By the 19th century, Britain was the largest colonial power in the world. Its empire was more vast than any other in human history. The British had colonies on every inhabited continent. There was even a saying, "The sun never sets on the British Empire." Moral superiority fueled New Imperialism. The belief that some countries were racially and culturally superior to others was used to "justify" imperialism. The devastating consequence of this belief was the end of many indigenous cultures in the Americas and the enslavement of countless Africans. Widespread missionary activity conducted by imperialist powers is one of the reasons Christianity is the most widespread religion on Earth. We reviewed characteristics of Imperialism: Racism, Moral superiority, Missionary activity, Exploitation of natural resources, Military conquest, Rivalry between colonial powers. This rivalry contributes to the outbreak of WWI in 1914. Also many of the civil wars on the African continent during the 20th and 21st centuries can be traced to the borders created by former imperial powers.