Europe was much less diverse than it is now. There were 13 states on this territory. Most of them had colonies outside the continent. The main colonial power in the world was Great Britain. Its territories included modern Ireland. Canada, Australia and the Union of South Africa were also British dominions. Dominions had a greater degree of autonomy than colonies. In South America, Britain owned part of the territory of Guiana and several islands in the Caribbean. The African colonies of the British Empire were Nigeria, Northern Rhodesia, East Africa and Seychelles. In Asia, Britain controlled the south of the Arabian Peninsula, the territory of modern India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as Burma and part of New Guinea. Two Chinese cities- Hong Kong and Weihai were also under direct British control.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the British Empire reached its maximum size.

The possessions of other European countries were somewhat more modest. The countries of Southern Europe - Spain and Portugal - lost most of their possessions in South America. At the same time, France maintained colonial influence - it controlled a small territory on the coast South America, as well as vast lands in Africa - Algeria, Morocco, West Africa, Equatorial Africa, as well as the territory modern Vietnam in Asia. Denmark owned Iceland and Greenland. The Dutch and Belgian colonies in Africa were much more modest.

Germany's territory in Europe was smaller than what it is today, and this country had few colonies. By the beginning of the 20th century, Italy had just begun to expand its colonial possessions. On the map of Europe there were also countries without colonies at all - Austria-Hungary, Norway and Sweden.

The Russian Empire was not a colonial power in the narrow sense, but it included Poland and Finland. Their status could be compared with the British dominions, since these states had fairly broad autonomy.

The Russian Empire united several semi-independent Central Asian countries under its protectorate.

The rest of the world

There were many independent states outside of Europe at that time. IN North America there were two big ones independent states- USA and Mexico. All of South America was independent, with the exception of the territory of Guiana. Political map this continent practically coincided with the modern one. In Africa, only Ethiopia and partly Egypt retained independence - it was under British protectorate, but was not a colony. In Asia, Japan was an independent and strong power - this country also owned the Korean Peninsula. China, Mongolia and Siam, while maintaining formal independence, were divided into spheres of influence of European states.

Marx, Adolf Fedorovich (1838 - 1904 gg.) - Russian book publisher. IN 1859 moved to Russia. Founder of the publishing house ( 1869 ), later - the joint-stock company “Partnership of Publishing and Printing A.F. Marx." Publisher of the illustrated magazine for family reading "Niva" ( 1870-1918 gg.). Adolf Fedorovich Marx was born February 2, 1838 in Stettin (now Szczecin), in the family of a tower clock manufacturer. After graduating from commercial school, he worked as a clerk in the book trade. IN 1859 year he moved to Russia, worked for five years with the bookseller F. Bitepage, and in 1863 moved to M.O. Wolf. IN 1864-1869 years he taught foreign languages, served as a clerk on the board of the St. Petersburg-Warsaw Railway. IN 1869 year A.F. Marx published his first books: “Statistical table of states and possessions of all parts of the world” and “Koumiss. Its physiological and therapeutic effect" by E. Stahlberg. WITH 1870 Marx published the first mass illustrated weekly magazine for family reading, Niva, which he founded and was the first in Russia. The magazine published essays of a geographical and historical nature, popular articles “on science and art,” on medical issues, etc. Translated novels and stories were published in the fiction section, and works by Russian writers were also published. Of particular interest to readers were photo correspondence about the most important world events and reproductions of paintings by outstanding artists. WITH 1871 In 2006, Marx began sending out the Parisian Fashion magazine as a supplement to Niva, and from September 1879 year began to release free applications for Niva - paintings, portraits, calendars, etc. WITH 1894 In 2010, collections of works by major Russian and foreign writers began to be systematically published as free supplements to Niva. At first, the publisher published authors whose death had passed at least 50 years - in this case, there was no need to pay royalties: for example, among such authors were D. Fonvizin, I. Koltsov, I. Polezhaev, Catherine II, etc. Later, having strengthened his financial position, Marx was able to acquire rights from heirs of the classics. This publishing policy has borne fruit: subscriptions to the magazine have increased to 250 thousand copies and, thanks to their low cost, A. F. Marx’s publications were distributed throughout the Russian provinces in unprecedented circulations. Among the company's publications are collected works and individual works by M.V., published as supplements or independently. Lomonosova, V.A. Zhukovsky, M.Yu. Lermontov, A.S. Griboyedova, N.V. Gogol, I.A. Goncharova, F.M. Dostoevsky, I.S. Turgeneva, M.E. Saltykova-Shchedrina, N.S. Leskova, A.P. Chekhova, A.A. Feta, J.B. Moliere, G. Ibsen, M. Maeterlinck and others, beautifully designed “Faust” by I.V. Goethe and " Lost heaven» J. Milton. Books on natural science, art, and illustrated gift editions were also published. large format— “Dead Souls” by N.V. Gogol ( 1900 ), “Fox Patrikeevich” by I. V. Goethe ( 1901 ), “History of Art” by P. P. Gnedich and others. Along with books, Marx also published cartographic publications: “Great World Desk Atlas”, “General Geographical and Statistical Pocket Atlas”, etc. 16 sheets of Marx’s Great World Desk Atlas are dedicated to the European Russia. (Based on Wikipedia).

