Transportation: Transportation was vital for colonization. During the early years of colonization, ships were essential. However, in later years, other methods, such as the railway, were equally important.
Warfare: Warfare was commonly waged against local populations in order to colonize them. In most cases, Europeans had more advanced weapons and more organized armies, which gave them a significant advantage.
Communication: Communication was important for many reasons. Operations among the colonizers needed effective communication in order to be organized. Communication was also important in order to remain in contact with the "mother land."
Ethnic and cultural divisions: Colonizers exploited the ethnic and cultural divisions between the local population to their advantage. This not only increased the number of supporters, but it also allowed them to use the hierarchal relations already established in the area. Famous examples are the Spanish in the Aztec Empire and the Belgians in Rwanda.
