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Rationales for Imperialism from 1750 to 1900 CE

Driving Question: How did industrialized nations justify global state expansion?

Imperialism was about more than just land acquisition. Ideas like racial superiority, national pride, and religious conversion played a huge role in imperialist expansion. Explore how industrialized countries used various rationales for their imperialist practices.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Explain how ideology contributed to the development of imperialism from 1750 to 1900.
  2. Use the historical thinking skill of sourcing to evaluate differing perspectives on imperialism.

Vocab Terms:

  • colonialism
  • imperialism
  • industrial imperialism
  • inferiority
  • racism
  • superior
STEP 2

The “New” Imperialism

Imperialism has been around forever—so what makes imperialism during the late nineteenth century “new”?

STEP 3

Sourcing: Different Perspectives on Imperialism

STEP 4

Closer: Rationales for Imperialism

While you already know some of the impacts of “new” imperialism, make predictions about additional impacts, both on the colonizing powers and the colonized people and communities.