Final answer:
The cultural impact of European colonial expansion included cultural imperialism where European culture was enforced on indigenous populations, restructuring societies in Sub-Saharan Africa and other regions, which had long-term effects such as ethnic division and altered cultural identities.
Step-by-step explanation:
One cultural impact of European colonial expansion was the imposition of European culture and social structures over indigenous societies. This process, known as cultural imperialism, involved the systematic devaluation of native cultures and the enforced adoption of European practices, such as governance, dress, religion, and language. Instances of cultural imperialism were justified by colonizers through ideologies like the 'civilizing mission,' which claimed that European domination was necessary to bring progress to what they considered 'uncultured savages.'
Colonial powers like Portugal, Spain, and England actively restructured societies in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Americas, often with little regard for existing social and cultural structures. They introduced new administrative divisions, creating boundaries that disrupted traditional territories and caused long-lasting conflicts post-independence. The policies enacted and the restructuring of societies during colonial rule had a profound impact, often leaving legacies of ethnic division, conflict, and altered demographic compositions. The introduction of plantation agriculture, new educational systems, and the transatlantic slave trade significantly influenced cultural identities across the world.