The History of a Passport

The passport is a globally recognised travel card that is used all over the world. The passport was invented in the 15th century, and King Henry V of England is credited with its invention. By an Act of Parliament, the King authorised this travel document in order to improve the safety of his own and his subjects’ movements into foreign countries. The passport was recognized as a document worthy of international use from its inception. Many people across the globe and especially in developing countries at this time found it worthwhile and used it as a rationale travel permits across continent (Goldin et al. 3). The passport was however not fully functional until 1914 when European countries made it a requirement for travelling as a result of the heated debates that were brought about by the First World War. The passport at this time was a safe document that allowed the users to walk freely and safely. The use of the passport however became complicated after uneven trade relationships that lead to superiority and later the colonization of Africa among other Asian colonies.

The History of the Passport

The history of the passport before the First World War cannot be outlined harmoniously. The passport can however be dated to 1414 when King Henry V of England decided to create a rational manner of his own travelling as that of his subjects from one country to another. Though the passport Act was made after an Act of parliament its use since then is not easily traceable. Its use considerably made intense strides in 1540 as it was by the maritime ports for use by businessmen moving goods in and out of Britain. Passports were however not used a general means of transport across the globe at this time even though a great number of people used them (Robertson n.p). A heavy use of the passport can however be seen in the years prior the First World War and also in the latter years. Its intense use is more so, witnessed after 1920 when a worldwide idea of the passport was instituted by the League of Nations.

During the First World War, European nations were eager to protect themselves from any external harm. Most of these countries resulted to the use of a passport that indicated where foreigners came from. Most of these countries however never reciprocated the same as they wanted to anonymously indulge in the war. Most of the passports that were used at this time were representative of a single page folded into eight parts with a photograph, a signature and a description of nationality (Benedictus 1). After the First World War, the League of Nations found it true that a passport was required for use as a means of enhancing security and preventing any further outburst of a World War. The complexion of an individual and their facial features were seen as adequate characteristics that needed to be clear in the passports. As such, the need to create better passports with clearer photos was thus necessitated by this move. Few adjustments have since been since with the passports some of them being the inscription of microchips and barcodes on the passports. The passport still remains an adequate travel document that enables safety of individuals across the globe. Its use has however not been smooth a scramble for superiority remains especially amongst the developed nations.

The Ripple Effects of the Passport

Since its inception, the passport has since been a travel document that allows tourists, businessmen and other policymakers to transverse the world with ease. The use of the passport could arguably be said to be the leading reason in the explosive tourism that was experienced in Europe in the mid-19th century (Blaagaard 63). The outburst of tourism caused a buzz in Europe which made different European countries engage in a fight for passport supremacy (Robertson n.p.). A once united Europe now became a hub of insecurity when those countries that deemed themselves greater made better passports leading to the fall of others. The fall of the passport system in some European countries made them put away the use of the passports and resorted to free trade. An imbalance of trade in Europe was therefore seen as a result of this activity. Some countries had strengthened trade while others failed pathetically.

The drastic rise and fall of trade in Europe made each of these countries design some procedure of spreading their economic wings overseas. The late 19th and the early 20th centuries witnessed an exposition of trade opportunities among these countries. Among these developmental hubs lied Africa. The need to use the passport therefore became a resort for these countries for the second time. The scramble for the use of the passport at this time was however not fierce as it was (Benedictus 2). The use of passports in Africa was not a basic requirement as the continent was not very enlightened in matters of travel.it however reflected that most countries that had a priory good passport system gained better access to more countries.

Once in Africa, among other colonies, European countries now had a reason to lay claim of their superiority. Countries such as Britain that prided in a stronger passport had more access to many countries in Africa. The need to increase their trade activities and create a greater economic hub led to the rise of colonialism (Levick n.p.). The passport factor had made those countries with a viably stronger passport stronger than the rest.

The need to show superiority led to colonization of most counties in Africa. Countries that were stronger engaged many colonies and made economic activities in these colonies robust. The economic activities at the colonies however never benefited the colonies. Rather, their colonial masters benefited more from the trade (Goldin et al. 7). It was thus only natural that countries that had more colonies as result of a stronger passport system, highly benefited from their colonies and in return claimed superiority over their counterparts. The scramble and the fight for superiority only landed the countries into intense colonialism. The passport can therefore be attributed as a reason enough for the rise of colonialism especially in Africa.

The passport, a rational travel document across the globe lays its roots in the 15th century having been launched by King Henry V of England. Its use was however not heavily witnessed until the 19th and the 20th centuries. The passport policy was heavily engaged in Europe where a competition for superiority of individual passports was seen. A trade imbalance was created leading to the fall of some passport systems. Expansion into other places such as Africa only led to intensified competition for superiority. These events led to intensified competition for colonies which culminated to colonization of Africa among other Asian colonies.

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Works Cited

Benedictus, Leo. “A Brief History of The Passport.” the Guardian. N.p., 2017. Web. 1 Dec. 2017.

Blaagaard, Bolette Benedictsen. “The Flipside of My Passport. Myths of Origin and Genealogy of White Supremacy in the Mediated Social Genetic Imaginary.” Complying with Colonialism. Gender, Race and Ethnicity in the Nordic Region(2009): 51-65.

Goldin, Ian, Geoffrey Cameron, and Meera Balarajan. Exceptional people: How migration shaped our world and will define our future. Princeton University Press, 2012.

Levick, Edwin. “The Contentious History Of The Passport.” Nationalgeographic.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 1 Dec. 2017.

Robertson, Craig. The passport in America: The history of a document. Oxford University Press, 2010.