Commodore Matthew Perry's expedition in 1853 to Tokyo to force trade with Japan displayed the use of "gunboat diplomacy" by the united states, since the United States was threatening (by implication) to use force if diplomacy failed.
The Spanish were invading and taking over tribes stealing their riches and killing their people.
Basically, the conflict in the Mughal empire convey to the world how weak the Indian Condition is.
So not long after that, the British and East Indian companies started to spread their influences there.
It was primarily "the Industrial Revolution" that led European countries to seek natural resources in colonies around the world during the 19th century, since these natural resources were uses in the factories to make products that were sold.
