Industrialization And Imperialism In The Late 19th Century

Two 19th century global trends–industrialization and imperialism–were driven by the nations of Europe, but influenced every corner of the Earth. Industrialization, or the transformation of an economy from being agriculturally based to being based on manufactured goods, created a higher sense of nationalism within Europe. Nationalism was taken a step further in the late 1800’s with imperialism, or the direct controlling of other countries for political and economic benefits. By increasing nationalism, in addition to wealth, industrialization and imperialism spurred European competition, which ultimately catalyzed the continent’s movement towards war. Beginning in Great Britain in the late 18th century, industrialization completely altered Europe’s landscape. Industrialization increased the need for factory workers and accordingly caused many rural families to move into cities. This population shift strengthened the bonds between individuals whom, in the countryside, would have no connection to each other. While nations existed before industrialization, the concept of a truly unified country was strengthened during this period. Without nationalism, it is unlikely that a war of World War 1’s magnitude would ever happen, since people would have less …show more content…
Equipped with brand-new exploration technology, Europe ripped through the Americas roughly 200 years before it did the same with Africa. Just as the new technologies and economic possibilities of the 1800’s created competition between European countries, so did those of the 16th and 17th centuries. While no single conflict was named a “world” war, European countries were involved in plenty of skirmishes as they sought to establish a foothold in the New World. Just as European competition brought World War 1, it forcefully dictated the rule of the Americas for hundreds of