AP Modern World History Flashcards: Economic Imperialism
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
Which two regions were the primary targets of economic imperialism by industrialized states from 1750 to 1900?
Industrialized states and their businesses primarily practiced economic imperialism in Asia and Latin America during this period.
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Which two regions were the primary targets of economic imperialism by industrialized states from 1750 to 1900?
Industrialized states and their businesses primarily practiced economic imperialism in Asia and Latin America during this period.
What was the primary goal of structuring trade in commodities like palm oil and copper during this era?
The primary goal was to provide merchants and companies based in Europe and the U.S. with a distinct and sustained economic advantage.
What fundamental advantage did merchants from Europe and the U.S. hold in the global commodity trade?
They held a distinct economic advantage because the trade systems for commodities like opium, cotton, and palm oil were specifically organized to benefit them.
A U.S. company controls the copper mines in a Latin American country and dictates prices. What is this an example of?
This is an example of economic imperialism, where a business from an industrialized state has an organized economic advantage over another region's resources.
Who were the main actors practicing economic imperialism?
The main actors were industrialized states (like those in Europe and the U.S.) and the private businesses and companies based within those states.
Did only governments of industrialized states practice economic imperialism?
No, private businesses and companies based within those industrialized states also actively practiced economic imperialism to gain advantages.
How did the organization of commodity trade contribute to the development of a global economy?
Trade was organized to give merchants from industrialized states an advantage, which concentrated wealth and power, shaping the global economy to their benefit.
What is economic imperialism?
A practice where industrialized states and businesses within them exert economic power and influence over other regions, primarily to control resources and markets.
What key economic factor contributed to the global economy's development between 1750 and 1900?
The practice of economic imperialism by industrialized nations, which integrated various regions into a single economy, was a key contributing factor.
Name two specific commodities whose trade was organized to give an advantage to merchants from Europe and the U.S.
The trade in commodities like opium and cotton was organized in a way that gave a distinct economic advantage to Western merchants and companies.