Colonialism

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/colonialism

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary economic drivers?Access to raw materials, captive markets, and opportunities for capital investment
2. What is the ideological justifications?Beliefs in cultural superiority, the 'civilizing mission,' and Social Darwinism
3. Why did European countries want to colonize other lands?They needed raw materials for factories, new markets for their goods, and wanted to show power and prestige. They also believed they could bring their culture and religion to others.
4. How did colonial powers keep control over the colonies?They sometimes replaced local leaders with their own officials (direct rule) or used existing leaders but made them follow the colonizers (indirect rule). They also forced people to work on farms or mines and taught their language and laws.

Metropole: The dominant country or city that rules a colony.
Post-colonialism: The academic study of the cultural legacy of colonialism and imperialism.
Dependency Theory: An economic theory that explains the underdevelopment of certain countries due to their historical exploitation by colonizing powers.