In the colonial era colonial expansion worked through military, economic, and religious methods. Military force was the primary and initial method, with European armies invading and conquering, usually by the force of superior arms, other countries and peoples who had committed no real aggression against them. This was often little more than organized banditry, stealing the gold, jewels, and other treasures of these different lands. Economic exploitation went hand in hand with the military conquest, following in its footsteps, stooping so low in its methods to get involved with the drug and slave trades. After all it was generally the riches of these countries, whether imaginary or real, like the gold in America that spurned on the armies and gave them the promise of reward. Or the land itself became the gift for new settlers, as in the case of the American continent that was not highly populated. Economic exploitation gradually moved from outright robbery, after the riches of the country were already taken, to dominating the natural resources and controlling the economies of these lands for more long term gains, like the British rule in India and China. Eventually even the articles of daily life in these regions were controlled for profit rendering the peoples of these nations dependent upon foreign rule for their very livelihood.

Religion provided the needed justification for this cruel plunder. After all heathens really don't have to be treated like human beings. Christianity was based upon an idea, which few Christians ever questioned, that Christianity was the only true religion. All other religions had to be eliminated to save the souls of mankind. 

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