What Was the Relationship Between European Overseas Expansion and Developments in Europe - Essay Example

Overseas-expansion was the stepping stone for the Europeanimperialism or the formation of colonial empires. Columbian Exchange was the major product of colonial empires. New commodities like silk and cotton started arriving from the New World. And this gift when fused with the Industrial Revolution of England made possible for the people to rely less on conventional agriculture and more on Manufacturing Industries. As more wealth and power came along with the occupation of the new lands, it changed the economic, social and political aspects of Europe.

As economy expanded at a stable growth, Europeans started colonizing more lands. In 1775, the British colonies in America revolted and demanded a representative government for them. And domestically the French revolution changed the political face of Europe under the French slogans of  liberte, egalite, fraternite. This also gave opportunity to Napolean Boaparte to impose war which changed the social life of Europe. Between 1815 and 1871, there were many revolution campaigns and Independence wars within and outside Europe.

The social and trade union of England were a result of the war ridden years. Serfdom was also rejected by the Russians and Balkan nations started realizing that they need to be independent and needed major changes in their infra-structure, so they revolted against their Ottoman governments and started gaining independence. And right at the heart of Europe, after the Franco-Prussian war Italy and Germany became national estates and by 1871, most of the European countries had become constitutional monarchies.

To capture the scrambles of this great divide and restructuring of the new countries, many European nations engaged in a war and World War I started which further changed Europe and its economics as real steel age had started. References Wikipedia. History of Europe. 25 April 2011. 28 April 2011 .