The berlin conference of 1884

Dividing Africa the Berlin Conference of 1884

1. The Berlin Conference of 1884 What were the circumstances that led to the Berlin Conference of 1884? This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

2. Early Exploration in Africa Exploration of Africa started in the 15th century. These explorations were usually pretty limited to the amount of time and resources spent on doing so. Up to the 19th century smaller explorations were done in Africa by slave traders while they were there for collecting slaves to bring back and trade. The majority of the important explorations of Africa happened in the 19th century starting with a man called David Livingstone. He traveled all around Africa finding major waterways from the East tot he West. He was a missionary from Scotland that explored Africa from 1840 to about 1871 when he was found by the explorer named Henry Morton Stanley, the man int he picture on the right. He found the Congo waterway which was very important to the Europeans at this time because it was one of the biggest waterways in Africa because it is the second biggest waterway other than the Nile which they were trying to find. This was the start of the Scramble for Africa. King Leopold II from Belgium found out about the Congo river and wanted it for himself. This event led to the Berlin Conference. Text and image: https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/6df9eef17b93493da8a1353777aa2a88/resources/Early%20African%20exploration__1541826280452__w1671.jpg

3. Colonization of Africa: Berlin Conference In 1881 the Scramble for Africa began which consisted of European powers invading and occupying African territories. A few years later the Berlin Conference took place which civilized the diving of Africa between these powers. Africa was not invited to the conference thus having no say in decisions made. The Berlin conference included 13 European powers and the United States. They were, Austria- Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Ottoman Empire, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Spain, Sweden- Norway, United Kingdom, and the United States. The imperialistic ways of these countries and powers caused harm to not just the African land but to the African people too. The land was stripped of its natural resources, and the people enslaved on their own native land to serve these imperial forces. The Berlin Conference civilized the distribution of African land between European powers, which disrupted the cultural practices in Africa. The result of the Berlin conference had a significant impact on today’s African political climate because of the varying imperialistic influences of the countries that colonized the African land In 1881 the Scramble for Africa began which consisted of European powers invading and occupying African territories. Image and text from: https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/6df9eef17b93493da8a1353777aa2a88/resources/The%20Scramble%20for%20Africa__1541831813842__w1200.png

4. The invaders divided up the riches of Africa A few years later the Berlin Conference took place which civilized the diving of Africa between these powers. Africa was not invited to the conference thus having no say in decisions made. The Berlin conference included 13 European powers and the United States. They were, Austria- Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Ottoman Empire, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Spain, Sweden- Norway, United Kingdom, and the United States. The imperialistic ways of these countries and powers caused harm to not just the African land but to the African people too. The land was stripped of its natural resources, and the people enslaved on their own native land to serve these imperial forces. The Berlin Conference civilized the distribution of African land between European powers, which disrupted the cultural practices in Africa.

5. Before the Berlin Conference Before the Berlin Conference, Africa was split up into different sections consisting of multiple native groups. The land was divided by distinct physical characteristics. These physical characteristics included the mountain ranges in Africa, the rivers, and trade routes they have formed. There were hundreds of different languages between these native tribes. Most of them had their own religious traditions but a lot of the tribes learned new beliefs such as Muslim or Christianity. There was early European exploration to Africa but a lot of the time these explorers would become sick along the way and die. This discouraged exploration into Africa for a long time because Europeans had never experienced the living conditions there. Text and image: https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/6df9eef17b93493da8a1353777aa2a88/resources/Africa%20before%20the%20Berlin%20Conference__1541823099957__w730.jpg

6. No Africans were invited to participate In 1884 the leaders of fourteen European countries and the United States came together to discuss control of Africa’s resources. Known as The Berlin Conference, they sought to discuss the partitioning of Africa, establishing rules to amicably divide resources among the Western countries at the expense of the African people. Of these fourteen nations at the Berlin Conference, France, Germany, Great Britain, and Portugal were the major players. Notably missing were any representatives from Africa. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/Berliner_kongress.jpg/400px-Berliner_kongress.jpg

