Colonialism is the establishment of a colony in one territory by a political power from another territory, and the subsequent maintenance, expansion, and exploitation of that colony. The term is also used to describe a set of unequal relationships between the colonial power and the colony and often between the colonists and the indigenous peoples.The European colonial period was the era from the 16th century to the mid-20th century when several European powers established colonies in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. At first the countries followed a policy of mercantilism, designed to strengthen the home economy at the expense of rivals, so the colonies were usually allowed to trade only with the mother country. By the mid-19th century, however, the powerful British Empire gave up mercantilism and trade restrictions and introduced the principle of free trade, with few restrictions or tariffs.Historians often distinguish between two overlapping forms of colonialism:•Settler colonialism involves large-scale immigration, often motivated by religious, political, or economic reasons.•Exploitation colonialism involves fewer colonists and focuses on access to resources for export, typically to the metropole. This category includes trading posts as well as larger colonies where colonists would constitute much of the political and economic administration, but would rely on indigenous resources for labor and material. Prior to the end of the slave trade and widespread abolition, when indigenous labor was unavailable, slaves were often imported to the Americas, first by the Portuguese Empire, and later by the Spanish, Dutch, French and British.Surrogate colonialism involves a settlement project supported by a colonial power, in which most of the settlers do not come from same ethnic group as the ruling power.Internal colonialism is a notion of uneven structural power between areas of a state. The source of exploitation comes from within the state.Modern colonialism started with the Age of Discovery. Portugal and Spain discovered new lands across the oceans and built trading posts or conquered large extensions of land. For some people, it is this building of colonies across oceans that differentiates colonialism from other types of expansionism. These new lands were divided between the Portuguese Empire and Spanish Empire.This period is also associated with the Commercial Revolution. The late Middle Ages saw reforms in accountancy and banking in Italy and the eastern Mediterranean. These ideas were adopted and adapted in western Europe to the high risks and rewards associated with colonial ventures.The 17th century saw the creation of the French colonial empire and the Dutch Empire, as well as the English overseas possessions, which later became the British Empire. It also saw the establishment of a Danish colonial empire and some Swedish overseas colonies.The spread of colonial empires was reduced in the late 18th and early 19th centuries by the American Revolutionary War and the Latin American wars of independence. However, many new colonies were established after this time, including the German colonial empire and Belgian colonial empire. In the late 19th century, many European powers were involved in the Scramble for Africa.By 1914, Europeans had migrated to the colonies in the millions. Some intended to remain in the colonies as temporary settlers, mainly as military personnel or on business. Others went to the colonies as immigrants.
Colonies of Sweden
Sweden had a few of overseas colonies between 1638 and 1878. By the middle of the 17th century, the Swedish Empire had reached its greatest territorial extent. In 1638 a Swedish colony, New Sweden, was established along the lower reaches of the Delaware River in North America. New Sweden was one part of Swedish colonization efforts in the Americas. The settlements were scattered on either shore of the Delaware Valley in the present-day American Mid-Atlantic states of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Fort Christinathe first settlement, named after the reigning Swedish monarch, now part of Wilmington, Delaware.Cabo Corso (The Swedish Gold Coast) in present-day Ghana in Africa was a Swedish colony founded in 1650. The colony consisted of only a few forts and trading posts scattered around Cabo Corso (present-day Cape Coast) along the coast on the Gulf of Guinea.Saint Barthélemy was an overseas Swedish colony in the West Indies between 1785 and 1878. It is often abbreviated to St. Barths or St. Barts in English.The Colonies:•New Sweden, North America, 1638–1655•Cabo Corso, Africa, 1650–1658 and 1660–1663•Saint-Barthélemy, West Indies, 1785–1878•Guadeloupe, West Indies, 1813 - 1814•Porto Novo, India, 1733
Colonialism is the establishment of a colony in one territory by a political power from another territory, and the subsequent maintenance, expansion, and exploitation of that colony. The term is also used to describe a set of unequal relationships between the colonial power and the colony and often between the colonists and the indigenous peoples.The European colonial period was the era from the 16th century to the mid-20th century when several European powers established colonies in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. At first the countries followed a policy of mercantilism, designed to strengthen the home economy at the expense of rivals, so the colonies were usually allowed to trade only with the mother country. By the mid-19th century, however, the powerful British Empire gave up mercantilism and trade restrictions and introduced the principle of free trade, with few restrictions or tariffs.Historians often distinguish between two overlapping forms of colonialism:•Settler colonialism involves large-scale immigration, often motivated by religious, political, or economic reasons.•Exploitation colonialism involves fewer colonists and focuses on access to resources for export, typically to the metropole. This category includes trading posts as well as larger colonies where colonists would constitute much of the political and economic administration, but would rely on indigenous resources for labor and material. Prior to the end of the slave trade and widespread abolition, when indigenous labor was unavailable, slaves were often imported to the Americas, first by the Portuguese Empire, and later by the Spanish, Dutch, French and British.Surrogate colonialism involves a settlement project supported by a colonial power, in which most of the settlers do not come from same ethnic group as the ruling power.Internal colonialism is a notion of uneven structural power between areas of a state. The source of exploitation comes from within the state.Modern colonialism started with the Age of Discovery. Portugal and Spain discovered new lands across the oceans and built trading posts or conquered large extensions of land. For some people, it is this building of colonies across oceans that differentiates colonialism from other types of expansionism. These new lands were divided between the Portuguese Empire and Spanish Empire.This period is also associated with the Commercial Revolution. The late Middle Ages saw reforms in accountancy and banking in Italy and the eastern Mediterranean. These ideas were adopted and adapted in western Europe to the high risks and rewards associated with colonial ventures.The 17th century saw the creation of the French colonial empire and the Dutch Empire, as well as the English overseas possessions, which later became the British Empire. It also saw the establishment of a Danish colonial empire and some Swedish overseas colonies.The spread of colonial empires was reduced in the late 18th and early 19th centuries by the American Revolutionary War and the Latin American wars of independence. However, many new colonies were established after this time, including the German colonial empire and Belgian colonial empire. In the late 19th century, many European powers were involved in the Scramble for Africa.By 1914, Europeans had migrated to the colonies in the millions. Some intended to remain in the colonies as temporary settlers, mainly as military personnel or on business. Others went to the colonies as immigrants.
Colonies of Sweden
Sweden had a few of overseas colonies between 1638 and 1878. By the middle of the 17th century, the Swedish Empire had reached its greatest territorial extent. In 1638 a Swedish colony, New Sweden, was established along the lower reaches of the Delaware River in North America. New Sweden was one part of Swedish colonization efforts in the Americas. The settlements were scattered on either shore of the Delaware Valley in the present-day American Mid-Atlantic states of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Fort Christina the first settlement, named after the reigning Swedish monarch, now part of Wilmington, Delaware.Cabo Corso (The Swedish Gold Coast) in present-day Ghana in Africa was a Swedish colony founded in 1650. The colony consisted of only a few forts and trading posts scattered around Cabo Corso (present-day Cape Coast) along the coast on the Gulf of Guinea.Saint Barthélemy was an overseas Swedish colony in the West Indies between 1785 and 1878. It is often abbreviated to St. Barths or St. Barts in English.The Colonies:•New Sweden, North America, 1638–1655•Cabo Corso, Africa, 1650–1658 and 1660–1663•Saint-Barthélemy, West Indies, 1785–1878•Guadeloupe, West Indies, 1813 - 1814•Porto Novo, India, 1733