Almost all European countries at different stages of their development they tried to increase their power and prosperity by conquering and ruling colonies. The greatest successes in conquering and developing new lands were achieved by Spain, Portugal and England. Competing with them: the Netherlands, France and Germany. Even countries such as Denmark and Sweden owned their own colonies.

The reasons that moved people to equip colonial expeditions were: trade, search for gold and other minerals, search for places to live, neutralization of pirate states, building a prestigious image.

The colonial empire of France arose gradually; it would be more correct to distinguish two long historical stages:

• The first colonial empire (XVI-XVIII centuries) was built mainly by large royal trading companies, for example, such as the French trading West India Company. During her conquests, the country grew with a large part of North America, Caribbean islands and a large part of India, a significant part of which passed to England in 1763.
• Second Colonial Empire ( late XIX c.) was built mainly to challenge the power of the British Empire, and lasted until the sixties of the twentieth century. It included lands North Africa, a substantial chunk of West and Central Africa, Indochina and a significant number of islands around the world.

At the peak of its conquests, the empire reached a total area of ​​12.3 million square kilometers, 25 times the area of ​​the state itself. In terms of its scale, it was second only to the capabilities of Great Britain, which added 30 million square kilometers of colonized lands.

Colonies of France on the world map

Beginning of expansion

At the initial stage, which originated in the first third of the sixteenth century, there was a military annexation of territories, which was quite obviously beneficial from a political and economic point of view, which is indisputable historical fact, not being a real priority for the country's development.

The early travels of the Italian-born Giovanni da Verrazano, who served in France, led to the discovery of new lands. With his light hand, his places of residence were declared the property of the crown. The discoverer Jacques Cartier made three voyages along North America at the beginning of the 16th century, marking the beginning of its exploration by France.

Fishermen enjoyed visiting the Grand Bank off Newfoundland throughout the century, marking the beginning of the history of colonial expansion in North America. In 1534, the first French colonists settled in Canada. Fishing and the search for precious metals inspired the new arrivals. Spain's zealous defense of "its" American monopoly and internal religious war at the end of the 16th century prevented proper sustained efforts to gain a foothold in the region. There were early French attempts to establish colonies in Brazil in 1555, in São Luis in 1612 and in Florida, but these too were thwarted by Portuguese and Spanish vigilance.

First colonial empire of France

The history of the empire began in 1605 with the founding of Port Royal in modern Nova Scotia, Canada. Three years later, traveler Samuel Champlain founded the French settlement of Quebec, which was to become the capital New France, a region rich in fur. By forming beneficial alliances with various Native American tribes, the French were free to rule most of the North American continent. For the time being, areas of French settlement were limited to the valley of the St. Lawrence River. And before the creation of the Sovereign Council in 1663, the territory of New France had the status of a trading colony. But the right to govern it was transferred to the British under the Utrecht Peace Treaty of 1713.

