From historic empires to diverse nation-states to a multicountry union, the continent struggles to confront the cultural forces that unite and divide it. The powerful impact European colonialism has had on the world since the Industrial Revolution is still felt today. The rural-to-urban shift prompted by the Industrial Revolution first impacted Europe and continues to impact developing countries. Understanding the geographic region of Europe is essential to understanding our world. This short summary of the basic concepts will provide a valuable lesson in globalization, which affects every human being on the planet. The concepts and principles that apply to Europe can also apply to other countries and regions.
The empires of Europe i.e. Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, France and to a lesser extent Belguim, Italy, Netherlands & Germany conquered the majority of the world and suppressed native cultures and languages by forcing European ideals and languages on them.
