Colonial Expansion 1

Colonial expansion
Opakul Sriruen 631615065

Prerequisites
 European colonial expansion began in the 15th and 16th centuries, at the
dawn of the era of great geographical discoveries. In the Late Middle Ages
in the countries of the Old World, rare and exotic products from the
countries of the East were especially valued in the markets. For example,
these were spices that allowed food to be stored for a long time. Now it
seems funny, but it was precisely nutmeg that was worth its weight in gold.
At the same time, the Renaissance began in Europe, which was accompanied
by the growth of scientific knowledge. Colonial expansion is, first of all, a large
fleet. The first ships of the new type, which could cross the ocean and leave the
inland seas, appeared in Portugal and Spain. These were the young kingdoms
that had just been created in the territories liberated from Muslims.
 For merchants' money, and partly with government support, bold seafarers
began to search for a sea route to rich India. For this it was necessary to go
around Africa. In 1492, the Spanish expedition led by Christopher Columbus
went another way - directly to the west. And discovered America. Colonial
expansion of the colonial countries was born precisely because of this
event.
Spanish expansion
 Spain became the first major colonial empire. It was under her flags that the
navigators discovered America. Spanish kings hoped to find gold and silver
on the new mainland. Precious metals were indeed in the Andes. When this
became known for certain, crowds of adventurers rushed to America.
 Peru's silver mines allowed Spain to become the most powerful European
state in the 16th century. Colonial expansion is also the inhuman treatment of
local people in dependent territories. American Indians were the first victims
of European imperial interests. They died in millions due to deadly diseases.
In addition, in Spain, the Catholic Church played a big role. The monarchy
set the task to baptize all pagans from faraway countries. This policy
encouraged the atrocities of the Inquisition.
 In the heyday of the Spanish colonial empire belonged all of Central and
South America. The only exceptions in this region were the territories on
which Brazil appeared later. These lands belonged to Portugal.
Portuguese colonies
 If Spain mastered America, then Portugal was more engaged in establishing
reliable trade relations with India. This was the main difference between the
first two colonial empires. The Spaniards tried to conquer the land in the
depths of new continents. The Portuguese, by contrast, did not leave the
coastal areas. Here were built trading forts. Through them in Europe went
new products.
 These were spices, ivory, and other luxuries. More important was the
discovery of American crops: potatoes, tomatoes, corn, etc. The diet of
Europeans was changing before our eyes. Tough traders made huge
fortunes in the monopolistic trade in these rare goods. The beginning of the
colonial expansion was distinguished by the fact that they were taken for it
largely because of opportunistic considerations. When it became clear that
the new lands promise a huge profit, new European powers joined the race.
Trade wars have become commonplace.
The decline of Spain, the rise of England
 In the 17th century, the Spanish colonial empire fell into disrepair. There
were several reasons. The monarchy spent all its American gold on the
maintenance of armies and costly wars in Europe. At this time in the Old
World another round of conflict broke out between Catholics and
Protestants. The Thirty Years' War began, and mercenary armies bought
with Spanish money flooded Germany and the Netherlands. Because of
its ingenuous policy, Spain lost all the advantages that were given to it
at the very beginning of the colonial race.
 England became the main enemy of the Madrid court. In this country in
the XVII century there was a bourgeois revolution, which left in the past
absolute monarchy. Free trade and capitalism developed in the
country. Soon there was a powerful fleet.
America's fate
 The English settlements in North America also developed rapidly. In this
region, their colonies eventually appeared in France and the Netherlands.
But it was the opposition of Paris and London that became the main one on
the mainland. At the end of the 18th century, the English colonies
proclaimed their independence and formed the United States of America.
The new state already independently investigated and settled the western
territories.
 A similar fate awaited the Spanish colonies. At the beginning of the XIX
century, residents of South American countries declared war for
independence from the metropolis, which they successfully won. Thus, there
remains only one major region, not yet divided between the European
colonial powers. It was Africa. The wars for it were still to come.
Fight for Africa
 For a long time, the Europeans remained only on the coast of Africa. From here, the colonialists took a huge
number of slaves who were brought on ships to America. There, black labor was used as cheap labor. The
concept of colonial expansion necessarily includes discrimination against the local population, which (like
the inhabitants of Africa) became slave.
 But the real section of the "black continent" occurred in the second half of the XIX century. By that time,
slavery had already been abolished in most European countries, which, however, made the treatment of
local residents not much more humane. On the eve of the First World War in Africa there were colonies of
various countries: France, Great Britain, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands. The last to join the race for
territory were the newly formed Germany and Italy.
 The First World War began as a dispute over domination in Europe, but it also touched upon and
redistributed the colonies. It was then that the Entente countries received mandates in the territory in the
Middle East. This region has long belonged to the Ottoman Empire (Turkey), which collapsed. The Arab
territories were mainly inherited by Great Britain, although their legal status was already very different from
the previous colonies.
Rejection of colonies
 The 20th century passed under the banner of decolonization. This was the
process of independence for Africa, the Middle East, India, etc. It became
particularly active after the end of World War II. Former African colonies still
bear the imprint of their former belonging to their metropolis. In such
countries, the state language is usually English or French (in addition to the
national dialect).
 The largest colonial power, Great Britain, created the Commonwealth, in the
framework of which it actively cooperates with its former colonies today.
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Opakul Sriruen 631615065

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