Explain The Major Motivations For Imperialism

Words: 696
Pages: 3

1. Describe the major motivations for imperialism.
The Western expansion into Asia and Africa, otherwise known as imperialism, was motivated by economic means. For instance, the Industrial Revolution spurred the demand for certain raw materials not found in Europe; as a result, Asia and Africa became sources for those materials and markets for Western manufactured goods. Furthermore, Europeans saw imperialism as a way to receive valuable resources and a reliable market that were required to drive the industrial world further on. At the same time, imperialism represented national status and political power by showing how the possession of more territories was an advantage against their rivals. Not only did the desire for national grandeur motivate
…show more content…
Soon then many major countries abolished slavery, such as Dutch, Great Britain, and the United States. However, before the abolishment of slavery in many major countries, humanitarian efforts contributed to the decline due to the outrage it sparked among the humanitarians who saw the slave trade as inhumane acts towards human beings. In addition, the increasing price of slaves and reduced need for additional slaves in plantations in the Americas led to its decline. As a result, slaves were no longer in its peak of demand as before, thus the slave trade lost its business and soon it was brought to an end.
3. Why had Egypt become a strategic territory by the end of the 19th century?
The construction of a canal in the Nile valley would drastically shorten the trade route to the East, which would establish great power to the country that controlled it. Even Napoleon wanted the territory, so that it would open a faster route to India. Unfortunately, his plan was a failure due to the overwhelming British attack, but Egypt was soon seized by Muhammad Ali. By the end of the 19th century, Ali had made a series of reforms that transformed Egypt into a modern society with a public education system, modernized army, and an industrial sector. As a result, the Nile valley’s economic importance grew, thus it became an even higher demand for a strategic