In the seventeenth century, commercial ambitions lead to conquests in Caribbean region. The empire was replenished with Martinique, Guadeloupe and Santo Domingo. The introduced system for extracting maximum efficiency from occupied lands in this case was based on the slave trade and slave labor in the cultivation of sugar cane and tobacco plantations. During the same period, colonists settled Senegal, Africa and Reunion in Indian Ocean and establish some dominance in India.

In parallel with the expansion of the empire in North America, the conquest of the West Indies was carried out. Settlement of the area along the South American coast, in what is now French Guiana, began in 1624, and the colony of St. Kitts was founded in 1627. Before the peace agreement with the British, the island was divided, and after that it was completely ceded.

The Insular American Company founded colonies in Guadeloupe and Martinique in 1635, and subsequently in Saint-Lucie in 1650. The plantations were developed with the help of slaves brought from Africa. Resistance from indigenous peoples led to bloody ethnic cleansing in 1660.

The French presence abroad was not convincing, and in February 1763 the Treaty of Paris, which marked the end of the Anglo-French War, forced the country to abandon its claims to Canada and its presence in Senegal.

The most profitable expansion of the Caribbean colonies occurred in 1664, with the creation of Saint-Domingue, today's Haiti. The settlement was based on western edge Spanish island of Hispaniola. By the 18th century, Haiti had become the most profitable sugar plantation in Caribbean. The eastern half of Hispaniola was administered by the country for a short period, but was ceded to Spain after the Haitian Revolution.

Conquests were not limited to acquisitions in the New World. In 1624, the first trading posts appeared in West Africa in Senegal.

In 1664, a company was created that competed for primacy in trade in the east. Controlled lands appeared in: Chandannagar in 1673, Pondicherry, Yanaon, Mahe, Karaikal. The acquisitions formed the basis of French India. The territory of present-day Reunion in the Indian Ocean, modern Mauritius and Seychelles in 1756. Under Napoleon, Egypt was also conquered for a short period, but rule there extended only to the immediate vicinity of the Nile.

In 1699, territorial claims in North America expanded further with the founding of Louisiana in the Mississippi River basin. A wide trade network throughout the region, linked to Canada through the Great Lakes, was supported by a network of defensive fortifications centered in Illinois and what is now Arkansas.

During a series of conflicts between France and England, a significant part of the conquered empire was lost.

Second colonial wave (1830-1870)

The second French colonial epic debuted with an attack on Algeria. Under Napoleon III, bold attacks on Mexico were carried out. Napoleon controlled southern Vietnam, Cambodia and Saigon. The authorities have annexed a number Pacific Islands such as Tahiti and New Caledonia. They tried to establish themselves in Asia.

After the Franco-Prussian War, the country grew into Indochina. Using the newly annexed lands of Vietnam, Tonkin and Annam were captured in 1883, Laos and Kwan Zhou Van. The country became the second most powerful colonial power, after England.

In the mid-19th century, a concession was established in Shanghai, which existed there until 1946, and a protectorate in Tunisia by the end of the century. At the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with enormous efforts and 16 years of struggle, Mauritania became a colony. The crown was replenished with Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, Benin, Niger, Chad, Congo and Morocco.

The last successful colonization interventions occurred at the end of the First World War.

Colonial administration

There were two ways to regulate colonies: assimilation or association. On the one hand, with assimilation, the administration in Paris dictates the laws to which the controlled lands must obey, on the other hand, the path of unification is a more flexible system. The path of association leaves the authorities, but residents do not become full citizens of the country. Despite the variety of administrative systems, the French government claims its sovereignty. Dominance is reflected at the economic level. The indigenous population is characterized by a lack of voting rights, special taxation and a lack of basic freedoms. Among other things, the European colonial structure conflicts with local culture and customs. The educational system used in the controlled territories is an effective means of instilling a European way of thinking.

