History of imperialism The origin of empires. Empires have existed since ancient times and their dynamics of conquest have followed similar patterns. For example, the Roman Empire conquered territories by force and exercised political and economic domination over large areas of the known world. The Roman Empire, in particular, Igor Kostin Sygma Getty Images. Chernobyl is a nuclear power plant in Ukraine that was the scene of a disastrous nuclear accident. A routine test at the power plant went horribly. The motivations of imperialism include economic, cultural, political, moral, and exploratory control. Imperialism and colonialism are closely related, but imperialism can occur without colonialism if the invading country does not send settlers. Imperialism has played an important role in the history of the United States, with impacts on the economy and climate change. The slur Akata has been used to draw ethnic boundaries between Nigerians and African Americans. Boundaries are used to create a divide between us and them. Scholars who study borders, such as Michelle Lamont, divide borders into two types: social borders, which are objectified differences like class and race, and symbolic borders. There has been little research on the psychological impact of the n-word and other racial slurs. Continued exposure to the stress of racial discrimination increases the risk of violence among Africans.