What were the advantages of the global expansion by Europe between 1500 and 1900?

Of course, most of the advantages of the European
expansion during this time period were felt by Europeans.  However, one can possibly
argue that there were some benefits to non-Europeans as
well.

Of course, European countries benefitted tremendously
from their expansion.  They gained huge amounts of wealth by exploiting their colonial
empires and by trading with countries they did not directly colonize.  For example, in
countries like Peru or Mexico, all the gold and silver that was extracted over the
course of roughly 300 years was sold or used for the benefit of
Spain.

To argue that this expansion helped non-Europeans is
harder.  One can make the case that European expansion spread European knowledge and
technology to other countries faster than would have happened otherwise.  One can also
argue that European forms of government are superior to the more "primitive" forms of
government that existed before the Europeans came.  However, both of these arguments are
somewhat shaky.  It is much easier to argue that the expansion helped Europeans than to
argue that it helped the natives of other continents.