Focus Question #5 How Did the Age of Exploration Lead to Imperialism?

Imperialism Historically, Empires protected their original home areas and controlled more land and its resources by expanding their territories. (Example the Greek, Islamic, and Roman Empires) In these spread out lands, they started governments (to maintain control) and enforced their religions and philosophies A similar idea occurred during the Age of Discovery. The European Nations that were exploring began expanding their territories to the newly discovered lands. Here, they would enforce their government, religion and philosophies. (IMPERIALISM!!!) Britain and Spain had colonized so many new lands, the idea of expansionism led naturally to imperialism. Imperialism

Imperialism Because of this Imperialistic nature, England and Spain maintained control of the land and their inhabitants. The imperialism of the Western European countries was built on the desire to increase their wealth and power. They viewed the newly conquered lands as a way to increase their power and wealth, further their interests, make them very competitive and powerful both in physical size, and economically.

European Worldview People had been living in “new lands” for tens of thousands of years. European worldview and Imperialism disregarded that when they called them new lands Europe’s new land colonies thought they had the right to control based on a belief of cultural and political superiority. They exploited (used for their benefit) the people and the resources They disregarded the indigenous people and their culture Anyone who did not follow the European guidelines for “civilized” people were thought of as barbaric and savage.

Ethnocentrism This is the feeling that your beliefs, values and ways of life are better than other societies. (most societies are guilty of this!) Examples of European Ethnocentrism/Imperialism: Aztecs, who were sophisticated and had larger cities than most in Europe, were treated as inferiors Chinese and Indian civilization, who were thousands of years older, were thought of as barbaric Any form of government was replaced with European style governance. Indigenous population was overrun by European colonists, and forced into slavery After most of the indigenous population died off, Europeans brought Africans to the new world as slaves. Slave trade almost wiped out Ancient African civilization Christians believed theirs was the only religion, and forced people to become Christian. Ethnocentrism

How did the Age of Exploration Lead to Imperialism? Ethnocentrism How well could you answer focus question #5? How did the Age of Exploration Lead to Imperialism?