How a Few Countries Took Over the World
The story of colonization — who did it, why, and what it changed
Imagine 6 countries showing up at your neighborhood, claiming your house is theirs, taking your things, and making you follow their rules. That's what happened to most of the world between 1500 and 1960.
At its peak in 1914, European empires controlled 84% of the world's land.
The Colonial Wave
How much of the world was colonized over time
The 6 Biggest Colonial Empires
Click any empire to see what they took
What Colonization Changed
Click to see the before and after
Fighting Back: Stories of Resistance
Colonized people never stopped fighting for freedom
Toussaint Louverture
Led the only successful slave revolution, defeating Napoleon's army
Indian Sepoys
The Great Rebellion — soldiers and civilians rose against British East India Company
King Prempeh I
Resisted British takeover, refused to become a "protectorate"
Mahatma Gandhi
Salt March — 240-mile walk that challenged the entire British Empire without violence
Ho Chi Minh
Declared independence from France, quoted America's Declaration of Independence
Kwame Nkrumah
First sub-Saharan African country to gain independence — inspired the whole continent
Nelson Mandela
Arrested for fighting apartheid — spent 27 years in prison, then became president
Why This Matters Today
By 1975, most colonies were free. But the effects of colonization didn't disappear overnight. The borders drawn by colonizers still divide communities. The languages they imposed are still official. The wealth they extracted was never returned.
Understanding colonization helps us understand why the world looks the way it does today — and why fairness, respect for all cultures, and learning from history matter so much.