Blog 12

The first wave of colonialism took place during the 16th and 17th centuries when the European powers, mostly the Spanish and Portuguese, colonized the Americas. The first wave was responsible for the beginnings of the Atlantic Slave Trade. Not only did European influence remain as a long-term effect but also the idea of racism developed. The second wave of colonialism took place in 1750 through 1914 in Africa and Asia. The European powers Germany, Italy, Belgium, and the United States and Japan were the main actors. Unlike before, the second wave involved military force, or at least the threat of it. Furthermore, new economic interest in cash crops introduced the idea of capitalism. The second wave colonizers also believed they were bringing a superior religion to the Americas. During this time, social Darwinism, the theory that rooted from Darwin’s survival of the fittest theory, justified conquest stating that some are superior over others because they are more evolved.