Brussels and Berlin Conference

Question 1

What was decided at the Brussels conference 1876?

Answer 1

• Africans incapable of developing natural resources in Central Africa -> intervention was necessary.
• Routes to great lakes need to be developed by building roads or railways.
• International African Association (IAA) established to coordinate European’s efforts.

Question 2

what was the impact of the Brussels conference?

Answer 2

• Heightened competition -> Govs suspicious Leopold’s intentions.
• IAA hire Henry Morton Stanley to advise in Congo Empire but it was apparent Leopold wanted own Congo Empire.
• France extends control into Western Sudan in 1879.
• Portugal asserts claims to control mouth of Congo River in 1884.

Question 3

What was decided at the Berlin Conference?

Answer 3

• nations permitted to trade in basin of Congo and outlets.
• powers with influence in the area should protect indigenous people and suppress the slave trade.
• powers support and protect religious, scientific or charitable undertakings, Christian missionaries, scientists and explorers.
• Any power taking possession of land on coasts should notify signatories of the General Act -> enables them to assert claims of their own.
• Effective occupation established.

Question 4

What was the principal of effective occupation and what was its effect?

Answer 4

• European power asserts claim to land it ‘effectively’ occupied and notify other powers.
  -> only if other powers in claim was its right questioned.
• This General Act triggered a further scramble for territory across Africa.
  -> by 1900, 90% of the continent had been forced into European hands.

Question 5

What were the successes of the Berlin conference?

Answer 5

• Enabled powers to expand in ordered fashion without risk of conflict.
  -> Acted as a safety-valve -> A.J.P Taylor referred to it as a ‘safety arena’ for competing countries.

Question 6

what were the failures of the Berlin conference?

Answer 6

• the conference and the General Act did little for the indigenous populations.
  -> no African representation at the Berlin conference -> little concern for natural borders, or ethnic or religious division.
• despite good intentions -> no action taken place to stop African or Arab slave trade.
• well-being and religious of locals were frequently overlooked.