Colonialism: The practice of establishing political and economic control over foreign territories, often involving the settlement and exploitation of those territories by the colonizing power.
Mercantilism: An economic system prevalent during the era of maritime empires, characterized by government regulation and control over trade in order to accumulate wealth for the home country.
Naval Dominance: Refers to the military superiority at sea that allowed European maritime empires to expand their influence and maintain control over their colonies.