why did they have the berlin conference

The immediate reason for the Berlin Conference was the jealousy of the king of a small country, Belgium, towards his cousin, Queen Victoria of Great Britain. King Leopold II of Belgium considered himself to be an important man. Yet in the 1870s, Leopold had no territory other than the small state of Belgium itself.

Full Answer

What is the Berlin Conference and why is it important?

The Berlin Conference of 1884-85 was held to ease tensions in Europe over colonial claims in Africa. The conference opened the door for the full-scale colonization of Africa by European countries. A major issue between European countries, the navigation of the Niger and Congo Rivers, was resolved by the meeting.

What were the negative effects of the Berlin Conference?

What were the negative effects of the Berlin Conference? Some of the negative impacts included, loss of land, enslavement in these new territories, natural resources being taken from the people, and European disease. The African people weren’t even asked or apart of the conference so they just had their land taken from them with no say at all.

What was the result of the Berlin Conference?

What was the result of the Berlin Conference? Its outcome, the General Act of the Berlin Conference, formalized the Scramble for Africa. The diplomats in Berlin laid the rules of competition by which the great powers were to be guided in seeking colonies. No nation was to stake claims in Africa without notifying other powers of its intentions.

What agreements came out of the Berlin Conference?

What agreement came out of the Berlin Conference? The most important provisions of the Act were the abolition of the slave trade throughout each power's respective sphere of influence and the maintaining of the Congo Free State as a place open to European investment.

What was the purpose of the Berlin Conference?

In 1884, at the request of Portugal, German chancellor Otto von Bismark called together the major western powers of the world to negotiate questions and end confusion over the control of Africa. Bismark appreciated the opportunity to expand Germany's sphere of influence over Africa and hoped to force Germany's ...

How many countries were represented at the Berlin Conference?

Countries Represented at the Berlin Conference. Fourteen countries were represented by a plethora of ambassadors when the conference opened in Berlin on November 15, 1884. The countries represented at the time included Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, ...

Which countries did the British control?

Great Britain desired a Cape-to-Cairo collection of colonies and almost succeeded through their control of Egypt, Sudan (Anglo-Egyptian Sudan ), Uganda, Kenya (British East Africa), South Africa , and Zambia, Zimbabwe (Rhodesia), and Botswana . The British also controlled Nigeria and Ghana (Gold Coast).

Who was the king of Belgium during the Berlin Conference?

Despite its neutrality, part of the Congo Basin became a personal kingdom for Belgium's King Leopold II. Under his rule, over half of the region's population died. At the time of the conference, only the coastal areas of Africa were colonized by the European powers. At the Berlin Conference, the European colonial powers scrambled ...

Who is Matt Rosenberg?

Matt Rosenberg is an award-winning geographer and the author of "The Handy Geography Answer Book" and "The Geography Bee Complete Preparation Handbook.". The Berlin Conference was described by Harm J. de Bli in "Geography: Realms, Regions, and Concepts:". "The Berlin Conference was Africa's undoing in more ways than one.

Why was the Berlin Conference organized?

The Berlin Conference of 1884–1885 was organized by the chancellor Otto von Bismarck of Germany to address a number of diplomatic and political problems arising from this European expansion into Africa.

What was the Berlin Conference?

BERLIN CONFERENCE. The "Scramble for Africa" had commenced in earnest by the latter half of the nineteenth century, intensifying competition between European states and commercial interests intent on staking their claims to Africa. The Berlin Conference of 1884–1885 was organized by the chancellor Otto von Bismarck of Germany to address a number ...

What was the main preoccupation of the conference?

the general act. The General Act signed on 26 February 1885 indicates the main preoccupation of the conference. The first article of the act stipulated that freedom of commerce was to prevail in a defined area centering on the Congo basin.

What countries were present at the Berlin Conference?

Also present at the conference were a number of secondary European powers, such as Denmark, Spain, and Italy, as well as the United States and the Ottoman Empire. While the Berlin Conference had an enduring and profound impact on the peoples of Africa, no African societies were represented at the conference.

Why were missionaries required to protect missionary societies?

Toward this end, they were required to protect those missionary societies and philanthropic institutions that were created to "instruct the natives and to make them understand and appreciate the advantages of civilization.". Freedom of worship and conscience were guaranteed.

