The word “imperialism” is derived from the Latin noun “imperium”, which means the power to command. Whether or not one has the “power to command” is strictly subjective, however many European countries in the 1800’s felt they were worthy of a world wide empire. This belief led to imperialism, in which Europe competed for land in Africa and Asia. While there were many factors in this drive for expansion, the three that heavily influenced this age were as follows: nationalism and the feeling of superiority in various European countries, the technology created by the Industrial Revolution, and the need for more natural resources and markets.
Nationalism created international competition in Europe during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, …show more content…
This, in turn, allowed Europe to use modern technology against the non-contemporary Africans as they conquered land for colonies. The vast difference between the weapons of the former and the latter allowed European countries to easily defeat the African states, as machine guns were extensively more powerful than the guns which were possessed by Africa. The inventions of the electric telegraph in 1837, the steam engine in locomotives in 1804, and the treatment for malaria in 1820 (Document C) also allowed Europe to maintain technological superiority over Africa, making the expansion of empires easier to …show more content…
The feeling of superiority allowed countries to believe that they were more worthy of expansion than others and that their culture was meant to be spread. Technology created during the Industrial Revolution granted Europe dominance over African countries, allowing the latter to be defeated quickly by the former. The incentive of new markets in colonies and the possibility for prospering economies drove European countries to compete against each other for more African land. All of these factors helped create worldwide empires and establish countries who are to this day considered to be the superpowers of the modern
Nationalism created international competition in Europe during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, …show more content…
This, in turn, allowed Europe to use modern technology against the non-contemporary Africans as they conquered land for colonies. The vast difference between the weapons of the former and the latter allowed European countries to easily defeat the African states, as machine guns were extensively more powerful than the guns which were possessed by Africa. The inventions of the electric telegraph in 1837, the steam engine in locomotives in 1804, and the treatment for malaria in 1820 (Document C) also allowed Europe to maintain technological superiority over Africa, making the expansion of empires easier to …show more content…
The feeling of superiority allowed countries to believe that they were more worthy of expansion than others and that their culture was meant to be spread. Technology created during the Industrial Revolution granted Europe dominance over African countries, allowing the latter to be defeated quickly by the former. The incentive of new markets in colonies and the possibility for prospering economies drove European countries to compete against each other for more African land. All of these factors helped create worldwide empires and establish countries who are to this day considered to be the superpowers of the modern