The Role Of Imperialism In The Late 19th Century

The course of global imperialism during the late 19th and early 20th century was a influence by the development of nationalism, the expansion of industrialization and a shift toward Liberal values. During the age of empire, nationalism was a powerful notion that national leaders and the federal government utilized to unify its citizens. The Industrial Revolution was a period of characterized by tremendous technological and commercial growth that required economic expansion beyond its markets to maintain its economic prosperity. By the 19th century, Liberalism had ingrained itself into western civilization, encouraging social and economic competition between individuals. Together, these factors helped set the socio-economic conditions necessary

Agricultural machines, like the cotton gin and mechanical reaper, helped increase the efficiency of harvesting crops and dramatically increased agricultural yield. While mechanized farming allowed farmers to harvest surplus amounts of food and cotton, it also reduced the work opportunities in rural areas. However, with the growing demand for labor in urban cities, many people in rural areas relocated themselves into urban cities to seize new work opportunities. Furthermore, the rise of machine transportation would provide instrumental to the success and longevity of Industrialization. In the early 18th century, the invention of steam engine powered machines allowed the mass production and transport of goods (Hawkins 4/6/17). The steam engine in trains and steamboats enabled farmers to transport harvested crops over long distances quickly to large metropolitan areas, which reduced the frequency of spoiled foods and allowed consumer goods to be transported in vast quantities. The growth of Industrialization in powerful western nations, such as the Great Britain, France, and the United States, enabled these nations to develop market economies driven by production; However, in