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The Industrial Revolution was the period in which the production of goods shifted from hand production methods to complex machines. During the Industrial Revolution, capitalism, an economic system with the goal of generating profit and wealth took root. Industrialized nations sought to increase their profit, wealth, and power.

In order to continue industrializing and turning a profit, industrialized European nations needed many things, but two main needs were located outside of Europe. The first need was for raw materials. Raw materials are the basic material that is used to produce goods such as coal, cotton, iron, oil, rubber, or metals. Without these raw materials, factories cannot produce goods and cannot turn a profit. Many of these raw materials are not available in European nations. Industrialized nations began to look to other regions for raw materials that were not available at home. The second need created by the Industrial Revolution was the need for reliable markets. A market is an area or arena where goods can be bought and sold. Many factory producers were producing a lot of goods, however, they were producing so many goods that there were more goods than people to buy those goods. Their markets were oversaturated. In this case, consumer demand slowed and this led to economic depressions. Industrialized European nations looked for other markets to absorb or buy the extra supply of their goods.
How might the Industrial Revolution and the birth of capitalism motivate countries to dominate other countries or regions?

User Kanjie Lu
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Final answer:

The quest for raw materials and new markets during the Industrial Revolution and the rise of capitalism led to countries dominating others, resulting in the expansion of empires and a global economic system dominated by Europe.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Industrial Revolution and the emergence of capitalism were driving forces that motivated countries to seek control over other regions. The need for raw materials to fuel industrial machines and the search for new markets to sell surplus goods created economic imperatives for countries to expand their influence and establish colonies overseas. Industrialized European nations, seeking to sustain their economic growth and wealth, turned their attention to Africa, Asia, and the Pacific to procure necessary resources and outlets for their products, leading to a second wave of imperial expansion.

Technological advancements in transportation and communication, such as steamships, railroads, telegraph, and the radio, facilitated the growth of empires by making it easier to manage and benefit from far-flung colonies. Besides these practical needs, the expansion was also driven by the desire for wealth and power, as well as the competition among industrialized nations.

User Gwillie
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