Effects of Imperialism A WH1 Presentation by Mr. Hess

Introduction While imperialism certainly had an immediate impact, it had several powerful long-term effects which are still noticeable today.

1. Income Gap The rich got richer and the poor got poorer. European nations took raw materials, labor, and taxes from their colonies.

2. Illogical Boundaries Between Nations European nations created national boundaries without regard for tribal boundaries, which were much more complex. Many of these boundaries continued to exist after the Europeans withdrew, causing various ethnic groups to struggle to coexist with one another.

3. Rivalry and Competition Between European Powers This culminated in World War I.

4. Destruction of Traditional Family and Village Life Europeans often imposed their ways of life on the people they imperialized.

5. Loss of Local Government Most African governments had controlled small areas of land. This ended with the new boundaries imposed by Europeans. Africans usually lacked the experience to run large national governments.

6. Improved Education, Sanitation and Medicine While most of the effects of imperialism were negative, many areas did benefit in these respects.

7. Infrastructure in Africa Under European direction, roads were built and various systems of transportation (railroad, etc.) and communication (mail, etc.) were put in place.

8. Cultural Exchange While European ideas were introduced to Africa, African ideas were also introduced to Europe.