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TED ANTALYA MODEL
UNITED NATIONS
2017
THE HISTORICAL COMMITTEE
CHAIR REPORT
LETTER OF THE SECRETARIAT
DISTINGUISHED PARTICIPANTS, ESTEEMED MUN DIRECTORS,
It is our utmost honor and pleasure to genially invite you to participate in the second TED
Antalya Model United Nations Conference which will take place from 27 to 30 April 2017, in
Antalya, Turkey.
As many of you know, TAMUN'16 was a great success for which we worked very hard and we
intend to make TAMUN'17 even better. With participants from all over Turkey, we expect to
provide you with more in depth debates, more culturally diverse discussions and an even
deeper sense of satisfaction on the outcome. We invite you to enjoy Antalya's hospitality, our
conference venue and our school campus along with the energy and motivation of our
TAMUN'17 Executive Board. We are eager to make the conference a huge success.
Our main aim is to raise awareness among high school students on the tough problems the
world faces today and to use diplomacy to shape the solutions. The MUN experience will
provide the basis for our Future Leaders, something we as TAMUN want to be a part of. The
TAMUN'16’s theme was “The consensus for the new generation”, TAMUN'17’s theme will be
“Designing our Future”. Foreseeing where we are headed and the (irreversible) damage we are
causing, it is time to take precautions now! We will have five General Assembly committees, an
ECOSOC committee, a Historical Committee, and a Security Council. Please bear in mind that
only experienced delegates should attend the Historical Committee and the Security Council,
since their formats are very different from General Assembly committees and students should
be very familiar with the procedures of GA committees first.
We have worked hard to present TAMUN’17’s participants a productive and satisfying
conference experience which you will never forget. We are looking forward to seeing you there.
May we never forget that the strength we need to make any change comes with unity, thus, it’s
time for us to DEDICATE OURSELVES TO BEING UNITED.
Mete Erdoğan
Secretary General
Tayga Eraybar
Secretary General
Mehmet Durmaz
Deputy Secretary-General
Taylan Adem Ulusoy
President of the General Assembly
Can Araz
Deputy Secretary-General
2
THE BERLIN CONFERENCE OF 1884
CHAIRS: ZEYNEP EMEL TURGAY, ATA SEREN, EFE YURET
INTRODUCTION
Europeans viewed the African continent for a long time with awe, curiosity and greed.
Enriched with strategic resources and unwoven beauties, Africa has always been in the center
of imperialism. During 15th and 16th century many European countries set sail to new
continents and oceans. 1450 was the year when Portuguese Navy sailed and found the coasts of
Africa. This success encouraged other imperialist countries in Europe and by the mid 19th
century Europeans had established colonies all along the African coast.
The Berlin Conference of 1884–85, also known as the Congo Conference or West Africa
Conference regulated European colonization and trade in Africa during the New Imperialism
period, coincided with Germany's sudden emergence as an imperial power, and called for by
Portugal and organized by Otto von Bismarck, first Chancellor of Germany. Its outcome, the
“General Act of the Berlin Conference”, can be seen as the formalization of the Scramble for
Africa during the New Imperialism period. The conference ushered in a period of heightened
colonial activity by European powers, which eliminated or overrode most existing forms of
African autonomy and self-governance.
To have knowledge on the issue of Berlin Conference in 1884, we should know the reasons of
gathering of 14 European countries. The key word of the reason behind the Berlin Conference
is "power". At the late 1700s we saw a quick uprising in industrial production, which we knew
as Industrial Revolution. Even though the Revolution yields a fast process of production; if you
don't have the enough raw materials, the process will be stop. At the beginning of the 19th
century Europeans tackled with this problem. In order to continue the production, they needed
to find new places to get the raw materials. Fighting with another European country didn't
make sense since they were as strong as them. Therefore, what the Europeans did was going to
Asia and Africa to exploit the land.
