Colonial Impacts: Infrastructure, Economy, and WWI Origins

European Colonial Progress

The powers introduced developments in their territories. They built ports, bridges, and telephones, improving infrastructure. They established new farmland and industries for their own benefit. They also introduced hygienic measures and new hospitals. Consequently, mortality dropped, and the population increased.

Europeans set up schools, leading to a decline in illiteracy. The metropolis aimed for acculturation, imposing their way of life in the colonies. Missionaries aided natives and attempted to convert them to Christianity.

Economic interests were imposed in the colonies. Plantations became the property of colonists, who introduced large-scale production for the metropolis, along with a monetary economy and market.

Colonial Social Changes

The social structure changed as a result of colonial influence. Societies reflected segregation. Officials lived in large houses, ate, and dressed as they did in their places of origin. The cultural identity of the indigenous people was significantly impacted.

Causes of World War I

Rivalry Among Powers

Conflicts between rival empires, particularly in Morocco, were significant. Germany, with fewer colonies, was a source of tension. These tensions almost led to war and contributed to the outbreak of WWI.

Nationalist Fervor

Germany and France were rivals since the Franco-Prussian War, which resulted in France losing Alsace and Lorraine to Germany. Germany and Great Britain also competed for control of shipping lanes and international trade.

The Balkan Conflict

This region was a hotbed of tension since the mid-19th century. Austria, a multinational empire, sought to dominate the region. Serbia was accused of supporting Serbian protests within the empire. Serbia, a Slavic nation, was supported by Russia, which aimed to protect Slavic peoples, increase its influence, and gain access to the Mediterranean Sea through the Bosporus and Dardanelles.