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Reasons for Empire Building - Coggle Diagram
Reasons for Empire Building
Technological advanves
Industrial Revolution led to an ever-growing for raw materials to feed the new factories and industries.
Technology facilitated the expansion of Empires.
Medecine had advanced and doctors were more able to treat people suffering from tropical diseases.
Travel to distant lands was made easier as steam ships were faster, more comfortable, safer and more reliable than sail ships.
The new technology of refrigeration in the 1880s meant that it was possible to export perishable products around the world.
The building of railways in colonies meant that materials could be quickly transported accross the Empire and opened up new territories for farming.
Nationalism and national rivalries
Many European leaders wanted colonies to compete with rival European powers.
Some territories were colonized even when there was no economic reason to have them.
Economic reasons
Raw materials, new markets and cheap labour were three key economic motives for building and expanding an empire.
Explorers and missionaries
Both explorers and missionaries discovered new territories and identified the potential resources in other lands.
Strategic reasons
Individual trading ships also needed to be able to take on fuel and food at stations and go to lands far from Europe.
Military reasons were also important.
Population growth
During the 19th century, Europe's population increased rapidly: from 200 million to 600 million.
This growth led to acute land shortages in the countryside and overcrowded in the city.
Many people looked to emigrate in search of a better standard of living.