How important was the search for raw materials and new markets as a reason for European imperialism?
Although some European countries were trying to spread their culture and religion, the primary reason for European imperialism was economic. The British accumulated a large number of colonies throughout the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. By doing so, the British were able to take the raw materials from those colonies, turn them into finished products, and then sell those products back to those new markets. As the British as well as other countries began to realize the profit and industrial growth that could come through aggressive imperialism the search for new colonies became greater. The two major European imperialistic powers were Britain and Germany. Beginning in the late 1700’s the British began to acquire a number of colonies all over the world. Their goal was to take the natural resources from those colonies and use them to grow Britain’s industrial power as Britain was in the middle of an industrial revolution. If Britain was able to acquire more raw materials then its rivals
