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Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period of rapid technological and scientific progress that transformed societies from agrarian to industrial. It began in Britain in the 18th century and spread to other parts of the world. This technological progress gave countries weapons to use to conquer others. -
Opium War
The Opium Wars were a series of conflicts between China and Western powers in the mid-19th century. The wars were fought over the illegal opium trade and the demand for opium in China. This was the start of mass imperialism where many countries fought for control of others and their resources. -
Treaty of Nanjing
The Treaty of Nanking was a peace agreement signed on August 29, 1842, between Great Britain and China that ended the First Opium War. It was the first of the "unequal treaties" that forced China to adhere to imperial international law. This benefitted the British while giving the Chinese a losing deal. -
Suez Canal Construction
The Suez Canal was built between 1859 and 1869. It was the first canal to connect the Mediterranean and Red Seas, allowing ships to travel directly between the two bodies of water. -
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Meiji Restoration
The Meiji Restoration in Japan lasted from 1868 to 1912. The Restoration was a period of political and social change that began in the late Tokugawa period that brought back the political ruler the Meiji. -
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Scramble for Africa
European powers rapidly divided and colonized most of the African continent, with the pivotal event being the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 which established the rules for this colonization process. Africa ended up being controlled by many powers for its resources. -
Berlin Conference
A meeting of European colonial powers that took place in Berlin from 1884–1885. The conference established rules for European colonization and trade in Africa. Set regulations for the colonization of Africa and what everyone would get. -
Fashoda Incident
The Fashoda Incident was a confrontation between France and Britain in 1898 that occurred on the White Nile in Sudan. It was the culmination of a series of territorial disputes between the two countries over control of the African Upper Nile region. -
Boer War
The Boer Wars were a series of conflicts between the British Empire and the Boers of South Africa over British influence in the region. The wars took place in the late 19th century and resulted in the eventual independence of the South African Republic. -
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was a military conflict fought between the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan from 1904 to 1905. The war was fought over control of Manchuria and Korea.