The economics of Imperialism 1400: high transaction + transportation costs  sugar, pepper, spices, silk rare Prompt Explorers to find new route east Lead to advances in:

1415: Portuguese seize Muslim Port-by 1500 reach India and major trading ports of south Asian seas Spain gets jealous (Columbus finds America) 1517 :Spanish reach Aztec Empire Weapons, military, disease, tactics make Spanish gain control Next comes Incas in Peru Mid Spain gain control in South America Oh the Spanish!

…And the rest of Europe? Costly military competition  countries look for new sources of revenue Countries offer grants of monopoly in overseas trade  increase incentive for exploration + profit from taxes on trade Fear being excluded from raw goods + riches other countries turn to exploration:

Spanish America Spanish find highly developed wealthy societies that they conquer They gain gold, silver, and crops(potatoes + corn) Look to Africa for labor as natives are no use

Caribbean + North America Spanish loose interest in Caribbean islands Colonize in turn by Ideal growth for sugarcane + Indian crops Use slave labor on plantations Prices fall  sales increase Tobacco found in North America 2.5 million people to N.A. by American Revolution

Africa + Asia Until late 19 th century due to disease African riches come through trade with indigenous people By end of 19 th century 10million slaves transported overseas Europe control sea lanes and dominate trade but no politics in Asia Respect local law rely on negotiation

=↑ productivity ↓ price Industrial Revolution American Revolution  Broader decolonization (by the end of the 19 th century majority of America won independence from its European Colonizers) Shift of balance of power between Europeans and the indigenous political regimes in Asia

And in India: 1750 East India Company side with local chiefs over distribution of revenue 1757 win! 1765 East India company assume responsibilities for civil administration Take control of Indian trade (restrict competing companies) Growth of European trade in India  destabilize local politics British dominance

India Rebels Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 ( Muslim + Hindu troops rebel after religious beliefs violated ) Government of India act 1858( respond to disruptions ) Take control from East India Company and give to British crown, last ‘till 1947

China Chinese trade  drain silver from Europe Britain begin trading opium Spread opium addiction and establish trade expansion

Europe  Africa Quinine treatment fight malaria Steam boats + railways push into Africa Africa source of raw goods + metals No nation afford fall behind  competition for control Lead to Berlin Conference Africa divided

Why Goodbye Great Empire? End of WWI colonial dependencies of German + Ottoman empires transfer to Britain + France Cost of war + burden of economic stability + WWII reduce resources Growth of indigenous movements = costly maintenance 1960 European powers withdraw former colonies