The Berlin Conference Presentation Part I

Some important Facts… It was held in 1884~1885 in Berlin. The United States did not take part in this conference. Europe had begun to take an interest in Africa from the 1880s. In the meeting, they decided on which areas would go to which countries of Europe.

Background Information… King Leopold II of Belgium convinced France and Germany that this was the best for all three countries. This conference controlled the trade and colonization in Africa. The General Act of the Berlin Conference is a “formalization” of the scramble for Africa.

The General Act… The “Free State of the Congo” was officially made private property of the Congo Society. The 14 signatory powers would have free trade throughout the Congo basin as well as Lake Niassa and east of this in an area south of 5° N. The Niger and Congo Rivers were made free for ship traffic. An international prohibition of the slave trade was signed. A Principle of Affectivity was introduced to stop powers setting up colonies in name only. Any fresh act of taking possession of any portion of the African coast would have to be notified by the power taking possession, or assuming a protectorate, to the other signatory powers. Africa was divided between the main powers of Europe

Social Darwinism Presentation Part II

Darwin’s Theory of Evolution… Darwin’s theory was based on the principle that all organisms change over time, with the organisms which have the most useful traits survive and reproduce. To reword this, it can be seen as SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST!

Examples of Social Darwinism… Adolf Hitler: -Thought that Germans were the “fittest” people on the planet, so thought that they should be the only ones allowed to live. This again, results to the idea of “survival of the fittest”.