What term describes a system of countries extending their control over other nations, creating an empire or network of colonies?

• A. Mercantilism
• B. Imperialism
• C. Colonialism
• D. Nationalism

Answer: (B)

Imperialism is the policy of extending a country’s power and influence over other lands and peoples, often by building an empire and a network of colonies. It describes the broader system of domination—political, economic, and sometimes military—that allows a nation to control or heavily influence many regions beyond its borders. This is why the term fits a situation described as creating an empire or a network of colonies: it captures not just the act of claiming land, but the organized way a country arranges and maintains influence over other nations.

Think of the historical context: during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many powers sought to expand their reach by establishing colonies, protectorates, and spheres of influence around the world. That drive to extend control, often through economic leverage or military power, is at the heart of imperialism.

Colonialism, while closely related, refers more specifically to the practice of establishing and governing colonies. Mercantilism is an economic doctrine about accumulating wealth through trade and exports, and nationalism is a sense of pride and loyalty to one’s country. Imperialism best matches the description of extending control to create an empire or network of colonies.