Colonial Exhibition in Paris 1931

The international exposition, which opened on May 6, 1931 in Paris, can be considered a symbol of the country’s prestige and glory in the field of conquering the world. The laying of the first stone took place on November 5, 1928; construction took place over more than two years on an area of ​​110 hectares located around Lake Daumesnil in the east of the capital in the green forest of Vincennes. The main entrance was decorated with a golden gate, which is still preserved. The Colonial Exhibition represented all the colonies and countries under the French protectorate. For each corner of the world conquered by the country, a special pavilion was provided. Catholic and Protestant churches were represented by mission flags. About 200 buildings occupied large companies, restaurants and snack bars, exotic food stores. The exhibition was complemented by a colonial museum, a tropical aquarium and a zoo. The area was decorated with majestic illuminated fountains. To move around the park, a Railway, a length of five and a half kilometers, along which six stations were built. It was also possible to travel by electric vehicles. For the entertainment of visitors, 16 boats, many rowing boats and 30 boats for water attractions on the lake. The park hosted various festivals and exhibitions, among which the “Day of Colonial Tourism” occupied a special place.

The exhibition was a huge success: more than 8 million visitors, some of whom came again. The Colonial Museum taught visitors about the various stages of colonial conquest. 5 months after the opening, funding began to be cut, so the zoo, the museum of the colonies and the pagoda have survived and are popular to this day.

French colonies today

Colonization was a fairly unpopular measure, and was largely considered a waste of money and military effort. At the beginning of the twentieth century, right-wing parties opposed decolonization because they considered it too costly, and the left wing did not support its position, seeing peace, freedom and civilization in abandoning this policy. At the end of the colonial empire, the left wing advocated decolonization, while the right resisted until the civil war of 1960-1961.

Having come to power in 1936, the Popular Front lobbied for reforms designed to increase the independence of the colonies. The economic crisis of the 1930s and the Second World War led to the end of the era of conquest.

During the Brazzaville Conference in January 1944, countries worked together to develop an administrative system that would provide greater opportunities for self-determination for indigenous peoples. The first victory that marks the failure of colonial France is the declaration of independence of Lebanon and Syria in 1941, which came into force in 1943.

Having failed to organize a painless decolonization process in the middle of the last century, France experienced a difficult situation, especially in Algeria, where the war of independence lasted from 1954 to 1962 and almost ended civil war in France. Colonial France begins to collapse and the National Liberation Front is born, which sparks an armed uprising in Algeria. The war in Algeria was responsible for the birth of the Fifth Republic. The agreement in 1962 marked the end of the war and Algerian independence.

By the beginning of 1960, almost all former French colonies had become independent countries. Several territories remain part of France. Residents of former colonies, especially Algeria, demanded the privileged right to become citizens of the country.

Decolonization is happening in other countries as well. Tunisia became independent in 1956, African countries between 1960 and 1963. Gradually, other foreign territories also changed their status.

Belonging to the former empire became a matter of geopolitics and national pride. The older generation lives with the thought that they were lucky to live in a country that was the second largest empire and brought civilization and democracy to the peoples of nine percent of the world's surface. Decolonization, organized under the leadership of Charles de Gaulle, was approved by the majority, despite the trauma caused by the Algerian War.

Most people who obtain French citizenship today come from former colonies.

Search for a map of a city, village, region or country

The colony. Yandex map.

Allows you to: change the scale; measure distances; switch display modes - diagram, satellite view, hybrid. The Yandex maps mechanism is used, it contains: districts, street names, house numbers and other objects of cities and large villages, allows you to perform search by address(square, avenue, street + house number, etc.), for example: “Lenin St. 3”, “Colonia Hotel”, etc.

If you don't find something, try the section Google satellite map: Colony or a vector map from OpenStreetMap: The colony.

