Colonisation

Explore Colonisation through the conflicts, campaigns, political shifts and turning points that changed nations and empires. This timeline explains each milestone in context, showing how power, resistance, ideology, diplomacy and social pressure shaped historical outcomes. It helps trace causes, consequences and long-term impacts across regions and generations.

1600 to 197514 items
1600 – 1975

Portuguese colonial rule in Angola and Mozambique

The establishment and endurance of Portuguese colonial rule in Angola and Mozambique represents one of the most protracted chapters in the history of European expansion in Africa. Beginning around 1600, this period of ad...

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14 May 1607

British settlement at Jamestown

The establishment of the British settlement at Jamestown on 14 May 1607 represents a fundamental turning point in the history of North American colonisation. By planting this foothold, England moved beyond fleeting explo...

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3 Jul 1608

French colonisation of Quebec

The establishment of a permanent French settlement at Quebec on 3 July 1608 represents a fundamental shift in the colonial ambitions of France within North America. By securing a foothold at this specific location, Frenc...

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1624

Dutch establish New Amsterdam

The Origins of a Colonial Outpost The establishment of New Amsterdam around 1624 represented a deliberate effort by Dutch interests to secure a foothold in North America. By planting this settlement, the Dutch sought to...

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26 Jan 1788

British colonisation of Australia begins

The arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788 represents a fundamental shift in the trajectory of the Australian continent. After a arduous voyage from Great Britain, the fleet anchored to establish a...

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14 Jun 1830

French colonisation of Algeria begins

The arrival of French forces on the Algerian coast in June 1830 initiated a transformative and turbulent period in North African history. By launching an invasion at Sidi Fredj, the French military sought to dismantle th...

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1858

British control of India formalised (Crown rule)

The transition to direct British control over India in 1858 represented a fundamental shift in the governance of the subcontinent. Following the widespread upheaval of the 1857 rebellion, the existing administrative stru...

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1880 – 1914

Scramble for Africa peak period

The period beginning around 1880 and extending to the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 represents a transformative era in the history of the African continent, defined by an unprecedented surge in European colonia...

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15 Nov 1884 – 26 Feb 1885

Berlin Conference partitions Africa

The Berlin Conference , which convened in November 1884 and concluded in February 1885, stands as a defining moment in the history of European imperialism. By bringing together major powers to deliberate on the future of...

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1885 – 1960

Belgian Congo established

The establishment of the Belgian Congo around 1885 represented a profound shift in the governance of Central Africa, transitioning the territory from the personal possession of the monarch into a formal colony of the Bel...

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1887 – 1954

French Indochina established

The formation of French Indochina in 1887 represented a deliberate effort by the French state to centralise its administrative control over territories in Southeast Asia. By grouping the protectorates of Annam, Tonkin, a...

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1895 – 1960

British expansion into East Africa

The period beginning around 1895 signalled a transformative phase for British interests in East Africa, as the imperial administration moved from tentative influence to the formal consolidation of colonial control. This...

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29 Aug 1910 – 15 Aug 1945

Japanese expansion into Korea

The formal annexation of Korea by Japan on 29 August 1910 represented a definitive shift in the geopolitical landscape of East Asia. By transitioning from a period of growing influence to one of direct administrative con...

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1911 – 1943

Italian colonisation of Libya

The Italian colonisation of Libya began in 1911, initiating a period of foreign administration that would fundamentally alter the region's trajectory for over three decades. By launching an invasion, the Italian state so...

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