Colonialism: Did you mean...?

A cartoon in the French magazine "L'illustration" (January 3, 1885) presenting a critical view of the Berlin Conference of 1884-85. It depicts Otto von Bismarck (1815-98), Chancellor of Germany, cutting a cake labeled 'Africa' with a knife...

This map illustrates the rise and expansion of the Spanish Colonial Empire during the Age of Exploration, from the late 15th to the early 19th century. Emerging after the completion of the Reconquista in 1492 and the voyages of Christopher...

A map of European empires c. 1700. By the 18th century, European power had become truly global through a combination of maritime expansion, state-backed commerce, and military force. The leading Atlantic empires, Spain, Portugal, the Dutch...

This map illustrates the global spread of tea and its many names, tracing how two primary root words—“cha” and “te”—originated in China and dispersed across cultures through trade. The linguistic patterns reveal how tea’s journey followed...

The Berlin Conference (1884–1885), also known as the Congo Conference, marked a defining moment in the Scramble for Africa—the competitive colonization of the continent by European powers during the late 19th century. Convened in Berlin under...

This map illustrates the geopolitical situations and theaters of conflict in Africa during World War II. The continent saw various military campaigns and battles, notably in North and West Africa, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, and Madagascar...

In the aftermath of World War I (1914–1918), Africa remained overwhelmingly under European colonial domination, despite widespread African participation in the war effort. While the conflict weakened several European powers, it did not dismantle...

This map illustrates the rapid and often chaotic expansion of British control in India between the Battle of Plassey in 1757 and the eve of the Indian Rebellion in 1857. During this century, the East India Company transformed from a trading...

The Italian Colonial Empire emerged during the period of New Imperialism (late 19th–early 20th centuries) as the recently unified Kingdom of Italy sought to secure its place among the European great powers. Motivated by a combination of economic...

This map captures the shifting tides of colonial power in the 1700s, focusing on the strategic coastlines of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Once dominated by Spain, this region—known as the Spanish Main and the West Indies—became...