Imperialism in the 1800s resulted from nationalism driving European nations to build empires, the Industrial Revolution creating demand for raw materials and expanded markets, and feelings of racial and cultural superiority inspiring Europeans to impose their cultures on other lands. Key factors promoting imperialism included nationalism, the demand for resources from industrialization, and a sense of cultural superiority among Europeans. Imperialism allowed European nations to gain political and economic control over much of Africa and Asia in the late 1800s.