How have historical events been used to justify colonialism and imperialism?

Throughout history, colonialism and imperialism have been used to justify the exploitation of resources, land, and people of other countries. The colonizers and imperial powers often use the pretext of 'civilizing the barbarians' and bringing their culture and civilization to the 'uncivilized' countries. Historical events have been manipulated and distorted to support these claims, and to justify the domination of one country over another. Some of the ways historical events have been used to justify colonialism and imperialism include:

• Religious justifications: The Crusades of the medieval period were used as a pretext for European powers to invade and conquer Muslim territories. The Christian rulers saw it as their duty to spread their religion and 'save' the souls of the infidels. Similarly, the Spanish colonization of South America was justified by the religious zeal of the conquistadors, who believed that they were saving the souls of the natives by converting them to Christianity.
• Scientific justifications: In the 19th century, the theory of Social Darwinism was used to justify colonialism and imperialism. European powers believed that they were superior to other races and had the right to colonize and exploit the weaker races. The Europeans believed that they were bringing civilization and progress to the 'backward' countries.
• Economic justifications: The colonial powers often used the economic benefits of colonization to justify their actions. They believed that they were opening up new markets and sources of raw materials, which would benefit both the colonizers and the colonized. The British, for example, believed that they were bringing economic development to India, which was seen as a 'backward' country in need of British guidance.

Overall, historical events have been manipulated and distorted to justify colonialism and imperialism. The colonizers and imperial powers used a variety of justifications to support their actions, but the end result was the same - the domination of one country over another, and the exploitation of its resources and people.