Empire Topic 3 - Africa, 1857-1890 Flashcards
When was the Berlin conference?
November 1884 - February 1885
Who hosted the Berlin conference?
the german chancellor - Otto von Bismarck
who attended the berlin conference
14 european states + USA
france, germany, Portugal and great britain were most relevant as they already controlled most of colonial africa at the time
what was the purpose of the berlin conference
securing agreement that both the basins and mouths of the congo and niger river’s were to remain neutral and open to trade
what did the berlin conference conclude and how?
through a General Act:
- all nations should be permitted to trade in the basin of the congo and its outlets
- there should be free trade in the regions
- there powers with influence in the area should help protect indigenous people and suppress the slave trade
- the powers should support and protect religious, scientific or charitable undertakings, christian missionaries, scientists and explorers
- if any power took possession of further land on the coasts of africa, it should notify the signatories of the Act to engage them to assert any claims of their own
what principle was established in the berlin conference and what does it mean
effective occupation = a european power could assert a claim to land that is ‘effectively’ occupied and notify other powers
was the berlin conference a success?
yes - in terms of european relations as it enabled them to explains their empires in ordered fashion without conflict
where did britain expand after the berlin conference
south, west and east of africa
where did france expand after the berlin conference
north of africa
where did portugal expand after the berlin conference
expanded its existing colonies
where did germany expand after the berlin conference
southeast and southwest of africa