Africa was the one of the preference of the Europeans because there were lots of goodies. In
1867 diamonds and in 1886 gold was discovered in the meanings of excessive amounts. In
addition to that cupper, rubber, cocoa beans and some expensive resources in South Africa has
made Africa to be popular to provide raw material. The other main reason to occupy the
Africa was cheap labour. This continent was so unknown that neither Europeans knew them
nor Africans knew about the economical systems. This is why Africa was known as "Dark
Continent". Since they didn't know the Europe's system, they wouldn't know how much money
should they get or how the suitable conditions occur. Therefore, Europeans used
unknowledgeable people to ensure the cheapest way to produce.
The tension between the countries was high enough that the civilians thought that it would be
turned out a war, so every nation in the West was needed to Africa. 14 countries that were
called themselves as culturally superior came together to divide the continent according to the
natural resources zone.
The countries represented at the time included Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, France,
Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden-Norway
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(unified from 1814-1905), the Ottoman Empire, and the United States of America. Of these
fourteen nations, France, Germany, Great Britain and Portugal were the major players in the
conference, controlling most of colonial Africa at the time. Also, we should point out that none
of the African leaders were invited to the conference.
THE HISTORY OF AFRICA COLONIZATION
The Portuguese in Africa
In the late 15th and 16th century Portuguese had remarkable
maritime achievements by bringing European spotlight onto the
Africa beyond its Mediterranean coastline. In the aim of entering
Indian Ocean the Portuguese sailors investigated African Western
coastline so that they could find a way to round the Continent and
plug themselves into the Space Trade and thus not trespassing the
Ottoman and Arab strangleholds on this immensely lucrative trade.
Bartholomew Diaz was the person who first managed to round the
Cape of Good Hope in 1488, however he couldn’t manage to see
Indian Ocean. Diaz’s fellow countryman Vasco de Gama made the first voyage all the way to
the Spice Islands from Europe and return by the same route after a decade later than Diaz’s
voyage.
This voyage created a shock in Europe and everyone was talking about, but Portuguese
didn’t to share their route, naturally. They were also very defensive about the routes and
method, which they were able to reach Spice Islands. Series of forts have been built along the
route and jealously guarded the maps and charts. Those forts were the first serious European
presence on the Continent, but even these tended to hug the coastline and they were resupply
bases for ships on the journey to and from Asia.
In 1494, Portugal entered into an agreement, Treaty of Tordesilhas, with Spain in
attempt to clearly ensure each other’s spheres of influence. The Spanish tend to control the
route to America and Portuguese to control the route to Africa.
The Americas were land to be worked but there was not much labor at all. Thus slaves
to act as manpower catch Europeans eyes’. Early in 1494 the Portuguese had signed
agreements with West African leaders to trade slaves rather than seize assets. Interest in slave
trade made Portuguese act more active in supporting and supplanting African and Arab
kingdoms that might help or hinder their acquisition of suitable manpower. Portuguese
supported and influenced with Angola, Guinea and Mozambique to supply slaves, the
milestone to the Atlantic Slave Trade. Throughout those years Portuguese managed to hold off
British from slavery and become a monopoly.
Incursion of the Dutch
Due to various dynastic and political marriages, Netherlands has been a part of Spanish
Empire for many years. By the end of 16th century, large numbers of Protestant Dutch began a
rebellion towards Spain to form a young and dynamic power on Europe. The Dutch East India
Company was created in 1602 in the aim of breaking the Portuguese monopoly. The Dutch
slowly but surely sabotaged the Portuguese monopoly by establishing new trading routes. Each
successful journey increased the profit of the company resulting better ships and armament.
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Established by Jan van Riebeeck in 1612 as a resupply base, the Dutch foothold was to become
Cape of Good Hope. The Dutch then attacked and undermined Portuguese forts in West Africa
and across the Atlantic in Brazil in a sustained campaign that went on for decades. At the year
1637 Dutch attack and take the largest Portuguese Fort in Western Africa at Elmina. The
Dutch took over many of the trading relationships already established by the Portuguese.
