Age of European Colonialism and Imperialism (Europe)
(19th century)
What happened?
Colonialism has existed since ancient times. The European colonial period started with the 15th century when European states established colonizing empires. The European colonizers imposed their religion, language, economics, and cultural practices. The aim was to gain economic dominance over other people or areas. It is often associated with imperialism because the dominator by direct territorial acquisition or by gaining political and economic control of other areas. Through employing hard power of military force, a state can apply to other forms of expansion and many forms of government. The 19th century included the Scramble for Africa.
At first, European colonizing countries followed policies of mercantilism, an economic practice by which governments used their economics to augment state power at the expense of other countries. At start the home-country economy had to be strengthened, so agreements usually restricted the colony to trading only with the motherland. By the mid-19th century, the British Empire gave up mercantilism. They adopted the principle of free trade, with few restrictions of tariffs.
The territorial expansion was made possible by large scale industrialization and an increase in scientific and technical knowledge. The dominance of Europe reached its peak. In practically all of the European-controlled colonies, Christian missionaries were active because the metropoles were Christian. Before the Industrial Revolution about 1/3 of the Earth was controlled by Europeans.
Most Europeans were convinced of the superiority of their civilization. Europeans had a much higher standard of living. By WOI they had control of about 4/5 of the globe. The European expansion was spread over the world, arousing a mixture of revulsion and admiration among the colonized people.
After WOII, nearly all colonies gained independence, entering changed colonial relations. Developed countries became the First World, while developing countries were named Third World countries. Relations and ideologies of colonialism shifted. Postcolonialism and neocolonialism are concepts for development and new frontiers exploring outer space for colonialism.
Found: Germany (JN0683)
Powder Flask
± 1800 to ± 1900
The structure used to deposit or guide gunpowder has several names. Sometimes it is called powder can or powder bottle or flask. In the beginning it was named gunpowder horn. Different materials were used such as stag horn, wood, ivory, copper, or brass are some examples. The powder horn was used to load primitive firearms by means of a and dosing lever. These horns have various shapes. There are cone or pear shapes, a horn shape or just a round flat shape such as a canteen. Sometimes the gunpowder horns are decorated.
Powder horns were used in firearms during battles in the 16th and 17th centuries. Larger ones served mainly to fill rifles and pistols. Smaller horns were intended to fill the pan of a weapon with powder. Almost all soldiers during the Spanish period wore a belt with gunpowder horns from their right shoulder to the left hip. Sometimes more than 7 large powder horns could be attached to it. The sword belt was worn crossed. The gunpowder belt was able to twist around the soldier's shoulder to provide themselves with their gunpowder horns.
The long fine rifles had a ramrod at the bottom of the barrel and a long shoulder-high fork support to support the barrel during aiming. Until the first half of the 19th century, muskets were filled and fired with this method. After the introduction of the metal unitary cartridges, the powder horns disappeared at the end of the 19th century. A unitary cartridge united the projectile and detonator in a case.