Compare And Contrast The Motives Of European Imperialism

Words: 505
Pages: 3
Open Document
Europe experienced two main periods of colonial expansion, the Age of Exploration from 1450 to 1750 and the Age of Imperialism from 1850 to 1914. Europeans had greatly different motives driving Old Imperialism and New Imperialism. The Age of Exploration was driven by mercantilist policies, the need to spread Christianity, and the love of exploration; the Age of Imperialism, however, is marked by its focus on the consolidation of power at home and abroad, social Darwinism, and capitalistic tendencies catalyzed by the Industrial Revolution. The Age of Exploration was characterized by the saying, ‘gold, God, glory.’ The ‘gold’ aspect drove the Spanish overseas to South America, where conquistadors defeated the Incas and the Aztecs for control over silver and gold mines. These …show more content…
The demand for Asian spices was also high, but due to the need for Arabian middle-men in the trade, spices were expensive. The drove countries to try and find a passage directly to India for cheaper spices, with Portugal succeeding first in circumnavigating Africa to reach India. Christopher Columbus, on his own trip to find a route to India, came across North America instead. European powers scrambled to set up colonies in order to reap the material benefits of the New World. This played a huge role in the mercantilist policies of the time, with Britain coming out at the head of the mercantilist pack. British colonies sent raw materials back to Britain, where they were manufactured and sold back to colonies for a marked-up price. The need for labor in harvesting raw materials also drove the importation of African slaves into North America, resulting in a triangle trade between the three continents. During the Age of Imperialism, however, expansionist economic tendencies drifted away from mercantilism and towards the capitalism brought on by the Industrial
Show More

Related Documents: Compare And Contrast The Motives Of European Imperialism

Essay about World History Study Guide

capital= Tenochtitlan (on lake Texcoco) Inca- centered in Peru (South America Andes Mountains), capital= Cuzco Political, Social, Economic characteristics of the Aztec compared to Incas Compare: Polytheistic Human sacrifice (Aztecs much more) Monumental Architecture Highly developed agricultural technologies Contrast: Inca state-run economy Aztecs have merchant class, Incas don’t Aztecs divided into city-states (not much integration), Incas a fully integrated empire (common language, common law, large…

Words 2006 - Pages 9

Essay on Egtyp: Why they don't need us

it still implies that a majority of Egyptians distrust U.S. motives. Most Egyptains don’t trust the United States motives, they feel like we will go over there and make them into exactly what kind of democracy we are. And that isn’t what they want. We don’t need to be sticking our neck out for people who will not appreciate it. Helping Egypt with their problems will fail in the long run. . The "Arab Spring" created dramatic contrasts between America's professed ideals and its actual behavior.…

Words 1453 - Pages 6

Issues Of The Gilded Age Essay

of American imperialism (i.e., raw materials, nationalism, missionaries, militarism, Monroe Doctrine). • 7.2 Identify consequences of American imperialism (i.e. Spanish American War, expanding trade, extractive economies, Panama Canal, the idea of a superior Anglo-Saxon culture, yellow journalism, military occupation). Causes of *Imperialism* • By the late 1800’s the U.S. played a major role in world affairs • Countries began to rush to gain influence all over the world – Imperialism* strong countries…

Words 2196 - Pages 9

United States and Essential Questions Essay

Advanced Placement Untied States History Dr. Alba 2014-2015 School Year Course Description: AP U.S. History covers the spectrum of American history from pre- Columbian days to the present. Using chronological and thematic approaches to the material, the course exposes students to extensive primary and secondary sources and to the interpretations of various historians. Class participation through seminar reports, discussions, debates, and role-playing activities is required; special emphasis…

Words 7288 - Pages 30

Jazz: Jazz and Music Essay

Essays on Music THEODOR W. ADORNO with Introduction, Commentary, and Notes BY RICHARD LEPPERT Selected, New translations by Susan H. Gillespie Uniaersity ot' CøIifornia press BERKELEY LOS ANGELES LONDON On Jazz On lazz The question of what is meant by "jazz" seems to mock the clear-cut . -\i) \-è "x! \ \N definitive answer. Just as the historical origins of the form are disappearing into the fog of the recent past, so its range is disappearing within its ambivalent…

Words 8741 - Pages 35