The Dutch had effectively cleared the Portuguese out of the Gold Coast and took over
much of the lucrative slave trade. However, the Dutch efforts made fellow Europeans attempt
to join in with the trade, Swedish, Danish, English, French and even Brandenburg forts were
established in the area to facilitate trade during the Sixteenth and in to the Seventeenth
Centuries.
In order to formalise English interest in West Africa King James I gave a Royal Charter
to The Company of Adventurers of London (Guinea Company). Between 1618 and 1621 the
company sent three voyages to the Gambia in order to trade gold but they found very few.
After years of economic difficulties a new charter was issued in 1631 to what was now known
as The Company of Merchants Trading to Guinea. Critically, this new charter said that the
government would support the company against foreign competitors and, for the first time, the
foreign competitor it most mentioned to deal with was the Dutch and not the Portuguese.
In 1632 this new Company set up factories at Komenda, Kormantin and Winneba
primarily to trade in gold more factories were created later in Anomabu (1639), Takoradi
(1645), Cabo Corso (1650). Kormantin became the focal point and was fortified in 1638 as it
became clearer that the Dutch West India Company was unwilling to allow the English free
control.
Due to interior problems in England and the Anglo-Dutch Wars Company became
unprofitable and this company was sold with its remaining rights to the English East India
Company in 1657.
The size and the nature of Dutch’s complicated coastline meant that rivals such as
English could and did maintain, and even expand their own trading relationships, although
Dutch were the pre-eminent of the Continent. In 1660 King Charles II grant a charter to the
Royal African Company. From 1662 onwards The RAC decided to expand beyond the gold
trade and undertook to supply 3,000 slaves a year to the West Indian Colonies.
The company soon racked up considerable debts rather than profits as it sought to take
on the Dutch who were more than willing to defend their own monopoly rights in West Africa.
The company was led by the Duke of York at 1663 and he sent an expedition to West Africa to
capture Dutch forts which they did so before a Dutch counter-expedition captured them all
back, which lead to second Anglo - Dutch War.
A new Company called the Gambia Adventurers in 1668, which was the heavily
indebted Royal African Company, founded with a license to trade north of the Bight of Benin.
Under a new Royal Charter in 1672 The Royal Africa Company was reformed with enhanced
rights to set up its own forts, factories and troops and even to exercise martial law in areas it
controlled. The New Royal African Company appeared to be entering its own circle of success
that helped enrich many backers in the City of London its chief backer, the Duke of York,
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became King in 1685. But, this time period of profitability for the Royal African Company was
about to come to a close, paradoxically due to a Dutch king taking over the English throne!
Reign of the British
The Glorious Revolution in 1688 forced Catholic James II from the throne and
Protestant Dutch William of Orange, with his Stuart wife Mary, became the new joint
monarchs of England. This new Anglo-Dutch combination resulted new opportunities and
threats to the English Empire. First of all English from now on could access the Dutch and
English forts and many other commercial advances of the Dutch. It also created an effective
atmosphere for English and Dutch traders.
End of 1690s English get ahead of Dutch on the slavery trade, but there was another
competitor coming to the stage: the French. They have increased their presence in Senegal,
which resulted to several wars. During 1689 and 1697 English and French fought for Senegal,
which resulted English temporary, capture of Fort St. Louis on the Senegal and the temporary
loss of Fort James on the Gambia.
The Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 helped limit French, Spanish and Portuguese economic
and political power for the time being and saw the end of the War of Spanish Succession. The
English gained the legal right for slave trade for the first time, which was known as “Asiento”.
British ships ended up carrying over half the slaves across the Atlantic throughout the
eighteenth century.
