Question 1 of Category 2:
What is the difference between colonialism and imperialism? Where do the two intersect?
What is the difference between colonialism and imperialism? Where do the two intersect?
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Colonialism and imperialism. Many people use these two forms of domination as if they are synonymous. Admittedly, these two methods of showing what strength a country, territory, or empire has over another are very similar. One reason that these two are used interchangeably is because it can be said that colonialism is the actual action that is taken and imperialism is the idea that is driving this movement. Colonialism and imperialism are different because despite the fact that they are both means of exerting dominance, the way in which this dominance is shown by each method-colonialism or imperialism-differs.
Colonialism and imperialism are similar because they are both ways for a country to invade and to take over. People throughout time have used colonialism to increase resources, trade, money and just expand an empire in general. Imperialism was used by Europeans when those countries were going through their industrial revolutions to gain resources and land for their country. These two methods were used by Europe to help it both economically and strategically. This makes colonialism and imperialism similar because they are both used with the intention of expanding an empire as well as obtaining more resources. Because of this, a gray area was developed that smudged the fine line that divided colonialism and imperialism.
Now that the similarities are clear between colonialism and imperialism, here are the differences. The definition of colonialism according to dictionary.com is: “the control or governing influence of a nation over a dependent country, territory, or people”. This could be related to the relationship between the 13 colonies in what would become the United States and Great Britain. The English came across the Atlantic Ocean from Great Britain and they colonized-key word: colonized-the east coast of the soon-to-be US. This is considered colonialism because Great Britain went out and explored the new land and claimed it for their own and settlers traveled over there and built establishments in the new land. Imperialism has common traits with colonialism but has one major difference. The aspect of imperialism that is significantly different from colonialism is that imperialism does not necessarily suggest that people from the dominating country actually came to the region that they were invading and colonize it. Imperialism usually depicts a situation in which a country takes over another without any type of official settlement. An example of imperialism would be when quite a few of European countries such as Great Britain swarmed the continent just south of them for resources in the Scramble for Africa. In this rush to get resources, Great Britain took over India. Great Britain took over India because of the natural resources and trade opportunities. This was also a good strategic move regarding the military and the British economy. The invasion of India by Great Britain is an example of imperialism because none of the Europeans actually settled down to live in Africa, they just took the resources that they needed for their country through military force.
In conclusion, colonialism and imperialism are different because even though they are both used by countries to show their dominance over others, the cause and effect that go before and after the application of colonialism and imperialism etches the defining line that separates them from one another. This is because colonialism is more about people of an invading country settling in the country they are invading and imperialism is not about that and is more used to benefit the “mother country” financially and strategically.
Colonialism and imperialism are similar because they are both ways for a country to invade and to take over. People throughout time have used colonialism to increase resources, trade, money and just expand an empire in general. Imperialism was used by Europeans when those countries were going through their industrial revolutions to gain resources and land for their country. These two methods were used by Europe to help it both economically and strategically. This makes colonialism and imperialism similar because they are both used with the intention of expanding an empire as well as obtaining more resources. Because of this, a gray area was developed that smudged the fine line that divided colonialism and imperialism.
Now that the similarities are clear between colonialism and imperialism, here are the differences. The definition of colonialism according to dictionary.com is: “the control or governing influence of a nation over a dependent country, territory, or people”. This could be related to the relationship between the 13 colonies in what would become the United States and Great Britain. The English came across the Atlantic Ocean from Great Britain and they colonized-key word: colonized-the east coast of the soon-to-be US. This is considered colonialism because Great Britain went out and explored the new land and claimed it for their own and settlers traveled over there and built establishments in the new land. Imperialism has common traits with colonialism but has one major difference. The aspect of imperialism that is significantly different from colonialism is that imperialism does not necessarily suggest that people from the dominating country actually came to the region that they were invading and colonize it. Imperialism usually depicts a situation in which a country takes over another without any type of official settlement. An example of imperialism would be when quite a few of European countries such as Great Britain swarmed the continent just south of them for resources in the Scramble for Africa. In this rush to get resources, Great Britain took over India. Great Britain took over India because of the natural resources and trade opportunities. This was also a good strategic move regarding the military and the British economy. The invasion of India by Great Britain is an example of imperialism because none of the Europeans actually settled down to live in Africa, they just took the resources that they needed for their country through military force.
In conclusion, colonialism and imperialism are different because even though they are both used by countries to show their dominance over others, the cause and effect that go before and after the application of colonialism and imperialism etches the defining line that separates them from one another. This is because colonialism is more about people of an invading country settling in the country they are invading and imperialism is not about that and is more used to benefit the “mother country” financially and strategically.
Works Cited:
Cannon, and Jacki. "Daily Life of the New England Colonies." Daily Life of the New England Colonies. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 May 2015.
Colonial Life. Baltimore: Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, 1952. Web.
"Colonialism/Imperialism: The Simple Way to Distinguish These Two Is to Think of Colonialism as Practice and Imperialism as the." Colonialism/Imperialism: The Simple Way to Distinguish These Two Is to Think of Colonialism as Practice and Imperialism as the. N.p., 2011. Web. 14 May 2015.
Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 14 May 2015.
"Imperialism: Crash Course World History #35." YouTube. YouTube, 20 Sept. 2012. Web. 14 May 2015.
Kohn, Margaret. "Colonialism." Stanford University. Stanford University, 09 May 2006. Web. 14 May 2015.
Cannon, and Jacki. "Daily Life of the New England Colonies." Daily Life of the New England Colonies. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 May 2015.
Colonial Life. Baltimore: Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, 1952. Web.
"Colonialism/Imperialism: The Simple Way to Distinguish These Two Is to Think of Colonialism as Practice and Imperialism as the." Colonialism/Imperialism: The Simple Way to Distinguish These Two Is to Think of Colonialism as Practice and Imperialism as the. N.p., 2011. Web. 14 May 2015.
Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 14 May 2015.
"Imperialism: Crash Course World History #35." YouTube. YouTube, 20 Sept. 2012. Web. 14 May 2015.
Kohn, Margaret. "Colonialism." Stanford University. Stanford University, 09 May 2006. Web. 14 May 2015.