CONTENT STATEMENT
Imperialism involved land acquisition, extraction of raw materials, spread of Western values, and direct political control.
CONTENT ELABORATION
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, European countries competed to establish colonies in Africa and Asia. Raw materials needed for their growing industries were extracted from the colonies. Colonial powers made unilateral decisions about land and people without consulting people living there, including:
- exploiting raw materials;
- exploiting people; and
- Berlin or Congo Conference.
Some European powers preferred direct control over the colonies they established during this period. Other European powers preferred indirect control over their colonies, using local systems of authority, believing that working with the local native leaders would lessen the possibility of revolts and would encourage assimilation into Western traditions.
EXPECTATIONS FOR LEARNING
Describe how imperialism involved land acquisition, extraction of raw materials, the spread of Western values, and maintenance of political control.