What Were the Causes and Effects of Imperialism?

Causes of Imperialism were the desire for economic gain and a belief that a country’s values were superior and the desire to spread religion while the effects of Imperialism were increases in infrastructure in the countries being explored and a loss of identity for their citizens. Imperialism benefited the countries doing the colonizing, not the countries being colonized.

The countries that colonized other nations, such as Great Britain, France, the United States and Germany, sought to increase their influence on the world. They were able to have extra military presence and access new natural resources and markets.

Countries that were colonized did experience an increase in roads, buildings and electricity, but the new infrastructure was for the mother country’s benefit-not the citizens of the colonized country. The lives of the citizens were thrown into disarray and their beliefs were disregarded.