Which conference was the principal beneficiary of the proceedings?

The dual character of the Berlin Conference is further suggested by the fact that the General Act makes no explicit reference to the International Association of the Congo, which became the principal beneficiary of the proceedings.

When was the Berlin Conference on West Africa?

General Act of the Berlin Conference on West Africa, Feb. 26 1885, translated in Official Documents. American Journal of International Law 3 (1909): 7.

What was the Berlin Conference?

The Berlin Conference. The Berlin Conference can be best understood as the formalisation of the Scramble for Africa. This British coined the term sometime in 1884, and it has since been used to describe the twenty-plus years when the various European powers explored, divided, conquered and began to exploit virtually the entire African continent.

How long did the Berlin Conference last?

The Berlin Conference spanned almost four months of deliberations, from 15 November 1884 to 26 February 1885. By the end of the Conference the European powers had neatly divided Africa up amongst themselves, drawing the boundaries of Africa much as we know them today.

What was the significance of Stanley's charting of the Congo River Basin?

Stanley’s charting of the Congo River Basin (1874–77) removed the last bit of terra incognita from European maps of the continent, thereby delineating the rough areas of British, Portuguese, French, and Belgian control. The powers raced to push these rough boundaries to their furthest limits and eliminating any local minor rulers which might prove troublesome to European competitive diplomacy.

Why was Africa ignored?

This changed as a result of King Leopold of Belgium’s desire for personal glory and riches and b y the mid-19th century, Africa was considered ripe for exploration, trade, and settlement.

How did European diplomacy treat African indigenous people?

Prior to the conference, European diplomacy treated African indigenous people in the same manner as they treated New World natives, forming trade realtions with tribal chiefs. This can seen in examples such as the Portuguese trading with the Kingdom of the Kongo.

When did the Scramble for Africa begin?

European powers were slow to realise the benefits of claiming land in Africa and had mainly kept to coastal colonies. However in 1884–5 the Scramble for Africa had truly began in earnest when thirteen European countries and the United States met in Berlin to agree to the rules dividing Africa.

Why did France move to occupy Tunisia?

France moved to occupy Tunisia, one of the last of the Barbary Pirate states, under the pretext of another Islamic terror and piracy incident.

What was the purpose of the Berlin Conference?

During the colonial expansion, there were territorial claims of the colonists that overlapped. To resolve these claims and to establish control over the trade in African continent, a conference was called by Portugal and it was arranged by Germany. This conference was held at Berlin residence ...

What countries attended the Berlin Conference?

This conference, known as the Berlin Conference, was attended by the diplomats of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Belgium, Denmark, France, Holland, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Turkey, and the United States of America. Of all the nations, France, Germany, Great Britain, ...

What was Otto von Bismarck's plan?

Otto von Bismarck would come up with a backup plan, in case his original plans did not work out. Such a backup plan was known as ‘The Bismarck Plan’ and which later became famous as the ‘Plan B’. During the 19 th century, Africa was being seen as a source of untapped natural resources by the colonial powers of Europe.

What was the outcome of the Congo conference?

As an outcome of this conference, Congo would not only become a Belgian colony, it would come under the private domain of the Belgian King. It was also decided upon to maintain the neutrality of the African continent in case of a war.

What are the repercussions of the African partition?

This has resulted into infusion of violence and turmoil in the African continent.

Which country was under the control of the Belgian king?

The Democratic Republic of Congo, that was under the domain of the Belgian king, saw nearly half of its population perishing under the King’s rule. The European powers had failed to maintain the neutral status of Africa and it had been a theater to quite a few wars during the two World Wars.

Which colony was under German control?

Whereas, Mozambique and Angola became a part of the Portuguese colonies. Italy had Somalia and some parts of Ethiopia under its control. Namibia and Tanzania were under German control. The Spanish colony in Equatorial Guinea was one of the smallest.

What was the main point of the colonial conference?

It was one of the main points established in this conference, by banning the creation of new settlements in the territory without a government, or what is the same, creating colonies by planting a flag and by which a territory claimed by law uti possidetis. Also, by this principle, the colonial power was also to make use of the colony economically. If the colonial power did these things, one could could do and therefore could have rights over the land.