1807 was the year when England banned the slavery because the price of sugar was
decreasing. This law was also a strategic advantage to Britain with a Royal Navy that had
recently decisively defeated a French and Spanish fleet at Trafalgar. The Royal Navy would
obtain the right to stop and search any ship that it suspected might be carrying slaves. Special
forgiveness was made for their Portuguese (and later Spanish) allies to continue trading to
their colonies in South America but otherwise ships could to be stopped and searched at will
under the pretext of checking for slaves. This helped ensure that possible French attempts to
trade outside of Europe using non-French ships could be successfully squashed.
Liberty, Equality, Fraternity: République française
Although French East India Company was established in 1664, France was not very
effective in Africa colonization; they were more effective in North America. Apart from
Senegal presence the first signs of French colonization is seen in Algeria, which was seized by
France in 1830.
The presence of France in America did end with several wars: War of The Austrian
Succession (1744-1748), the Seven Years’ War (1756-1783), the French Revolutionary Wars
(1793-1802) and the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815). The First French Colonial Empire, which
couldn’t manage to control many territories Africa, but much in North America was ended by
these wars. As mentioned, the invasion of Algeria was the beginning of the Second French
Colonial Empire.
As Napoleon III became emperor of France, he doubled the overseas provinces of
France and he established French rule in New Caledonia, and Cochinchina, established a
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protectorate in Cambodia (1863); and colonized parts of Africa. During the Second Opium
War and Taiping Rebellion (1860), he joined Britain by sending an army to China.
He established Ministry of the Navy and Colonies in the aim of having a modernized
navy, which was ended successful. The French navy was the second biggest Navy after Britain.
At the beginning of Napoleon III’s reign, Senegal was yet a France colony but it wasn’t
profitable. Thus, Napoleon III deputed a new governor, which renewed and boosted the trade
system in Senegal by building new forts and building new railway stations.
Since 1830 Algeria had been formally under French rule, but in 1852, when country was
fully invaded, it had became a part of it. Napoleon III didn’t pay much attention to Algeria
during his first years but in September 1860 he made his first trip to Algeria with his wife. He
thought that Algeria was special from any other colony so he assigned Arab aristocrats to rule
Algeria.
Cobden-Chevalier Treaty signed in 1860 between France and Britain offering a free
trade, was the at most closeness between French and British. They were never close that much
ever. British have feared that they might invade England or help Americans during their civil
war.
The year 1870 saw the French influence in the North Africa. With the Bardo Treaty
France established a protector in Tunisia in 1881. French control in Gabon and on the
northern banks was formalized in early 1880s.
The Ottoman control was declining day by day because British invaded Egypt in 1882.
They have lost the control of the North Africa and they even couldn’t send an army to fight
against invaders.
During 1870s
In 1878, King Léopold II of Belgium, who had previously founded the International
African Society in 1876, invited Henry Morton Stanley to join him in researching and
“civilizing” the continent. In 1878, the International Congo Society was also formed, with more
economic goals, but still closely related to the former society. Léopold secretly bought off the
foreign investors in the Congo Society, which was turned to imperialistic goals, with the
African Society serving primarily as a philanthropic front.
From 1878 to 1885, Stanley returned to the Congo, this time not as a reporter, but as an
envoy from Léopold with the secret mission to organize what would become known as
the Congo Free State. French intelligence had discovered Leopold’s plans, and France was
quickly engaging in its own colonial exploration. French naval officer Pierre de Brazza was
dispatched to central Africa, traveled into the western Congo basin, and raised the French flag
over the newly founded Brazzaville in 1881, in what is currently the Republic of Congo.
Finally, Portugal, which already had a long, but essentially abandoned colonial Empire in the
area through the mostly defunct proxy state Kongo Empire, also claimed the area due to old
treaties with its old proxy, the Kingdom of Spain, and the Roman Catholic Church. It quickly
made a treaty with its old ally, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on 26
February 1884 to block off the Congo Society’s access to the Atlantic.
