Editing Colonialism (section)

=== Military innovation ===
[[File:Aschanti Gefecht 11 july 1824 300dpi.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|The [[First Anglo-Ashanti War]], 1823–1831]]
Conquering forces have throughout history applied innovation in order to gain an advantage over the armies of the people they aim to conquer. Greeks developed the [[phalanx]] system, which enabled their military units to present themselves to their enemies as a wall, with foot soldiers using shields to cover one another during their advance on the battlefield. Under [[Philip II of Macedon]], they were able to organise thousands of soldiers into a formidable battle force, bringing together carefully trained infantry and cavalry regiments.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Peoples and Empires |last=Pagden |publisher= |year=2003 |isbn= |location= |page=6}}</ref> [[Alexander the Great]] exploited this military foundation further during his conquests.

The Spanish Empire held a major advantage over [[Mesoamerican]] warriors through the use of weapons made of stronger metal, predominantly iron, which was able to shatter the blades of axes used by the [[Aztec civilisation]] and others. The use of [[gunpowder]] weapons cemented the European military advantage over the peoples they sought to subjugate in the Americas and elsewhere.