Imperialism

2 Pages 607 Words

European imperialism emerged in the early eighteen hundreds and continued on into the early nineteen hundreds. While Rome used imperialism as a means to acquire territory and land, Europe had other means and motives to justify their imperialistic behavior.
Europeans not only wanted to obtain land, but they also wanted to achieve power, politically and economically. The majority of the motivation for imperialism derived from the Industrial Revolution. The countries strived to obtain control over colonies in order to control strategic passages, such as the Straits of Gibraltar and the Suez Canal. They also wanted the control of overseas bases to keep ships and troops supplied and ready whenever needed. Not all Europeans imperialistic motives were selfish though. A large number of Europeans went overseas to try and help unfortunate people. They felt as though they were offering their "blessings" to the "pitiful heathens". European governments imposed their laws on the people and taught them how to rule in a structured fashion. European missionaries spread Christianity and humanitarians promoted public health and education. The British writer Rudyard Kipling termed Europe’s benefiting of the "backward" peoples of Africa and Asia "The White Man’s Burden". Many European countries also had a desire to increase their wealth and, therefore, had economic reasons for their imperialistic behavior. The great economic financiers, a few wealthy men, used their wealth and social connections to induce the government to protect their investments through political dominance over undeveloped lands.
France, Britain, and Germany were the three main Imperialist Powers in Africa during the late eighteen hundreds. In February 1885, the main European powers signed the Berlin Act, which formalized the process of partition of Africa. The Act included the guidelines of how each country was to define its territories. The colonies on the West Coast of Africa w...