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By the early 1880s, due to diplomatic maneuvers, subsequent colonial exploration, and
recognition of Africa’s abundance of valuable resources such as gold, timber, land, markets
and labour power, European interest in Africa had increased dramatically. Stanley’s charting
of the Congo River Basin (1874–77) removed the last bit of terra incognita from European
maps of the continent, thereby delineating the rough areas of British, Portuguese, French, and
Belgian control. The powers raced to push these rough boundaries to their furthest limits and
eliminating any potential local minor powers which might prove troublesome to European
competitive diplomacy.
Italy took possession of the first parts of Eritrea, while Germany declared Togo,
Cameroon and Southwest Africa (now Namibia) to be under its protection in 1884.
Conclusion
This Article mentioned a brief history of
African Colonization that started with the Age of
Discoveries. Portuguese were the first to build
forts in the Cape of Good Hope and several West
African coasts. The following years we saw the
Dutch rebellion against Spain and the formation
of their new state. This state became the
nightmares of Portuguese and Spanish and they
became the super-power in the Continent. There
was the English navy trying to colonize, which
ended not perfectly till the absurd change in the
Throne. The Anglo-Dutch combination resulted
the British to become the new Super Power of
the Continent. France tried raising his head in
Senegal, which was successful. But, the lost of
territories in Americas and the wars mentioned,
the First French Colonial Empire was collapsed.
When Napoleon III came on the Throne, the
Second French Colonial Empire had begun. The invasion of Algeria and good influences in the
North Africa let them have good backbone in the conference. The Scramble of Africa was yet
to start. The conference will decide the history of Africa.
TIMELINE OF AFRICA1
1673
1787
1807
1819
France assumed control over a trading post at the mouth of the Senegal River.
Freetown was founded on the West African coast by the British to receive liberated slaves.
The British government abolished the slave trade along the Guinea Coast.
The British establish court of vice-admiralty and headquarters for anti-slave station at
1
Is taken on 5th of March 2017 from http://courses.wcupa.edu/jones/his311/timeline/t-19waf.htm
written by Jim Jones in 1998
8
1820
1823
1826
1829
1830
1830s
1841
1844
1848
1849
1850
1854
1860
1861
1863
1863
1865
Freetown (Sierra Leone).
First steamship operated on the Senegal River by a private French trading firm.
First Anglo-Ashanti War began with the defeat of a small British force and the death of its
commander Sir Charles McCarthy.
The British defeated an Ashanti army but did not try to penetrate inland. The British victory
ended the First Anglo-Ashanti War .
First European, a Frenchman named Rene Caillie, visited Timbuctu and returned.
French invade Algiers.
English trader George Maclean became influential along the Gold Coast.
The French founded the colony of Gabon at the mouth of the Ogou‚ River valley.
The British government recognized treaties of protection with Fanti leaders collected along the
Gold Coast by British army officer George Maclean.
End of Abdel Kadir's resistance to the French in Algeria.
The British government sent John Beecroft as consul to the Oil Rivers. He was a trader and
anti-slavery crusader.
Britain bought the remaining Danish forts along the Gold Coast.
Louis Faidherbe became governor of Senegal and launched the French advance inland along
the Senegal River.
The German firm of Woermann & Company first arrived in Cameroon.
The British considered exchanging the Gambia (surrounded by Senegal) for French territory.
The London Missionary Society sponsored a group of Rhineland Germans to establish a
mission at Walvis Bay.
Ashanti-Fanti dispute led to British casualties and public opinion that the Gold Coast was "a
quagmire".
A parliamentary commission recommended that Britain give up all of its West African
possessions except for Freetown.
French expansion in Senegal ended when Faidherbe left.
1865
February 19,
The British made Freetown the center of administration for their West African holdings.
1866
1871
Prussia defeated France and annexed Alsace-Lorraine.
1872
Cape Colony became an autonomous colony in the British Empire.
