A Drive for Resources
The Industrial Revolution was powered by coal, iron, and other natural resources which were used to create new goods for consumers. Eventually though, many of the needed resources to continue the Industrialization process began to run out in Europe, and Europeans started looking elsewhere for them. With their newly industrialized weapons and methods of transportation, many European countries were able to swiftly take over countries throughout the world, especially in Africa and Asia. They built empires during this time period, and redrew political and social boundaries around the globe, divisions which still exist today, and which would stimulate even further conflict in the coming years. The conflict and competition between countries which began during the Industrial Revolution and Imperialism would ultimately help cause The First World War.
Europeans Began to Divide up the WorldIn a pursuit for resources to power their industries, Europeans began to look beyond Europe. Though Europeans had colonies for hundreds of years (like the 13 American Colonies), they began building formal empires during the Age of Imperialism. Territories in Africa and Asia were the primary targets, due to their rich natural resources and lack of industrialization compared to Europe. This made them easy targets.
Some countries were able to fight back and remain independent, like Ethiopia and Japan, but by 1900, virtually all of Africa, the Pacific islands, and Asia had been conquered by European powers. The map below shows a rough approximation of what the world looked like in 1900, after only about 40 years of Imperialism. |
The Berlin Conference (1884-1885)Eventually, Europeans knew that this competition for land could lead to war, especially when it came to the seizure of territory in Africa. This is why representatives from all over Europe met in Berlin, Germany to discuss how they could divide up the African continent without going to war over it.
Though they succeeded in negotiating for what they wanted peacefully, many countries were forced into binding military and trade alliances to secure their territories from other countries. This competition would ultimately make the Berlin Conference a short-term solution to a long-term problem, and would build the foundation for World War I. In other words, the conference to prevent war, ironically helped cause war decades later. |