European colonialism

This article is missing information about colonialism efforts in North America, South America, Africa and Australia, in detail such as dates, respective colonial countries involved in colonized countries, etc. Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page. (January 2016)

Map of the world showing the last European country to control each territory

Colonial empires in the world in 1800

Colonial empires in the world in 1936

Colonial empires in the world around 1945

European colonialism refers to the worldwide colonial expansion of European countries, which began in the early modern period, c. 1500. Following up on the various medieval European colonising crusades in the Levant and in the Baltic region, states such as Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, Britain and France established colonial spheres of influence, most notably in Africa, India, Southeast Asia and the Americas.

Periodisation

Some commentators identify three waves of European colonialism.^[1]

The three main countries in the first wave of European colonialism were the early Ottoman Empire, Spain and Portugal.^{[citation needed]} .The Portuguese started the long age of European colonisation with the conquest of Ceuta,Morocco in 1415, and the conquest and discovery of other African territories and islands, this would also start the movement known as the Age of Discoveries. The Ottomans conquered South Eastern Europe, the Middle East and much of Northern and Eastern Africa between 1359 and 1653. The Spanish and Portuguese launched the colonisation of the Americas, basing their territorial claims on the Treaty of Tordesillas of 1494. This treaty demarcated the respective spheres of influence of Spain and Portugal.^[2] The expansion achieved by Spain and Portugal caught the attention of Britain, France and the Netherlands.^{[3][need quotation to verify]} The entrance of these three powers into the Caribbean and North America^[4] perpetuated European colonialism in these regions.^{[3][need quotation to verify]}

The second wave of European colonialism commenced with Britain's involvement in Asia in support of the British East India Company; other countries such as France, Portugal and the Netherlands also had involvement in European expansion in Asia.^[5]

The third wave consisted of the Scramble for Africa,^[6] regulated by the terms of the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885. The conference effectively divided Africa among the European powers. Vast regions of Africa came under the sway of Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Italy and Spain^[7] – which gives insight to Africa's post-colonial diversity.^{[3][need quotation to verify]}

Gilmartin explains these three waves of colonialism have been linked^{[by whom?]} to capitalism.^[8] The first wave of European expansion involved exploring the world to find new revenue and perpetuating European feudalism.^[9] The second wave focused on developing the mercantile capitalism system and the manufacturing industry in Europe.^[10] The last wave of European colonialism solidified all capitalistic endeavours by providing new markets and raw materials.^[11]

Settler colonialism

Outside Europe, European settler colonialism (as opposed to exploitation colonialism) has had particularly lasting major effects on the demographics and cultures of the Americas, North Africa, North Asia (Siberia and the Russian Far East) Central Asia and Australasia.

References

Further reading

• Panikkar, K. M. (1953). Asia and Western dominance, 1498-1945, by K.M. Panikkar. London: G. Allen and Unwin.

0.00 (0 votes)