7. Results of the Berlin Conference Results of the Berlin Conference The Berlin Conference ended on February 26, 1885. The results of the conference are shown in the map on the right. Britain and France claimed the majority of the territory while other European powers claimed smaller areas or areas of more importance to them. One of these areas of importance was the Congo which was controlled by Belgium. This was a major importance to King Leopold II and was one of the reasons the Berlin Conference started. Although all of this land was taken by the European powers there were still two areas that were free. These areas were Ethiopia and Liberia.   Text and image: https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/6df9eef17b93493da8a1353777aa2a88/resources/Africa%20after%20the%20Berlin%20Conference__1541819788366__w1920.jpg

8. Which countries controlled the new countries? One of the tasks of this conference was for each European country that claimed possession over a part of Africa to bring “civilization,” in the form of Christianity, as well as trade. As it turned out, the various European leaders actually used military force to take control of areas they decided upon at the Berlin Conference. They tried to destroy the African cultures and impose European cultures instead. The native African people were often forced into slavery and lived in poverty while the goods they worked to produce were “owned” by the invading countries. The ore they mined was shipped back to Europe. Food they grew was sent to Europe and so many other valuable things were taken from the Africans and sent to Europe. https://open.lib.umn.edu/app/uploads/sites/181/2016/04/30bed3ac4ade857d5d5b423020450093.jpg

9. Leopold’s Big Lie One of the tasks of this conference was for each European country that claimed possession over a part of Africa to bring “civilization,” in the form of Christianity, as well as trade. King Leopold II of Belgium promised just that and the Congo was formally recognized as Leopold’s personal possession. Extraordinarily rich in natural resources - including ivory, palm oil, timber and rubber - Leopold would seek to increase his personal wealth at the expense of the environment and the people of the Congo . Note: this map shows the French names for the countries. https://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mjti8L9-jM/TDIyNl6ZyYI/AAAAAAAACnI/m-3kI68Ovu4/s1600/000084852.jpg

10. Some betrayed their own people Before the Europeans divided up the African continent, there were many different tribes that lived in certain areas and warred with each other for control of the land, the water and the other resources. The European governors sought out those leaders and got some of them to continue on with the new European masters as local leaders. Those who cooperated became rich and powerful, in spite of the fact that their own people were suffering. Image: a wealthy African tribal leader is being carried by African slaves. https://www.wikigallery.org/paintings/217001-217500/217429/painting1.jpg

11. Greed, corruption and inhumanity While the mindless plundering of land for natural resources caused vast environmental damage, there is a larger story of corruption and inhumanity. Leopold sought personal gain at the expense of the Congolese people, using them as slave labor to extract natural resources. If production waned or targets were not met, they risked severe punishments ranging from the severing of a hand to death. https://www.malakimakongo.net/malakimakongo/123files/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Brazzaesclaves-300x256.jpg

12. Effects on Africa One of the most important positive impacts that came from the Berlin Conference was the nations involved getting rid of the slave trade. This was one of the agreements made through the Berlin Conference, they all wanted to do this to make themselves look better to the people of Africa. The African people weren't even asked to take part of the conference, so they just had their land taken from them with no say at all. This land being taken from them accounted for ninety percent of all of Africa. Some of the territories controlled by European nations enslaved the Natives that lived there. A major example of this was in the Congo territory ruled by Belgium. The King enslaved many Africans that lived there to gather the natural resources that we found on Africa for his own profit. The people that didn't listen to him got their hands chopped off. With the colonization of the Europeans came disease like always. The diseases brought over ended up killing a lot of the Native Africans already there. These were some of the impacts that effected the lives of the people living in Africa. Image: https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/6df9eef17b93493da8a1353777aa2a88/resources/Belgium%20Congo%20hands__1541831780120__w400.jpg

13. Ten million people died under King Leopold’s rule Eventually, light was shed on these atrocities with photographic evidence gathered by English Missionary Alice Seeley Harris. Harris distributed the photos widely through anti-slavery publications, eventually shaming the Belgian Government and forcing Leopold to relinquish personal control of the colony. But by the time this happened in 1908, it was estimated that 10 million people - half of Congo’s population - perished during Leopold’s inhumane rule. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Missionaries_and_Congolese_community%2C_Congo%2C_ca._1900-1915_(IMP-CSCNWW33-OS12-22).jpg