Berlin Conference: The Scramble
for Africa
IN YOUR JOURNAL:
1) Which country are you?
2) Which parts of Africa so you want?
3) Use your Atlas to research the CLIMATE in
your area and the RESOURCES in your area.
4) Guess why your country wants that land
based on your answer to #3.
5) What kinds of problems might you encounter
trying to get that land? Why?
BEFORE:
6) Which African
groups are in the
land that you want?
7) How do you think
you will interact
with them after the
Conference?
AFTER:
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Who got what…
• Great Britain desired a Cape-to-Cairo collection of colonies and
almost succeeded though their control of Egypt, Sudan (AngloEgyptian Sudan), Uganda, Kenya (British East Africa), South Africa,
and Zambia, Zimbabwe (Rhodesia), and Botswana. The British also
controlled Nigeria and Ghana (Gold Coast).
• France took much of western Africa, from Mauritania to Chad
(French West Africa) and Gabon and the Republic of Congo (French
Equatorial Africa).
• Belgium and King Leopold II controlled the Democratic Republic of
Congo (Belgian Congo).
• Portugal took Mozambique in the east and Angola in the west.
• Italy's holdings were Somalia (Italian Somaliland) and a portion of
Ethiopia.
• Germany took Namibia (German Southwest Africa) and Tanzania
(German East Africa).
• Spain claimed the smallest territory - Equatorial Guinea (Rio Muni).
•
•
The
Outcome…
•
•
•
The European colonial powers shared one objective in their
African colonies; exploitation
The British established a system of indirect rule over much of
their domain, leaving indigenous power structure in place and
making local rulers representatives of the British Crown.
This was unthinkable in the Portuguese colonies, where harsh,
direct control was the rule.
The French sought to create culturally assimilated elites what
would represent French ideals in the colonies.
In the Belgian Congo, however, King Leopold II, who had
financed the expeditions that staked Belgium's claim in Berlin,
embarked on a campaign of ruthless exploitation. His enforcers
mobilized almost the entire Congolese populations to gather
rubber, kill elephants for their ivory, and build public works to
improve export routes. For failing to meet production quotes,
entire communities were massacred. Killing and maiming
became routine in a colony in which horror was the only
common denominator. After the impact of the slave trade, King
Leopold's reign of terror was Africa's most severe demographic
disaster. By the time it ended, after a growing outcry around the
world, as many as 10 million Congolese had been murdered. In
1908 the Belgium government administrators, and the Roman
Catholic Church each pursued their sometimes competing
interest. But no one thought to change the name of the colonial
capital: it was Leopoldville until the Belgian Congo achieved
independence in 1960.
“White Man’s Burden” by Kipling
1) What is the “White Man’s Burden?”
2) Whose point of view is this told from?
3) Who are the people being described as “halfdevil” and “half-child”? Why are they described
this way?
4) How does the poem justify the “burden”? (Be
specfic! Use a quote! Explain!)
5) Why did Kipling have this opinion? (Hint: look at
his biography!)
6) How do you feel about this poem? Do you agree
or disagree? Why or why not?
In your journal…
Write a letter to someone with
your opposite point of view.
Include your thoughts on the
Berlin Conference and try to
get the other person to see
your perspective. BE
DESCRIPTIVE!
• Characters to choose from:
Kipling, African royalty,
African tribal member,
European royalty, European
worker/citizen