imperialism: Lesson 26

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, imperialism reached its peak as European powers expanded their empires across Africa and Asia. This was fueled by a desire for new markets, raw materials, and the belief in the superiority of Western civilization. The Berlin Conference of 1884-85 exemplified this scramble for Africa, where European nations divided the continent among themselves without consideration for indigenous cultures or political structures. This era was characterized by both economic ambitions and a missionary zeal to spread Western values, often leading to significant cultural and social upheaval in colonized regions.