third way to determine how many equivalent protons there are is to look at the atom attached to. the proton (usually a carbon) and observe what that atom is bonded to, and then the atom bonded. to that, all the way until a difference is observed.
The goal of imperialism is  to exercise economic and political control over a dependent territory. Such control is often accomplished through settlement, sovereignty or less direct methods.
Economic imperialism was when a country virtually functioned and stood on its own, but the imperial country ran its trade market. Political imperialism occurred when the country that had been taken over had its own government, but these people acted only as the imperial power instructed them.