Why did the competition for Africa start?

So this “competition”for Africa started,because of the desire to control those huge lands and reso

How did Europeans settle their empires?

Faced with this desire to to grow their empires, Europeans could either settle boundaries between themselves by fighting or negotiating. Germany was trying to build its own empire at this time, having recently been unified, so to decrease the possibility of a war between Europeans and increase German influence in negotiations, Chancellor Bismarck called the conference.

Why was the world struggling during the long depression?

Financially, the world was struggling at this time due to the effects of the Long Depression. This saw a resurgence of protectionist policies, hence the desire to grow land holdings (free trade encourages the opposite). Europeans also held a parochial attitude towards African peoples at this time and saw them in need of ‘civilisation’.

How did European powers gain a serious advantage over native African peoples?

European powers had gained a serious advantage over native African peoples thanks to industrialisation. Logistical improvements like the telegraph and railways allowed for European influence to be extended into the interior of Africa. Up until this point, European control had been limited to coastal fortifications.

Why was the African Territory so desired?

The african territory was really desired for it's huge resources. This conference (organised by Bismarck)stated that the control of a part of the african territory by an european power could be legitimated by the simple occupation of that area and the notification to the other great european powers.

Was Germany a neutral or credible facilitator?

Also Germany was powerful at the time. So they could act as a credible, neutral facilitator of negotiations between the parties involved.

Who attended the Potsdam Conference?

Learn about the Potsdam Conference attended by Winston Churchill, Harry Truman, and Joseph Stalin to decide the future of Germany and Europe after WWII. Overview of the Potsdam Conference. The conferees discussed the substance and procedures of the peace settlements in Europe but did not attempt to write peace treaties.

Who was the leader of Poland during the Potsdam Conference?

U.S. Pres. Harry S. Truman (centre) shaking hands with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (left) and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin on the opening day of the Potsdam Conference. Poland’s boundary became the Oder and Neisse rivers in the west, and the country received part of former East Prussia.

What did Truman tell Stalin about the atomic bomb?

While in Potsdam, Truman told Stalin about the United States’ “new weapon” (the atomic bomb) that it intended to use against Japan. On July 26 an ultimatum was issued from the conference to Japan demanding unconditional surrender and threatening heavier air attacks otherwise.

What were the four occupation zones of Germany?

The Potsdam Conference’s Declaration on Germany stated, “It is the intention of the Allies that the German people be given the opportunity to prepare for the eventual reconstruction of their life on a democratic and peaceful basis.” The four occupation zones of Germany conceived at the Yalta Conference were set up, each to be administered by the commander-in-chief of the Soviet, British, U.S., or French army of occupation. Berlin, Vienna, and Austria were also each divided into four occupation zones. An Allied Control Council made up of representatives of the four Allies was to deal with matters affecting Germany and Austria as a whole. Its policies were dictated by the “five Ds” decided upon at Yalta: demilitarization, denazification, democratization, decentralization, and deindustrialization. Each Allied power was to seize reparations from its own occupation zones, although the Soviet Union was permitted 10–15 percent of the industrial equipment in the western zones of Germany in exchange for agricultural and other natural products from its zone.

What were the policies of the Allies?

Its policies were dictated by the “five Ds” decided upon at Yalta: demilitarization, denazification, democratization, decentralization, and deindustrialization.

Which countries were controlled by communists?

This necessitated moving millions of Germans in those areas to Germany. The governments of Romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria were already controlled by communists, and Stalin was adamant in refusing to let the Allies interfere in eastern Europe.

Where was the last inter-allies conference held?

The last inter-Allied conference of World War II, code-named “Terminal,” was held at the suburb of Potsdam, outside ruined Berlin, from July 17 to August 2, 1945. It was attended by the Soviet, U.S., and British heads of government and foreign ministers: respectively, Stalin…

The General Act

• The General Act signed on 26 February 1885 indicates the main preoccupation of the conference. The first article of the act stipulated that freedom of commerce was to prevail in a defined area centering on the Congo basin. The provisions were far-reaching, protecting all traders, regardless of nationality, from all taxes except those necessary to m...

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Dual Character of The General Act

Implications

Consequences

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