A number of powerful men meet in a boardroom and discuss who gets which piece of land. In doing so, they have no regard for the inhabitants of the country and also have no legal claim to the land… Sounds pretty unfair, doesn’t it? That’s roughly how the Congo Conference went at the end of the 19th century.
Congo Conference – Definition
On the Congo Conferencethe ones from November 15, 1884 until February 26, 1885 took place, decided representatives of European great powersthe United States, Russia and des Ottoman Empire the Division of Africa in colonies.
Figure 1: «The West African Conference in Berlin» in Die Gartenlaube (1884)Source: blackcentraleurope.com
Congo Conference course
The Congo Conference is scheduled in the Race for Africa classify At the height of imperialism, Africa became the focus of the major European powers. They tried to «get hold of» as many strategically favorable colonies as possible in order to assert their claim to the world.
Congo Conference history
As early as the beginning of the 19th century, the great European powers had begun to claim areas along the coasts of Africa for themselves. But at the beginning of 1880s a real one flared up race for Africa, than the interest of Europe, to colonize Africa, increased sharply. All of the major European powers were intent on acquiring as much colonial possessions as possible. In doing so, they wanted to forestall the other great powers and theirs place in world politics demonstrate.
You can find out more about this in the «Race for Africa» statement.
The Congo area was spared from the claims of the great powers for a long time, since the dense rain forest and the tropical climate that prevailed there made exploration of the Congo difficult. Belgium in particular was interested in this unclaimed territory. Former King of Belgium Leopold Ihad already tried in vainto acquire colonial territories for his country. His successor, King Leopold II, however, clung to the idea that Belgium could only rise to become a great power with the help of colonial possessions.
In 1876, King Leopold II founded the AAssociation International Africaine («International Africa Society»), which should serve the exploration of Africa. Leopold II later bought the Association Internationale du Congo («International Congo Society«) on.
Then he joined in Henry MortonStanley together. Stanley was the first European to explore the Congo Basin, the second largest tropical jungle area in the world. Under the orders of Leopold II, Stanley again traveled to the Congo and there, in the name of the Belgian king, began buying up areas from the locals and implementing Leopold II’s imperialist aims.
This project started a conflict in the Congo region. Because in 1881 France had laid claim to the western region of the Congo and established the colony of Brazzaville. Portugal also claimed rights to areas of the Congo, as it had old treaties with the locals. Since Great Britain wanted to use the Congo as a trade route, Portugal and Great Britain joined forces to block Belgium and the Congo Company from entering the Atlantic and thus from trade.
That conflict potential between the colonial powers thus continued to increase, with Belgium in particular seeing itself threatened with its plans for the Congo. However, Leopold II was able to get Germany and France on his side. He convinced the two great powers that collusion in Africa would be beneficial.
To prevent conflicts of interest from escalating, the colonial powers to the Congo Conference.
Bismarck Congo Conference
The German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck loaded the colonial powers to the Congo Conference in Berlin into the Reich Chancellery. His intentions were to reduce conflicts of interest and keep Africa’s important sea and trade routes open. The conference took place on November 15, 1884 together and ended with the signing of the Congo Acts by the participating states February 26, 1885.
The conference is also called the Berlin Conference or the West Africa Conference.
The conference participants included representatives of the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden-Norway. However, not only the major European powers were invited to the Congo Conference in Berlin. Also the United Statesthe Ottoman Empire and Russia were represented at the conference. In addition, Henry Morton Stanley was present as a technical advisor.
Even if the representatives acted in the interests of the kings and emperors, they themselves were not present at the conference.
The Congo Conference was officially convened to review the regulations of the Free trade on the Congo and Niger rivers to determine. In fact, at the Congo Conference, however, the whole Continent Africa divided as a colonial possession among the great European powers. The boundaries drawn and the division of territories were decided completely independently of the ethnic or cultural affiliation of the local population of the respective area. Not a single African was present at the Congo Conference.
The Congo and Niger rivers are the longest rivers in Africa after the Nile. Accordingly, they were also of great importance for the trade routes of the great powers. In addition, the area around the Congo was particularly rich in raw materials. For the European powers, which were at the height of industrialization at the time, the raw materials were needed to build up industries.
