Due to the economic expansion there was a large demand for cheap labor: access or control of markets, for the buying and selling of products, and natural resources such as precious metals and land. After the industrial revolution began, dependent colonies often provided the factories and markets in Europe with the raw materials they needed to manufacturer products. Trading posts and warehouses were often established by imperial merchants, which created transportation infrastructure, and sought control over strategic choke points. There was often competition between imperil powers for best potential resources, markets, and trade. …show more content…
They often times believed these values and beliefs were superior to other nations. European powers believer that inferior races should be conquered in order to "civilize" them.
Growing imperial power and patriotism prompted countries to compete with others for supremacy. It was a matter of security, prestige, and national pride. These political motives often triggered responses to perceived threats to the security or prestige of the imperial power or its citizens abroad.
During the expansion of imperialism, religious people sometimes set out to convert others to their religion and, thus their empire. Christian missionaries established churches in conquered territories. In doing so, they spread Western values. British missionaries led the charge to stop the slave trade while French missionaries in Vietnam, clamored to tale over the nation.
There were many motives for the spread of imperialism. Without economic, exploratory, ethnocentric, political, and religious motives, this may not have ever been