Britain bought the remaining Dutch forts along the Gold Coast, leaving Britain in sole
1872
possession of the coast.
The Second Anglo-Ashanti War began when the Ashanti invaded the coastal region to protest
1873
the departure of the Dutch.
1873
The "Great Depression" began. It undermined the European economy until 1896.
The new Disraeli government (in office since 1874/02) converted the Gold Coast into a "crown
July 1874
colony.".
1876
French army officer Savorgnan de Brazza began to explore the right bank of the Congo River.
The Association Internationale Africaine (AIA) was founded with King Leopold of Belgium as
1876
president.
The French and British made competing claims in the the "Southern Rivers" region from their
1877
respective bases in Conakry and Freetown.
1878
Britain occupied the harbor at Walvis Bay and provoked a diplomatic incident with Germany.
Admiral Jaur‚guiberry, a supporter of colonial expansion and the former governor of Senegal
(1860s), became the French Minister of Marine, which oversaw the colonial military troops
1879
along the Senegal River.
9
The United Africa Company (UAC) was founded by George Taubman Goldie [Chamberlain,
docs 12 & 15] to organize small trading firms along the Lower Niger River.
1879
British and Portuguese opened negotiations over the future of the Portuguese African colonies.
1879
Germany introduced high tariffs designed to protect its industries against British competition.
France's Savorgnan de Brazza obtained his first treaty with the Makoko in the Congo River
October 1880
basin.
Construction began at two locations along the Senegal River on a French railroad to the Niger
1881
River.
The North Borneo Company became the first royal chartered company in modern British
1881
history.
1882
France raised its tariffs to protect its industries against British competition.
Several important investors joined the UAC and changed its name to National African
Company (NAC). Meanwhile two French companies began to trade on the Lower Niger River
1882
in competition with the NAC.
The British and French reached a settlement for the "Southern Rivers" region between Sierra
1882
Leone and Guinea.
September 15, British troops occupied Cairo and ended dual control of Egyptian finaces by England and
1882
France.
November The French revived de Brazza's 1880/10 treaty to soothe domestic public opinion after the
1882
British ended dual control in Egypt.
Summer 1882 British troops occupied the Lower Nile Valley in Egypt.
The French revived their protectorate over Porto-Novo (between Lagos and Gold Coast). They
1883
also established a fort on the Middle Niger River at Bamako.
The Germans asked the British what their intention was for the area around Walvis Bay, and
1883
the British gave a non-committal reply.
A German trader with interests in the Transvaal bought land to establish a post at Angra
April 1883
Pequena, near Walfisch Bay.
The British consul at Fernando Po solicited treaties with African leaders in the Lower Niger
1884
Valley.
Leopold of Belgium presented agreements collected by the Association Internationale
1884
Africaine (AIA) as treaties of protection with African leaders in the Congo basin.
Goldie's NAC bought out its French competitors and gained a monopoly on trade along the
1884
Lower Niger River.
Anglo-Portuguese Treaty recognized Portuguese claims over the region of the mouth of the
February
Congo River and established an Anglo-Poruguese commission to control navigation on the
1884
river.
April 1884 Germany declared a protectorate over Walvis Bay.
News reached England of Gustav Nachtigal's treaties granting Germany the right to provide
July 1884
"protection" in Togo and Cameroon.
November 15,
The Berlin Conference opened.
1884
1879
10
THE BERLIN CONFERENCE (1884)
The Scramble for Africa had been brought to the table in
order to cool down the tension of European Imperialism,
which refers to when a nation extends its political power to
dominate other nations. Before the conference, Africa was
keeping to themselves, which only the coast regions were
colonized. 80% was leaded by the tribes.
The conference's aim was shown as they wanted to bring
civil society, similar to Europe, to Africa. They wished to
control slavery and promote humanitarianism. Their aim was reached at some degree, which
they bring technology, education and
infrastructure; however, it wasn't made the
situation better.
