BAGO CITY COLLEGE 

Rafael Salas Drive, Brgy Balingasag, Bago City, Negros Occidental 6101 

Modules in World History 2 ( Modern and Contemporary Era ) 

BSED-Social
Studies III  

Module #3: Western Imperialism the First and the Second waves of
Imperialism 

Intended Learning Outcomes: At the end of this module, the student must
have: 
1. Identified various concepts related to
Imperialism using Picture Analysis. 
2. Presented the causes and effect, benefits of
the First Wave and Second Wave of
Reformation through the table  provided. 
3. Explained influences of imperialism, colonialism, mercantilism and
exploration in the present through short essay. 

Introduction:  
The periods between the 15 to the 17 centuries and the 19
th th th

century, the world had seen the emergence of two Waves of Western 
Imperialism. The early one was called the European Exploration while the
latter was called Western Imperialism. Why it happened,is because of  certain
reasons that motivated the Explorers, Colonialists and Western Imperialists.
The effects of which are seen in the changes that took place in  the course of
world history. The said effects have brought the First Wave explorations had
ashered colonialism while the Second Wave had ashered  in imperialism
based on economic power. 
  
This module will guide prospective teachers of World History to
develop a critical mind and be able to teach the subject using analytical 
thinking skills and an appreciation of the legacy brought about by western
imperialism. 
Activities: Picture Analysis 
1. 2. 
What to do: 
1. Examine the pictures carefully. What can you say about each
picture? 
The first picture talks about colonialism in
particular; it is an action that settles to establish
control over a specific place. It tends to begin a
political control over a population and later, it
assumes to control them and apply its own law,
government, culture, and religion. The second picture
talks about western colonialism specifically, a political-
economic phenomenon whereby various European
nations explored, conquered, settled, and exploited
large areas of the world. Moreover, the Western
Imperialism has brought a huge influence in terms of
economic, military, political, humanitarian, culture,
and religious to most of the country in the world
including Asia, China, Japan, Russia, Africa, India, etc.
 2. If you relate the two pictures, what do they
imply? Why? 

The relation of the two pictures talks about

Western colonialism, in particular, it refers to the
influence of Western Europe which includes
Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy,
Norway, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, Spain, Sweden,
and the Netherlands as well as its associated states
such as Russia, Japan, and the United States in
Asian territories. Furthermore, Western colonialism
originated in the 15th-century search for trade
routes to India and Southeast Asia that led directly
to the Age of Discovery, and additionally the
introduction of early modern warfare into what
Europeans first called the East Indies and later the
Far East. Western imperialists practiced full and
partial political control over other societies and
territories. Also, founding a colony and occupying it
as well as exploiting it economically.
Western Imperialists justified their conquests by
asserting that they had a legal and religious
obligation to take over the land and culture of
indigenous peoples. Conquering nations cast their
role as civilizing “barbaric” or “savage” nations and
argued that they were acting in the best interests of
those whose lands and peoples they exploited.
Colonial governments invested in infrastructure
and trade and disseminated medical and
technological knowledge. Western imperialists
invested several positive contributions to such as;
infrastructure and trade and disseminated medical
and technological knowledge. Some of the negative
impacts of Western colonialism include
environmental degradation, the spread of disease,
 economic instability, ethnic rivalries, and human
rights violation issues.

Analysis: 

Read this Article Below: 

The First Stage of Western Imperialism could be seen in the
European Explorations where the voyagers of Europe went to
places, they had never been to before.

It started in the 15 the century. Their motives eventually led them

to explorations due to the search for material goods, spread
Christianity and the desire for fame.

Between the periods of the 15 and 17 centuries, that explorations

th th

were considered the First Stage of Imperialism.

Imperialism is the intervention or direct colonization of one’s

country by another country.

The European exploration gave way to Maritime exploration and

was made possible by the spirit of curiosity brought about by the
Renaissance period monarchs who gave support, thus, the
discovery and development of navigational tools and improve
ships.

In general, the period of exploration led Europeans to use the sea

as a means for the expansion of Western Empires.
 A number of explorers led the way namely the merchants from
Venice, the Portuguese navigators, the Spanish colonizers, the
English navigators, the Dutch and the French too.

The interaction of navigators and explorers to those they had

explored and colonized gave rise to the new ideas such as
mercantilism, colonization and eventually imperialism and it also
gave rise to new divisions and groupings of countries not naming
them according to continents but according to distance and
proximity to them. As such the following names came out like the
New World, Old World, Dark Continent and the East Indies.

The effects of these European Explorations in Asia were the colonization of the
Philippines by Spain; In America, was the downfall of the Aztec and the Inca
Empires; In Europe, was felt in the increase in the prices of commodities as a
consequence of the increase in the quantity of supply of silver, the inflow of
crops from America that gave Europe the chance to a wide selection of food
that improved their diet such as corn and potatoes. On the negative note, it led
to the spread of diseases that Europeans had no immunity to it such as the so-
called yellow fever and malaria that were previously confined to Africa and
were brought to the New World. The Native Americans did not have immunity
to diseases like smallpox, measles and typhus. On the other hand, the second
wave of Western Imperialism have affected the abuses on the native population
by their oppressive policies; they damaged the native culture of the Asians and
Africans because of their pervasive Western influences.

Finally in terms of territorial boundaries, the legacy of Western Imperialism are

the territorial disputes among countries in Asia and Africa. This was the result of
unreasonable and arbitrary delineation of their borders by Europeans who
colonized them. 

