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How Was Industrialization Related To The Rise Of American Imperialism

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From 1800-1914 there existed a period of enormous European imperial acquisition that gobbled up entire continents and brought millions of people under Western rule. Much of this mad dash for territory stemmed from the Industrial Revolution and the formation of several new countries, such as Italy, Germany, and Belgium. During the period of rapid industrialization that preceded the second wave of European imperialism, technology and manufacturing processes developed at an extraordinary rate. Although this at first brought profit to countries all on its own, soon the economy had grown too big for the Western resources and market. In order to buoy their capitalist societies, countries like Britain immediately sought out lands that would provide novel resources and markets. With vast amounts of territory came vast amounts of wealth: tea and spices from the Pacific Islands, cocoa and palm oil from West Africa, and gold, diamonds, and other precious metals from South Africa. Using these new goods, Britain adopted mercantilism and continued to profit further off of its colonies. For example, by 1840 Britain was exporting 60% of the cotton …show more content…

With the increased sense of nationalism, the scramble for imperial holdings served to satisfy the craving for victory. The “us versus them,” mentality that played out over the course of imperialization distracted the common population from ongoing problems at home, thus earning their steadfast approval. Meanwhile, the upper echelons of society experienced gross financial gain, feeding their gluttony with the world’s ever dwindling resources. It was this partnership of a satisfied upper and lower class that encouraged the continuation of colonialism, thus ensuring colonies’ dependence on Western society and sealing their fates as ones of struggle and hardship under the European

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