Bismarck’s interest
Since the colonies created conflicts of interest between the great powers, Bismarck tended to reject colonies. He saw the conference primarily as an opportunity to settle disputes and avoid tensions between the colonial powers in the future. That is why Bismarck was also considered at the conference estate agents. Nonetheless, Bismarck sought to use the conflicts between the other powers to Germany’s advantage.
Congo File Summary
The decisions of the Congo Conference were Congo Acts detained. The Final Act was considered Legitimacy for the partition of Africa. The great powers thus consolidated their claim to their colonies and ensured that these were recognized by other countries.
A total of 38 articles were agreed and signed by the 14 States present. The most important decisions were as follows:
- The states present at the conference received the Free trade in the Congo River Basinas well as in other far-reaching parts of Africa, such as Lake Nyasa.
- the shipping was released along the entire river lengths of the Congo and Niger.
- Of the slave trade became official at the international level forbidden.
- The Congo Basin was neutral territory in the event of armed conflicts.
- That Right to acquire a colony should only have the colonial power that this colony is actually in took possession.
The US has not ratified (confirmed) the Congo Act.
In which Prohibition of the slave trade in the Congo file it was one pure formality. The slave trade had been largely abolished by the early 19th century. In 1807, for example, the British banned Slave Trade Act («Slave Trade Act») the trade in slaves. Therefore, historians interpret the abolition of the slave trade in the Congo Act as an attempt by the colonial masters awareness of international law to deliver. Even if the local population was exploited and abused by the colonizers, they have at least appeared and outwardly pretended to care about the well-being of the local people.
Congo Free State
Another decision of the Congo Conference was the Founding of the Congo Free State. However, this was not recorded in the Congo File. Even though Britain, France and Portugal were interested in the more than two million square kilometer area of the Congo Basin, it became known as the Congo Free State to the Congo society hand over. The Congo Free State was not a colony of Belgium, but personal property of Leopold IIsince this was the owner of the Congo Company.
The Congo Free State served as buffer between the adjacent colonies and should the conflict of interest of the different colonial powers relax.
The entire territory of the Congo Free State was classified as a Free Zone declared and opened to foreign companies. In addition, King Leopold II had to undertake to act in the interests of the Congolese people.
Despite this obligation, crimes against the local people were committed in the Congo Free State. You can read more about the conditions in the Belgian colonies in the statement of the same name.
Congo Conference consequences
Even if the conference was actually about the Congo, it had far-reaching consequences. At the Congo Conference, it became clear for the first time which ones economic, legal and geographical problems the colonial policy at the peak of the European imperialism had and tried to regulate them. So the Congo Conference laid the groundwork, so to speak game rules for Race for Africa Celebration. In addition, the colonial powers defined their areas of interest and influence at the conference.
Only a few years after the Congo Conference, after numerous wars and attempts by the local population to defend themselves, all of Africa was officially divided into colonies of the great powers.
The trade regulations of the Congo Conference opened Central Africa to the European economy. European goods could now be exported to Africa and created new sales markets for the industries of the great powers. In addition, was Africa rich in mineral resources and precious natural objects such as ivory and rubber, which were in great demand in Europe.
But instead of «civilizing» the colonies, the local population and the countries in which they lived exploited. Native cultures and languages were influenced by the colonial powers repressed and there were countless colonial crimes committed against the locals.
You can read more about this in the statement «Following Imperialism»:
Congo Conference Cartoon Analysis
A caricature dating from the period is often shown in connection with the Congo Conference. Since caricatures are often discussed in history classes, you can find an example of a caricature analysis here.
Caricature Analysis – Procedure
A caricature analysis is first about the caricature describe. Address what you see. It is advisable to proceed in a structured manner. For example, you can start with the background and then move to the foreground or describe from left to right. At the beginning of the description should also the artist, the date, title, text and subject to be named.
After the description comes the interpretation of the cartoon. You should historical context note and the cartoon interpret. It is about understanding and interpreting the statements of the artist. You can also identify people for this purpose.