Colonialismo y sus implicaciones

Colonialism

• Demographic factors: Western populations grew, leading to emigration to colonies, alleviating domestic unemployment and social tensions.
• Ideological factors: Racist ideologies arose, justifying the perceived superiority of white Europeans and their supposed civilizing mission. Scientific curiosity and geographic societies drove exploration and expeditions.
• Colonial Empires: The period from 1870 to 1885 saw an acceleration in the conquest of territories. The Berlin Conference (1885) established rules for African colonization and navigation.
  • British Empire: Largest empire (33 million km² and 450 million inhabitants) with significant holdings globally, including India as a key part.
  • French Empire: Second-largest empire (10 million km² and 48 million inhabitants), significant holdings in Africa and Asia.
  • Other empires: Belgian Congo, the German territories in Africa, Italian Tripoli, Eritrea, and Somalia, and Russian expansions in Siberia were all significant. Other important European powers like Great Britain, France, Italy, Germany, and Belgium also established or expanded their empires. The US acquired territories in the aftermath of the Spanish-American War, including the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. Japan also annexed Korea and Formosa, and held a protectorate over Manchuria.
• Consequences of Colonialism:
  • Economic: Unequal relationships emerged: colonies became suppliers of raw materials, while the colonizers were buyers of finished products, harming the colonies.
  • Social: Traditional cultures and social structures were disrupted. Slavery was abolished, but forced labor was introduced (as evidenced by the need to confine natives to reservations). Racism, segregation, and inequality increased in the colonies as well.
  • Cultural: Colonies often experienced a loss of their native cultures due to imposed foreign beliefs and values; there was an increase in cultural assimilation.
  • Political: Existing colonial governments were largely preserved, but often lacked the support of native populations in an effort to retain colonial control, fueling nationalism and further unrest and resistance from colonized people. These tensions led to conflict between the colonial powers.

Activities

• Activities include identifying British, French and Spanish colonies in different continents.