European contact with Africa increased during the 1800's because of the want for natural resources, land, and increased global power. European countries competed over territories in Africa, known as the "Scramble for Africa," right after the Berlin Conference in 1885.
This competition allowed for countries like Spain, France, Britain, and Germany to expand their political and economic influence. Once territories were taken over by these countries, they would exploit the resources found in different African countries and use them to benefit their country.
Along with this, industrialization was increasing rapidly throughout Europe. Due to this increase, the demand for raw materials and new markets (aka new people to buy materials) increased as well. All of these factors played a pivotal role in increasing contact between Europeans and Africans during the 1800's.
The Steam Engine allowed transportation across the country, and factories no longer needed to be located by rivers, instead they used the steam engine to power their machines. The auto mobile helped revolutionize and change completely how people travel, especially in America when Henry Ford made the first <em>affordable</em> automobile, not just the automobile. Karl Benz made the first automobile, but only the rich could afford it at the time. The Internet, of course, changed how people gather and give information, and today anyone with any sort of technology can learn about anything they want, and also give their own voice and opinions on topics. The Internet has definitely helped expand education and how people learn about current events.
Hopefully this helped, I know its brief but there wasn't much details given.
The events that were criticial to the unification of Italian peninsula were:
1858- First, they formed an alliance with France since Austria during the 19th century was getting in the way. Austria took over the provinces of Venetia and Lombardy in the northern part and several other small states. In order to fix the fiasco, Sardinian Prime Minister, Camilio de Cavour, convinced Napoleon III who was the emperor of France at that time, to drive out Austria by waging war against them.
1859- The combined forces of Sardinia and France had freed some northern parts of Italy except Venetia.
1860- Cavour fostered unity over the northern part of Italy and decided to do the same in the south. He helped the rebels of southern Italy and a small army of nationalists under the leadership of Giusippe Garibaldi who by then was the enabler for the army to capture Sicily and move across the Italian mainland marching towards the northern part from there. He freed most of the states in Southern Italy.
1861- In reaching the mainland, volunteers crowded over Garibaldi's banner. An election was conducted and voters had given permission for Garibaldi to unite the areas he conquered.
*** in the same year, the northern and southern part of Italy was unified under the Victor Emmanuel II who was the King of Sardinia. Even with such triumph, there were still territories that still need to be freed.
1866- Venetia became a part of Italy eventually. The Italian forces took over the Papal States. However, despite the unification, there were still many unresolved problems which made Italy enter the 20th century as a poor country.