Link to the object you selected on the map can be sent by e-mail, icq, sms or posted on the website. For example, to show a meeting place, delivery address, location of a store, cinema, train station, etc.: combine the object with the marker in the center of the map, copy the link on the left above the map and send it to the recipient - according to the marker in the center, he will determine the location you specified .

Colony - online map with satellite view: streets, houses, areas and other objects.

To change the scale, use the mouse scroll wheel, the “+ -” slider on the left, or the “Zoom in” button in the upper left corner of the map; to view a satellite view or a people's map, select the appropriate menu item in the upper right corner; to measure the distance, click the ruler at the bottom right and plot the points on the map.

World history contains great amount events, names, dates that are placed in several dozen or even hundreds of different textbooks. Different authors have different views on certain circumstances, but they are united by facts that must be told one way or another. In world history, there are known phenomena that appeared once and for a long time, and others that appeared several times, but for short periods. One such phenomenon is the colonial system. In the article we will tell you what it is, where it was widespread and how it became a thing of the past.

What is the colonial system?

The world colonial system, or colonialism, is a situation where industrially, culturally, economically developed countries dominate the rest of the world (less developed countries, or third world countries).

Dominance was usually established after armed attacks and the subjugation of the state. It was expressed in the imposition of economic and political principles and rules of existence.

When it was?

Rudiments colonial system appeared in the 15th century during the era of the Great geographical discoveries along with the discovery of India and America. Then the indigenous peoples of the open territories had to recognize the technological superiority of foreigners. The first true colonies were formed by Spain in the 17th century. Gradually, Great Britain, France, Portugal, and the Netherlands began to seize and spread their influence. Later they were joined by the USA and Japan.

By the end of the 19th century most of The world was divided between the great powers. Russia did not actively participate in colonization, but it also subjugated some neighboring territories.

Who belonged to whom?

Belonging to a particular country determined the course of development of the colony. The table below will tell you best how widespread the colonial system was.

There were also smaller colonies, but the table shows that they were not influenced by anyone except Antarctica and Antarctica, because they did not have raw materials and a platform for the development of industry, economy, and life in general. The colonies were governed through governors appointed by the ruler of the metropolitan country or through his constant visits to the colonies.

Characteristic features of the period

The period of colonialism has its own characteristic features:

• All actions are aimed at establishing a monopoly in trade with the colonial territories, i.e. the metropolitan countries wanted the colonies to establish trade relations only with them and with no one else,
• armed attacks and plunder of entire states, and then subjugation of them,
• the use of feudal and slave-owning forms of exploitation of the population of colonial countries, which turned them almost into slaves.

Thanks to this policy, the countries that owned colonies quickly acquired capital reserves, which allowed them to take leading positions on the world stage. Thus, it was thanks to the colonies and their financial resources that England became the most developed country that time.

How did it break up?

Colonial did not collapse immediately, all at once. This process happened gradually. The main period of loss of influence over the colonial countries occurred at the end of the Second World War (1941-1945), because people believed that it was possible to live without oppression and control from another country.

In some places, the escape from influence took place peacefully, through agreements and the signing of agreements, and in others, through military and rebel actions. Some countries in Africa and Oceania are still under US rule, but no longer experience the same oppression as they did in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Consequences of the colonial system

It is difficult to call the colonial system an unambiguously positive or negative phenomenon in the life of the world community. It had both positive and negative sides for both metropolitan states and colonies. The collapse of the colonial system led to certain consequences.

For metropolises they were as follows:

• decline in own production capacity due to the possession of markets and resources of the colonies and, therefore, lack of incentives,
• investing capital in colonies to the detriment of the metropolis,
• lagging behind in competition and development from other countries due to increased concern for colonies.

For colonies:

• destruction and loss of traditional culture and way of life, complete extermination of some nationalities;
• depletion of natural and cultural reserves;
• reduction in numbers local population colonies due to attacks by metropolises, epidemics, famine, etc.;
• the emergence of its own industry and intelligentsia;
• the emergence of the foundations for the future independent development of the country.

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