Causes of European Imperialism:

• Western economies needed raw materials.
• Western nations needed new markets.
• European nations had an overall military superiority.
• Western nations also needed control over sea ports to maintain sea power.
• Europeans had massive population growth.
• Europeans believed in social Darwinism and racial superiority. This can also be seen in The White Man's Burden by Rudyard Kipling.

Major imperialist countries include Britain, France, Belgium, United States, and the Netherlands. Germany, Russia, Italy and Japan also became imperial powers. Britain tended to have an enlightened approach interfering as little as possible with local customs. However, Belgium and Portugal were extremely harsh towards African nations. Germany and Italy used poison gas to conquer African nations. Imperialism was extremely harsh on the weaker countries. Africa suffered the most as all but two countries were conquered by European nations in the Scramble for Africa.