traditionally, but Americans were not content with the traditional ways of the Hawaiians (Buschini, n.pag.). Even though America seemed to be on the road to imperialism with Hawaii,Read MoreThe Cause of WWI was Imperialism Leading to a Bad Economy Essay722 Words   |  3 PagesOne of the main causes that started World War 1 was the fact of imperialism. The main cause was imperialism and not nationalism because the government was always unequal and always favored themselves. When the government did this, it would lead to a terrible economy, and be forced to trade with other surrounding countries. All of this created a big build up in war and tension between Europe and other surrounding nations. I believe that imperialism was the main cause of World War 1 because it is whatRead More The Compelling Motives of European Imperialism Es say794 Words   |  4 PagesThe Compelling Motives of Imperialism The presence of Europe in Africa in the late nineteenth century was one of extreme power. The countries of France, Britain, and Germany had especially large claims to the African continent during this time. The motives of imperialism for these countries greatly define Europe at this time. Insatiable desires for economic markets, power and political struggles, the motivating belief in Social Darwinism, and the European idea of superiority were the drivingRead MoreNegative Effects Of Imperialism1139 Words   |  5 Pagesevents are talked about. That just shows what imperialism causes. Imperialism is when a dominant country seeks to increase their size and forces (either by war or diplomacy) a smaller country to submit to their rule. The Age of Imperialism began in the 1870s and went until World War 1. During this time imperialism was very prevalent and the events that took place during this time had lasting effects and still affect us to this day. While imperialism could be seen as beneficial, especially to theRead MoreImperialism656 Words   |  3 PagesEuropean Imperialism in Africa? During the 19th century, King Leopold II of Belgium compared Africa to a cake. At the Berlin Conference in 1885, seven European nations took slices of Africa for themselves without discussing any details with Africans. From a 21st century perspective, this seems like a selfish thing to have done, so why did Europeans engage in imperialism? Certainly, political factors, cultural causes, and technological advancements were important. But the primary cause was economicRead MoreEssay about Mark Twains War Prayer Rhetorical Analysis734 Words   |  3 Pagescaught up in the idea of imperialism, or extending their influence to other countries using military force. Mark Twain’s essay, The War Prayer, was written during this time, but argued against the popular philosophy of imperialism. Twain’s essay was too controversial and Harper’s Bazaar believed it was not suited for the public to read, so it went unpublished until after his death and after the idea of imperialism had lost its fervor. Twain’s essay discusses imperialism and its consequences. TwainRead MoreEssay about The Pros and Cons of Imperialism540 Words   |  3 Pagescalled as imperialism. Imperialism is often separated into two sects. The first one is old imperialism, which was the period from the 1500s to the 1800s, where European nation started to colonize many areas such as the Americas, and parts of Southeast Asia. On the other hand, the new imperialism was the period between the years â€Å"1870-1914†, where Europe became more focused on expanding their land into Asia and Africa. Imperialism had many pros and cons. In addition, it also had many causes led by theRead MoreEssay on Imperialism In World War 11103 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Imperialism in World War 1 Imperialism was one of the four contributing factors to the cause of World War One, along with secret alliances, militarism, and nationalism.   It is the most important cause of WW1, because it created a build-up of tension in Europe and outside of Europe, and through imperialism, the three other causes were able to affect the beginnings of the war. Imperialism is defined as the governing of one people by another country, which was a recurring dilemma prior to WW1 due