Travis+B.

Imperialism can best be defined as taking over and making the people follow your rule and laws. When you think of imperialism you may think of the [|Ottoman Empire], [|Russian Empire], or the [|British Empire]. Practices of imperialism have been around for several thousands of years, but the term "Age of Imperilaism," as you may have learned, refers to Britain, Japan, and Germany during the late ninteenth century and early twentieth century. Imperialism has destroyed entire civilations and carved up whole continetnts. Countries that were taken by imperialistic force have been renamed as "commonwealths," "territories," or "Dominions," such as Puerto Rico has been named a U.S. territory.

European powers had the advantage over other countries because of their strong economies, well-organized governments, and powerful armies. They had better technolgy, such as riverboats and the telegraph, as well as better medical knowlegde. They were able to create vaccines and treatment for tropical diseases. As the technolgy in the army advanced, the persuasion against Africa and Asia to accept western control became very easy. These advances were the Maxim machine guns, repeating rifles, and steamdriven warships.

Altough it became easier to take control of Asia and Africa, they fought back with everything they had. Certain groups tried to strengthen their societies by reforming the Muslim, Hindu, or Confucian traditions. Africans and Asians who were western-educated organized nationalist movements to expel the imperialists from their lands.

The leading imperial powers began to develope several kinds of colonial rule. France practiced direct rule, which is sending out officials and soldiers from France to administer their colonies. The French wanted to impose French culture on their colonies and turn them into French provinces.

Western imperialism had many consepuences on cultural, politcal, and economical society. Missionaries had spread Christianity and European languages to colonies as they established schools and hospitals in place like Seoul, Korea. As Western superiority spread, people lost confidence in their own culture as they decided to go Western.Colonizers often set borders of their new colonies without fully comprehending the local political or ethnic situations. Colonized people took on European ideas of nationalism and agitated for their own independence. People often grew cash crop instead of food to meet the export goals of their colonial rulers. This caused the people to become hungry as the food grew scarce. Imports of machine-made goods destroyed cottage industries.

There are several lasting affects on imperialistic countries. The people of these countries, as well as the country itself, are poor and hungry. They have become hungry because the government does not care about its people. There is only one thing the government wants to do and that is to rule over the people and have complete control.