Colonisation - GCSE History Definition

Colonisation is when one country takes control of another area, usually far away, and often sends its own people to settle there. The country in control usually wants to make money from the land by using its resources and people. From the 1500s to the 1900s, many European countries, like Britain, France, and Spain, took over parts of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. They often forced local people to follow their laws, language, and religion, and used their land, labour, and materials for their own benefit. In GCSE History, colonisation is important because it helps explain how empires grew, how they affected indigenous peoples, and how they changed the culture, economy, and borders of countries all over the world — especially during the time of European imperialism.