European imperialism
Western colonial expansion
European imperialism refers to the expansion of European nations' power and control over territories in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the Pacific, spanning roughly from the 15th century through the mid-20th century.
The term encompasses both formal colonization—direct political rule over foreign lands—and informal influence through economic dominance and military pressure.
The scramble for Africa exemplified European imperialism at its height.
The legacy includes redrawing of national boundaries, extraction of resources, and cultural impositions whose effects persist today.
- EurocentrismBias toward Western perspectives
- civilizing missionClaimed duty to "improve" peoples
- Scramble for AfricaRapid European colonization period
- plantation economyAgricultural system exploiting enslaved workers
- colonial eraAge of overseas dominion
protectorate · crown colony · viceroy · triangular trade · Berlin Conference · Belgian Congo · direct rule · divide and rule · chartered companies · missionary activity · Opium Wars · indentured servitude · scientific racism · settler colonialism · resource extraction · cultural assimilation · mercantilism · Industrial Revolution
European imperialismanti-imperialism
Opposition to foreign domination
decolonization · isolationism · non-interventionism · withdrawal · retrenchment
European imperialismdecolonization
Ending imperial control
national liberation · independence movements · anti-colonialism · self-determination · sovereignty
European imperialismmultilateralism
Multi-party international cooperation
international cooperation · non-alignment · Non-Aligned Movement · Pan-Africanism
Europe, European, Europeans, Europeanization, empire, empires, imperial, imperialism, imperialist