What is Imperialism and what effect does it have on indigenous

tribes?

Effects of Imperialism
Imperialism occurs when a wealthy strong nation extends their power and
influence into weaker nations or regions. As the result the stronger country dominates the
economic, political, and cultural lives of the weaker nations. Due to the Industrial
Revolution, European countries needed great quantities of raw resources as well as land
to expand industrialization and improve their economies. There for, wealthy emperors
established colonies in distant land such as Africa. The race to gain land grew from the
pride of nations as well as economic competition, each country was determined to
establish rule in as much of the world as possible. Doing so they destroy the freedom,
cultural practices, land, and lives of indigenous tribes who inhabited the area. Though
there are few positive effects of imperialism such as reduced welfare, civilization, and
modern medicine. The negative effects are far more devastating that the positive aspects
of this mass search for power, wealth, and land ever were.
Imperialism first began around the 1800s. As Europeans established colonies in
Africa they also brought with them their cultural practices. As a result of this new cultural
influence, Africansuffered from a breakdown of their traditional cultures... (World
History textbook, 695). They often lost their original language, cultural practices, and
way of life. Another negative effect of imperialism was the forced labor of men in mines,
industrial farms, or on government runed projects such as railroad building in order to
provide for their families. Natives worked in dangerous work environment with long
hours and small wages. They struggled to provide for them selves not to mention the
families that many of these men had. Death was also brought when the Europeans
arrived. Disease and plagues spread through the continent. Europeans brought with them
diseases in which they had gained immunity to. However because indigenous tribes had
not gained immunity they were very susceptible to them, and as a result of their exposure
to the foreign diseases such as smallpox, many died. European rule brought yet another
negative effect. These are just some of the many devastating effects that imperialism had
on indigenous tribes.
There was devastating aftermath when Europeans were pushed out, and Africa
gained control of its land once more. One of them being the destruction of land caused by
the constant production of cash crops such as sugar cane. When Europeans lost their hold
over places like Africa, tribes were no longer able to sustainable farm and provide for
themselves due to the destruction of the fertile soil. Another example of the negative
aftermath was that when Europeans created colonies on land they claimed for their own,
they also set up artificial boundaries which in turn caused many problems for native
tribes, however even after they lost their power to rule these foreign land the war between
tribes continued. The industrial revolution was one of the leading causes of imperialism,
and though Europeans were looking to expand their rule and economy, they also caused
much harm to indigenous people weather they realize it or not. Though there are both
positive and negative effects of Imperialism, there seam to be far more negative effects
than positive effects. Its hard to visualize that Africa went from a nation that was once
united, to a nation that was depleted of natural resources and left with no clear ruler or
culture all due to the affects of imperialism.