Imperialism and Industrialization: Key Concepts and Technologies

Urbanization

Movement of large numbers of people from rural areas to cities, driven by factory jobs

Resource exploitation

Extraction of raw materials from colonized lands primarily for the benefit of the imperial economy

Nationalism

Ideology emphasizing strong loyalty to one's own nation, often fueling competition for colonies

Imperialism

Policy of extending a nation's political, economic, or military authority over distant territories

National wealth from industry

Increase in a country's economic power and fiscal resources due to large‑scale manufacturing output

Machine gun

Rapid‑fire firearm that gave imperial armies overwhelming firepower over indigenous forces

Cultural disruption

Alteration or loss of indigenous traditions, languages, and social structures due to foreign rule

Resistance movements

Organized efforts by colonized peoples to oppose foreign domination and seek self‑determination

Steamship

Vessel powered by steam engines that drastically reduced travel time across oceans for troops and goods

Social‑cultural motives for imperialism

Belief in cultural superiority, missionary zeal, and social Darwinist ideas justifying domination

Telegraph

Electrical communication system transmitting coded signals over long distances almost instantaneously

Monopoly

Market condition where a single firm controls the entire supply of a product, eliminating competition

Second Industrial Revolution

Period of rapid industrial expansion from roughly 1870 to 1914 marked by electricity, steel, chemicals, and oil driving global economic integration

Political motives for imperialism

Pursuit of strategic ports, naval bases, and national prestige through territorial acquisition

Internal combustion engine

Engine type that burned fuel to generate motion, powering automobiles, ships, and early aircraft

Sphere of influence

Area where a foreign nation dominates trade and investment without formal political control

Middle class expansion

Growth of professionals such as managers, engineers, and clerks who benefited from industrial wages

Corporation

Legal entity that groups shareholders, provides limited liability, and can own property or sue

Electricity in factories

Power source that replaced steam, allowing longer work shifts and the rise of new manufacturing sectors

Mass‑produced steel

Cheap, strong material that made possible long railways, high‑rise buildings, and extensive bridges

Chemical industry

Sector creating synthetic dyes, fertilizers, explosives, and medicines, which boosted agriculture and modern warfare

Industrial regulation

Government policies aimed at overseeing factory safety, child labor, and antitrust enforcement

Social Darwinism

Interpretation of natural selection applied to societies, used to argue that powerful nations should rule weaker ones

Bessemer Process

Method that injected air into molten iron to eliminate impurities, enabling mass production of low‑cost steel

Quinine

Antimalarial drug that lowered death rates among Europeans in tropical environments, facilitating colonization

Global market integration

Linking of economies worldwide through trade networks, facilitated by new transport and communication technologies

Protectorate

Region where local rulers remain nominally in charge but foreign power controls foreign affairs and defense

Railroad in colonies

Land‑based transport network that allowed swift movement of troops, resources, and settlers inland

Labor unions

Organizations of workers formed to negotiate better wages, hours, and conditions with employers

Telephone

Device that converted sound into electrical signals for real‑time voice communication across networks

Colony

Territory directly ruled and administered by the sovereign state of the colonizing power

Industrial demand for raw materials

Factories required large quantities of commodities like rubber, oil, and copper that were scarce at home

Trust

Combination of multiple companies under a single board to coordinate production and limit competition

Mass production

Large‑scale manufacturing technique using standardized parts and assembly lines to lower unit costs

Economic impact on colonized regions

Loss of autonomous economies, labor exploitation, and dependency on export of primary commodities

Technological means of conquest

Advances such as telegraphs, railways, and modern weapons that allowed distant powers to coordinate and sustain imperial campaigns

Economic impact on imperial powers

Increased wealth, access to overseas markets, and enhanced geopolitical influence derived from colonies

Economic motives for imperialism

Desire for cheap raw materials, new consumer markets, and profitable investment opportunities abroad