None

An implacable fact of our advanced age is that many of the world's leading nations began as colonies and often grew economically and politically by acquiring and maintaining colonies. Driven by stories of rich treasures and vigorous trade routes, Europe began to dominate the world through colonialism in the fifteenth century, as Spain, France, Portugal, England, and the Dutch Republic began leaving cultural footprints on every continent. The effects of this are still being felt today, as former colonies continue to vie for self-determination and economic independence. Author Don Nardo weaves the complex history of colonialism into an accessible account. Chapters engage with relevant topics such as the failure to learn from the history of colonizing, and the challenges of running a colony. Readers will learn about the early resistance to colonialism, the British empire's global reach, and the scramble for influence in Africa. This book also explores the legal mandates that rendered the Middle East into political parcels of European influence, and the world remade after the end of colonialism.