1880-1914

While colonialism dates back to the earliest days of Portuguese and Spanish exploration in the 15^th century, the age of New Imperialism or Colonialism is widely considered the period of the 19^th century until WWI (1914-1918). Throughout the 19th century European powers and the United States spread their influence throughout the world, seeking to consolidate power in far-flung locations in hope of creating economic advantages. As this developed imperialism took on a religious fervor, its new goal to spread the blessings of European civilization and subsequently prove the superiority of strengthening individual nations states.1

While historians are still unsure as to whether imperialist nations’ costs were more than their gains, the century long dash continued into the 20^th century and only ended with the social, military and diplomatic catastrophe of WWI. During the last third of the 19^th century, European states and America used their technological superiority and military willpower to seize one fifth of the worlds land area and a tenth of its population. They did this through the use of military, economic dealing, and at times, occupation. Not surprisingly the interaction between competing European states, settlers, and indigenous peoples led to conflicts, war, and tragedy, eventually playing a role in instigating WWI.2