Analysis: Complete the table with the information based from the article read: 
Categories of First Wave of Imperialism  Second Wave
information  of Imperialism

Concept of The First Stage of Western Imperialism

Imperialism could be seen in the European Explorations
where the voyagers of Europe went to
places, they had never been to before.
It started in the 15 the century.

Causes The causes/motives of the first wave of

/Motives Imperialism eventually led them to
explorations due to the search for material
goods, the spread of Christianity, and the
desire for fame.

Effects 

Benefits

  
Abstraction:  
Imperialism is a policy or ideology of extending the rule over peoples and
other countries,[1] for extending political and economic access, power and 
control, through employing hard power especially military force, but also soft
power. While related to the concepts of colonialism and empire,  imperialism
is a distinct concept that can apply to other forms of expansion and many
forms of government. 
 Expansionism and centralisation have existed throughout recorded history by
states, with the earliest examples dating back to the mid-third millennium  BC.
However, the concept of imperialism arose in the modern age, associated chiefly
with the European colonial powers of the 17th, 18th, and 19th  centuries and
New Imperialism. Following the decolonization of European holdings, the
concept has further evolved and has been broadly used to  identify as well as
criticise a range of policies and a number of states, including even supposedly
anti-imperialist states.

Application: Using the concept of imperialism, colonialism, mercantilism

and exploration, how does it work today? Cite situations and examples of
Conditions, even issues present in our world today. Explain your answers.

Imperialism can be achieved through settlement, sovereignty, or some

indirect mechanisms of control, especially by direct territorial acquisition or
by gaining political and economic control of other territories and peoples.
Still, the influences brought by Imperialism has a greater impact all over the
world today.
Some of the examples that influenced by imperialism are;
1.) Roman Sphere of Influence - ongoing influence of Roman language,
government, ideas, and philosophies into Europe (and all over the world)
long after the fall of the Roman Empire
2.) Anglo-Russian Convention (1907) - established spheres of influence for
Britain and Russian over Persia (modern-day Iran)
3.) Modern American influence - many countries around the world that are
not under American political control are still in the superpower's sphere of
influence, including English acquisition, pop culture, and democracy.
4.) West and East Berlin - American, British and French sectors of control
(West Berlin) and Soviet sector of control (East Berlin) after the fall of
Germany in World War II
Colonialism works by controlling one power over a dependent area or
people. It occurs when one nation subjugates another, conquering its
population and exploiting it, often while forcing its own language and
cultural values upon its people. Colonialism is still relevant today and
particularly, there are 16 territories under colonial rule by the United
Kingdom, the United State, and France. These relations are known as
residual colonialism. These territories have not yet achieved self-government
and are referred to as NSGT Non-Self-Governance Territories, which place 2
million people under colonial rule.

Territories include the Falkland Islands, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, the
United States Virgin Islands, Gibraltar, French Polynesia, Guam, and others.

Exploration throughout the world is still ongoing today, from the depths of
the sea to the vast expanses of outer space, modern-day explorers go on
adventures in lots of different places. In the 21st century, there are satellites
orbiting the Earth that can take photos and track our location all over the
planet through GPS technology.

Mercantilism works by which governments used their economies to augment

state power at the expense of other countries. Governments sought to
ensure that exports exceeded imports and to accumulate wealth in the form
of bullion (mostly gold and silver).
In the modern world, mercantilism is sometimes associated with policies
examples are;
1.) Undervaluation of currency e.g., government buys foreign currency assets
to keep the exchange rate undervalued and make exports more competitive.
A criticism often levelled at China
2.) Government subsidy of an industry for unfair advantage. Again, China has
been accused of offering state-supported subsidies for industry, leading to
oversupply of industries such as steel – meaning other countries struggle to
compete.
3.) A surge of protectionist sentiment, e.g. US tariffs on Chinese imports, and
US policies to ‘Buy American.’
4.) Copyright theft and some situations that involves mercantilism are
5.) Restrictions on imports – tariff barriers, quotas, or non-tariff barriers.
6.) Accumulation of foreign currency reserves, plus gold and silver reserves.
(Also known as bullionism) In the sixteenth/seventeenth century, it was
believed that the accumulation of gold reserves (at the expense of other
countries) was the best way to increase the prosperity of a country.

Age of exploration changed the world over time and when the New Age was discovered,
many new things were introduced to the Europeans like new races of people, new cultures
and religions, new animals and plants, everything was new. Many people didn't know
how to use the new things that have happened.

Exploration throughout the world is still ongoing today, from the depths of
the sea to the vast expanses of outer space, modern-day explorers go on
adventures in lots of different places. In the 21st century, there are satellites
orbiting the Earth that can take photos and track our location all over the
planet through GPS technology.
Assessment: Answer the questions below in 10 sentences each only. Be guided
by the rubric below 

1. Do you think, is Western Imperialism happening at present?

Why? and How? 
CATEGOR (10-8 points)  (7-5 points)  (4-2 points)  (1-0 points)  Studen
Y  t  
Score

Content The content is Sufficiently Limited content   Superficial

substantial,  developed   with inadequate   and/or 
specific, and/or content with elaboration or   minimal
illustrative  adequate   explanation. content
content elaboration or
demonstrating explanation.
string 
development
and  
sophisticated ideas.

Organizatio Information is Information Information is   Information  

n of Ideas very organized  is organized but   appears to be  
with well- organized  paragraphs are disorganized
constructed   with well- not  well- and 
paragraphs. constructed   constructed paragraphs
paragraphs. are not  well-
constructed

Spelling / Excellent Correct Needs to The student

Grammar  grammar and no  grammar and   improve  has  
error in spelling error of 1-3 grammar and   poor
are observed. words are   error of 4-6 grammar
observed.  words  are and  spelling
observed.