The Berlin Conference 2. Africa 3. To avoid conflict amongst themselves over colonizing Africa

1. European Imperialism
In Africa

2. Do Now:
According to this
cartoon, what was the
goal of British
imperialism in
Africa?

3. In 1884, to avoid conflict amongst themselves, European leaders
met at the Berlin Conference to set up rules for colonizing Africa.
No Africans were invited.
In 1884, to avoid conflict amongst themselves, European leaders
met at the Berlin Conference to set up rules for colonizing Africa.
No Africans were invited.
Berlin Conference
Berlin Conference

4. The European powers agreed that before they could claim
territory they would have to set up an outpost. Whoever was the
first to build the outpost gained that area of land.
The European powers agreed that before they could claim
territory they would have to set up an outpost. Whoever was the
first to build the outpost gained that area of land.
Berlin Conference
Berlin Conference

5. Map of
African
Tribes

6. Britain
France
Germany
Italy
Portugal
Belgium
Spain
Europeans
In Africa
By 1914

7. Britain’s claims in
Africa were second in
size only to France, but
included heavily
populated areas with
greater natural
resources.British
Territory
Britain controlled
Egypt because of its
strategic location.

8. France was very
powerful in North
Africa, and later spread
into West and Central
Africa. The territory
France controlled was
as large as the United
States.
French
Territory

9. The newly formed
German empire had to
fight many battles
against African natives
to take lands in the
southern half of Africa.
German
Territory
Germany would lose its
colonial territories after
its loss in World War I.

10. The Italians crossed the
Mediterranean and
conquered Libya. They
then took Somaliland in
the horn of Africa, but
were beaten badly by the
Ethiopians.Italian
Territory

11. King Leopold and other
wealthy Belgians
exploited the riches of the
Congo, and brutalized the
natives. Many Africans
were enslaved, beaten,
and killed.Belgium
Territory

12. Although the leaders of
the old imperialism, the
African claims of the
Portuguese and Spanish
were minimal.
Portuguese
Territory
Spanish
Territory

13. After the slave trade was outlawed, abolitionists in the
United States promoted the idea of returning freed
slaves to Africa.
Independent Africans
In the early 1800s, President Monroe helped free
slaves settle in Liberia. The former slaves named the
capital city Monrovia in his honor.
President Monroe

14. Liberia

15. Independent Africans
The Ethiopians kept their freedom through a
successful military resistance. Emperor Menelik
II modernized the army, along with roads,
bridges, and schools.
When the Italians invaded they were defeated so
badly by Menelik that no other Europeans tried to
take Ethiopia.

16. Ethiopia
Menelik

17. Which nations
were not colonized
by 1914?

18. White Man’s Burden
How does this cartoon view the "White Man's Burden?"

19. How does this
cartoon view the
"White Man's
Burden?"

20. Berlin Conference
“We have been engaged in drawing lines upon maps where no white man’s foot has ever
trod. We have been giving away mountains and rivers and lakes to each other, only
hindered by the small impediment that we never knew exactly where the mountains and
rivers and lakes were.” - British Politician
1. What was the name of this meeting where they gave away mountains and rivers?
2. What land are the Europeans dividing?
3. Why did the Europeans divide this land among themselves?
1. What was the name of this meeting where they gave away mountains and rivers?
2. What land are the Europeans dividing?
3. Why did the Europeans divide this land among themselves?