Regions and Periods
- Independence of North American colonies in 1776 marked a major shift in British Empire’s focus from Atlantic to Asia, also the first global-scale decolonization.
- Vasco da Gama’s landing in Calicut in 1498 sparked European colonialism in Indian subcontinent, attracting various European powers.
- In the 18th century, led by England, European colonial powers solidified global dominance through overseas empires or continental colonialism.
- France’s conquest of Algeria in 1830 marked beginning of large-scale colonial incorporation in Africa, reaching peak between 1870 and World War I.
- By late 19th century, global competition intensified among European powers, with USA emerging as significant player, challenging European dominance and heralding transition towards anti-colonial sentiments.
- Portuguese and Spanish expansion initially focused on overseas trade and missionary efforts, avoiding significant colonial overlap.
- Competition among English, French, and Dutch intensified in 17th century, leading to expansion in neighboring regions and territorial disputes.
- British dominance expanded in North America, India, and Southeast Asia, along with naval supremacy and modern free trade.
- France’s conquest of Algeria in 1830 marked beginning of large-scale colonial incorporation in Africa.
- By late 19th century, global competition intensified, with USA emerging as significant player and challenging European dominance.
European Colonialism
European Colonialism, or Western colonialism, was when European countries explored, conquered, settled, and used large parts of the world for their benefit. It started around 1500 when Europeans found new sea routes. Colonialism made one group of people superior to others, often to control and exploit them. It created colonies through different methods. However, the exact meaning of colonialism can change depending on how it’s used and the situation.
In this article, we are going to discuss European Colonialism in detail.
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