Question

How did Europe divide up Africa after the Berlin Conference? What are the enduring legacies of this action?

Answer 1

The Berlin Conference was held on November 15, 1884. It was the meeting between the United States and European powers to divide up Africa in a civilized and fair approach. The nations involved were, Denmark, France, Austria- Hungary, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Ottoman Empire, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, Russia, Sweden- Norway, and the United States. Although the meeting was about Africa, however Africa was not involved or invited in any way in the division of their native land. The Conference ended on February 26, 1885; and consequently in a a three month period lead to a heightened colonial activity period by the powerful nations of Europe. The colonial powers haggled in the continent interior over geometric boundaries, disregarding the linguistic and cultural boundaries already established by the population of indigenous African.

After the Berlin Conference the enduring legacies of this action that came from the Berlin Conference was the countries involved getting rid of the slave trade. However the negative impacts included, natural resources forcefully taken from the people, enslavement in these new territories, loss of land, and European disease.