WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Representatives of 13 European states, the United States of America and the Ottoman Empire converged on Berlin at the invitation of German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck to divide up Africa among themselves “in accordance with international law.” Africans were not invited to the meeting.

Detailed explanation-2: -European leaders did not invite African leaders to the Berlin Conference because they did not respect the authority of African leaders. In addition, the welfare and interest of African leaders ran contrary to the interest of European nations that attended the conference.

Detailed explanation-3: -Under support from the British and the initiative of Portugal, Otto von Bismarck, the Chancellor of Germany, called on representatives of 13 nations in Europe as well as the United States to take part in the Berlin Conference in 1884 to work out a joint policy on the African continent.

Detailed explanation-4: -After explorers pushed into Africa’s interior, the European imperialistic powers met in 1884 at an international conference, later called the Berlin conference. No Africans were invited to the conference because the European powers did not have any interest in local input.

Detailed explanation-5: -One thing is clear-the Berlin Conference established the legal claim by Europeans that all of Africa could be occupied by whomever could take it. It also established a process for Europeans to cooperate rather than fight with each other. This cooperation played a huge role in the division and conquest of Africa.