Colonization

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/colonization

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 economic drivers?Mercantilism, resource extraction (precious metals, spices, raw materials), and captive markets
2. What is the political motivations?National prestige, strategic advantage, and imperial rivalry
3. What was the main reason European countries started colonizing new lands?They wanted new raw materials, markets for their goods, and to show national power and wealth.
4. How did colonizers get control over new lands?They explored, traded, and sometimes conquered using better weapons, and they used local leaders to help them rule.

Mercantilism: An economic theory advocating for government regulation of trade to increase national wealth and power.
Decolonization: The process by which colonies become independent of the colonizing country.
Post-colonialism: The academic study of the cultural, political, and economic legacy of colonialism and imperialism.