Imperialism Impacts the Present: A Study of its Societal Effects by Liam Ryan (12th grade)

IntroductionThe European colonial period began in the early 15th century, and did not end until 1960,but some colonial powers still held onto their minor colonies. During this period, Europeanscolonised roughly 80% of the world’s landmass, incorporating North America, South America,Africa, the Middle East, Oceania, and large parts of Asia into their empires. This extensivecolonisation was fuelled by imperialism, the practice of expanding a nation’s territory foreconomic and political purposes, often achieving control through military interference(Britannica 2019). Imperialism was not just political or economic, but also a cultural process thataltered the pre-existing values and ideologies of the native people (Fanon, 1952).