National Rivalry

1. By 1870, the two countries that had expanded their empires the most were France and Britain.
2. In 1900, the word "colony" referred to a territory or area that was under the political control of
another country, typically a distant one, and was often used to extract resources or for strategic
purposes.
3. In 1900, the word "empire" meant a group of territories or countries controlled by a single
sovereign authority, usually an emperor or empress, and often consisting of diverse peoples and
cultures.
4. Great Britain had the largest empire in 1900.
5. The two new countries born in the 1870s were Italy and Germany.
6. In 1914, the German Empire covered 2.5 million km2, and the Italian Empire covered none, as Italy
did not have significant overseas colonies.
7. Germany and France argued about who should have Morocco in 1906 and 1911.
8. In order to increase the size of its empire and become a 'great nation' in 1900, Germany would
have to acquire new territories, either through colonization or diplomatic means.
9. This would frighten Britain and France because it would mean increased competition and
potential conflict over colonies and resources, leading to a threat to their own empires and national
prestige.