That opportunity, however, was at the cost of their fellow man. For those born in the colonies, economic opportunity was readily available, but there was always the obstacle of the social structure. Also, different religions dominated various regions, such as the Puritans in Massachusetts (though by this time, their presence in government was loosening). For example, Catholics were not
The primary motivation for European invasion was economic. The Europeans were seeking to create a profitable trading environment and make money. They were also looking to further industrialize their country. This desire for industrialization, which included the need for raw materials, markets, and convenient trading outlets, was a driving force in the imperialistic conquest and colonization of Africa. Africa contained a great number of natural rescources valuable to Europe such as: cotton, palm oil, rubber, ivory, gum, peanuts, bananas, coffee, cocoa, zinc, lead, coal, and copper.
The main reason for any imperialistic expedition is money. The want of economic pull in remote regions can almost guarantee a stable and strong economy for a nation. With this in mind, the United Kingdom branched across the globe, founding colonies in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. By the end of the 19th century, however, the UK was using colonies to seize raw materials that could fuel it’s rapidly growing industrial sector. Oil, tin, and rubber were in particularly high demand.
The search for the Norwest Passage was one of the most important reasons to explore. This was thanks to the fact that after the capture of Constantinople in 1453, the Ottoman Empire blocked the trade routes to Asia. This produced a rise in the price of spices, silk, gold, silver, and other very important goods. Explorers such as Christopher Columbus had to find a new route to India and China. The searches for the Northwest Passage led to the discovery of the New World, because explorers, looking for Asia, found what is now America.
The colonies generally did not show quick profits. However, the English investors often turned over their colonial charters to the settlers. The political implications, although not realized at the time, were enormous. The colonists were left to build their own lives, their own communities, and their own economy. What early colonial success there was resulted from
Premature encounters involving European colonists and Native Americans in the New World led to different relations between each group. The French colonists affected the natives in a positive way, focusing on trading goods with them to collect profit. On the other hand, the Spanish treated the natives harshly and exploited them in order to obtain their riches. Both groups majorly influenced the development of the New World and its residents. The French colonists came to the New World to trade with the natives in order to gain profit back in France.
Further, due to development of trade and commerce craftsmen, merchants and cultivators became much richer while the feudal lords couldn’t increase their income. The Church which dominated the medieval society suffered a set back in the 13th and 14th centuries. The power of the Church was challenged by a number of strong monarchs, which led to a great loss of prestige of the Church. Even the common people lost faith in it. They preferred to pay greater attention to the present life rather than the life after death.
Even though the Crusades caused friction between the Muslims and the Europeans, they had a positive affect on trade. The Muslims introduced new foods, especially spices, silks and perfumes to the Crusaders. When they returned to their countries, demand for these products increased, as as a result, so did trade. Because the demand was high, money and good flowed easily. Therefore, the Crusades were crucial in creating a demand for Asian products.
The social instability was caused by the Glorious Revolution of 1688, an event which established the Church of England as the reigning church of the country. Other religions, such as Catholicism, Judaism, and Puritanism consequentially ended, and people started thinking of church as a pastime rather than having deep connections toward it. The aspect of economic instability was due to the first economic recession in the colonies after a period of regular growth. In the Chesapeake colonies, the price of tobacco was decreasing which also caused the New England and Middle colonies to fall because they were involved in the shipping of tobacco. Since people were
The Impact of British Colonialism in India In the eighteenth century, Britain changed the course of history in India. Since India became one of Great Britain’s most important colonies it affected the economic, socio-cultural and religious impact of India. Britain relied heavily on India as a source of raw materials. Britain benefitted extremely from India’s massive supply of cotton and tea. Economic impact of British rule in India The Indian economy suffered deep changes and it served the British economic interests at the cost of India.