Colonialism & Conquest

Helpful Hints:

For each category, we have provided several examples to get you thinking about the wide variety of topics on which you might develop a website. Remember, your website entry is only required to fit into one of the broad categories, such as Colonialism & Conquest.

You will notice that many of our examples include cross-cultural references or highlight international aspects of a particular topic. The criteria used to score ThinkQuest entries reward collaboration among student teams in different regions or countries, so we have provided examples that we hope will inspire you to think globally and collaboratively as you choose your topic area and develop your website.

Here is one way you might choose a topic with your team:

• Look at all six official categories. Which one is most interesting to you?
  
• Read the examples provided below. Remember, they are only examples.
  
• Then, discuss/brainstorm topic ideas:
  • Which ideas are you most excited to learn about?
  • If you’re doing ThinkQuest as part of a class, what are some subjects you will learn about this school term? In other words, can you think of a topic that links to your curriculum?
  • Are you an expert on a certain topic already? What about your friends and family? Think about all of the resources available to you.
  • Look at the ThinkQuest Library. Are there already lots of web sites about your topic? Can you think of something new?
  • Is this a good topic for collaboration—with kids from another school, community, or country?

Colonialism & Conquest Examples:

At some point in their history, most nations have experienced colonialism, whether as an empire seeking to expand or as a region being colonized. Many scholars suggest that colonialism is a bad system that has sometimes produced good results. You might consider this paradox. Consider why empires rise and fall. Or, look at the impact colonists have on the lands they occupy. You might focus on one empire that ruled many territories. Or, you could concentrate on a particular region that has been ruled by several invading powers over the years. You could explore the legacy of colonialism, such as the introduction of new languages, new plants and animals, or new institutions -- like democracy and the rule of law. We are sure you’ll come up with many topics of your own, but here are some examples to get you thinking.

Academic Subjects/Standards you could explore in this category: Language Arts, Visual Art, Music, Science, Social Studies, Civics, Foreign Language Studies, and Technology.

Example one: California Missions

Between 1769 and 1798, Spanish colonialists established a chain of 21 churches along California’s coastline. Known as the “California missions”, these settlements represent the first arrival of non-Native Americans to California. The missions were organized to be one day’s walk apart, and a road called El Camino Real (“The Royal Highway”) was built to connect them. Spain’s motivation to create these permanent settlements was both political and religious. King Carlos III wanted to claim the area before Russian and English colonialists. The missions were also used to covert the Native Americans to Christianity and the Spanish way of life. Besides new values and a new language, the Spanish colonies introduced non-native livestock, fruits, and flowers to California.

Example two: Colonialism in India

India was ruled by the British for more than two centuries, however, before the British came, India had been invaded and occupied by at least six colonial powers since ancient times, including the Persians, the Afghans, Alexander the Great, the Mongols, the Arabs, and the Turks.

Example three: Languages & Colonialism

Centuries of European colonialism brought new languages to many parts of the world. In parts of Africa, French, Dutch, English and Portuguese are still spoken. Afrikaans, a language rooted in Dutch, is widely spoken in southern Africa. Similar influences are found in the Americas. British colonialists brought English to the United States. English and French are the official languages of Canada, legacies of British and French Colonialism.

Example four: Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan (born with the name Temujen) was one of the most infamous rulers and military strategists in history. At the time of his birth in the 1160s, most Mongol tribes were scattered and nomadic. After unifying the Mongol people in 1206, Temujen was crowned Genghis Khan, a title which means “emperor of all emperors”. His fierce army then swept across the continent, conquering neighboring territories. By the time of his death in 1227, he ruled over the largest empire the world has ever known. It stretched from modern day Korea to Hungary, and down into Iran, Afghanistan, and northern India. The Mongols promoted trade and artistic exchange across the vast region, leaving behind an important cultural legacy that continues to influence the region today.

Example five: Greek shipping power

Many scholars believe that sailing expertise helped the ancient empire of Greece rise to power in the 8th century B.C. The geography of Greece certainly played a role as well. Greece is located near the center of the Mediterranean Sea, in between Asia and Europe, and just north of Africa. This put the Greeks right at the crossroads of many ancient shipping paths. In addition, the area of Greece is made up of one large peninsula and hundreds of small islands. 92 percent of its borders are coastline, forming lots of natural harbors. Plus, most of the interior land is mountainous and difficult to farm. It was natural for ancient Greeks to turn to the sea as a means to secure the resources that they needed. They were among the first to build ships that could transport large quantities of goods, and established ports in faraway places such as Persia and India. As an important trading partner, Greece was able to hold tremendous influence over other civilizations of its time.

Citations:

• California Missions. BGe Internet Services. 9 Mar. 2004 <http://missions.bgmm.com/>
• Malloy, Betsy. “California Missions.” About.com. 9 Mar. 2004 <http://gocalifornia.about.com/cs/missioncalifornia/a/missionhistory.htm>.
• “Chronology of California Mission History.” Home page. California Missions Foundation. 9 Mar. 2004 <http://missionsofcalifornia.org/missions/history.html>.
• D’Souza, Dinesh. “Two cheers for Colonialism.” The Chronicle Review. The Chronicle of Higher Education. 10 May 2002. 2 Apr. 2004 <http://chronicle.com/free/v48/i35/35b00701.htm>.
• “Field Listing – Languages.” The World Fact Book. 18 Dec. 2003. Central Intelligence Agency (United States). 9 Mar. 2004 <http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/fields/2098.html>.
• “Genghis Khan: Treasures of Inner Mongolia.” Home page. 23 Oct. 2003. The Provincial Museum of Alberta. 8 Mar. 2004 <http://www.pma.edmonton.ab.ca/vexhibit/genghis/biog.htm>.
• “The Legacy of Genghis Khan.” Home page. 2003. Los Angeles County Museum of Art. 8 Mar. 2004 <http://www.lacma.org/khan/index_flash.htm>.
• Polemis, Spyros M. “The History of Greek Shipping.” The Poseidon Voyage. 25 Dec. 1995. Hellenic Electronic Center. 9 Mar. 2004 <http://www.greece.org/poseidon/work/articles/polemis_one.html>.