European powers extended their control over large parts of Africa and Asia between 1850 and 1914 through a process known as imperialism or the New Imperialism. There were several factors that drove Europeans to build global empires during this time period. Advances in technology like rifles, steamboats, railroads, the telegraph, and medicine allowed Europeans to more easily project their military and economic power onto other parts of the world. Europeans also competed with new imperial powers like Germany and Italy to acquire overseas territories and resources. Europeans justified their domination by citing desires to access natural resources, find new markets for their goods, and promote civilization in Africa and Asia. In Africa, this led to a scramble in the late 1800s by European nations to claim