European countries expanded their colonial empires between 1870 and 1914, mainly in Africa and Asia. There were several factors driving this imperial expansion. European countries had advanced economies, powerful armies, and new technologies that allowed them to take over territories without organized states. They also faced economic pressures at home to find new lands, resources, and markets abroad to absorb surplus populations and goods. Powerful figures like British businessman Cecil Rhodes advocated for imperialism as a solution to issues like unemployment and overpopulation in European countries. Europe's growing technological advantages, industrial production capacity, and populations led them to seek new areas for investment and trade, fueling the age of global imperialism.
2. WHY WAS THERE IMPERIAL EXPANSION?
• European countries began to use their advanced
economies, armies and technology to take over
territories with no state organisation. Between 1870 and
1914, they created colonial empires, mainly in Africa
and Asia.
• What led industrialised countries to conquer territories
across the world, dominate their indigenous peoples
and exploit their natural resources? How did they justify
3.
4.
5. • THE ECONOMIC NEED FOR COLONIAL EXPLOITATION
• I was in the East End of London yesterday and attended a meeting for the unemployed. I
listened to the wild speeches, which were like cries of "Bread! Bread!" On my way home, I
pondered over the scene and I became more than ever convinced of the importance of
imperialism. (…) We must acquire new lands to settle the surplus population, to find new
markets for the goods, which they produce in factories and mines. (…)
• Cecil Rhodes, British businessman and politician, 1895.
6.
7. 2. Europe conquers the world
• Europe's technological advantages, production capacity and enormous population growth
led the industrial economies to seek new areas of investment and business.
• This led to the age of imperialism, during which the world's culture, politics and
economy were structured around the domination of some countries over others.