The Berlin Conference had been a guideline
for colonization of Africa. It prevented a war
for next 30 years in Europe up to the World
War 1. The base was selected as natural
sources not tribes or ethnicities. So the
boundaries of tribes were broke down and
forced to live another same rulings and land
pieces.
The borders were designed according to the
natural sources, which created areas that
more than one tribe lived together. This was
how the borders selected but it is not the
answer of who did take the control of the
place. The rule of getting a land pieces was firstly they needed to tell that the claimed area is
theirs and secondly they needed to prove that they could control the territory.
PARTIES INVOLVED
Under support from the British and the initiative of Portugal, Otto von Bismarck, German
Chancellor, called on representatives of 13 nations in Europe and the United States to take
part in the Berlin Conference in 1884 to work out joint policy on the African continent. The
following 14 countries sent representatives to attend the Berlin Conference and sign the
subsequent Berlin Act in alphabetic order:
11
The Austro-Hungarian Empire
Austria-Hungary, was a constitutional union of the
Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary that
existed from 1867 to 1918. The union was a result of the
Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 and came into
existence on 30 March 1867.
The Kingdom of Belgium
The Kingdom of Belgium which is a country that gained
her independence following a nationalistic revolution in
1830, was dedicated to get a slice of ‘this magnificent
African cake’ and, during the reign of King Leopold
after the establishment of the International African
Association, Belgium finally declared Congo as its own
resulting in the Congo Conference –which is now better
known as the Berlin Conference of 1884- to be held.
The Kingdom of Denmark
Kingdom of Denmark, is a Scandinavian country in
Europe. The southernmost and smallest of the Nordic
countries, it is south-west of Sweden and south of
Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. The
Kingdom of Denmark is the sovereign state that
comprises Denmark proper and two autonomous
constituent countries in the North Atlantic Ocean, the
Faroe Islands and Greenland.
FRANCE
GERMAN EMPIRE
12
UNITED KINGDOM
In the Berlin Conference of 1885, the scope of the “Principle of Effective Occupation” was
heavily contested between German Empire and French Republic. The Germans, who were new
to the continent of Africa, essentially believed that as far as the extension of power in Africa
was concerned, no colonial power should have any legal right to a territory, unless the state
exercised strong and effective political control, and if so, only for a limited period of time,
essentially an occupational force only. However, Britain's view was that Germany was late to
come to the continent, and was unlikely to gain any new possessions, apart from already
occupied territories, which were swiftly proving to be more valuable than British-occupied
territories. Given that logic, it was generally assumed by Britain and France that Germany had
an interest in embarrassing the other European powers on the continent and forcing them to
give up their possessions if they could not muster a strong political presence. On the other side,
the United Kingdom had large territorial possessions on the continent and wanted to keep
them while minimizing its responsibilities and administrative costs.
The British were primarily interested in maintaining secure communication lines to India,
which led to initial interest in Egypt and South Africa. Once these two areas were secure, it was
the intent of British colonialists such as Cecil Rhodes to establish a Cape-Cairo railway and to
exploit mineral and agricultural resources. Also, Control of the Nile was considered as a
strategic and commercial advantage.
The Kingdom of Italy
The Kingdom of Italy was a state founded in 1861,
when King Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia was
proclaimed King of Italy. The state was founded as a
result of the unification of Italy under the influence of
the Kingdom of Sardinia, which can be considered its
legal predecessor state. The most important point
about Kingdom of Italy is, at the Berlin Conference,
Italy became part of the Triple Alliance, upsetting
Bismarck's carefully laid plans with the state and
forced Germany to be involved in Africa.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a sovereign state
and constitutional monarchy with territory in
Western Europe and in the Caribbean. The
European part of the Netherlands borders Germany
to the east, Belgium to the south, and the North Sea
to the northwest, sharing maritime borders with
Belgium, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
13
The Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman was an empire founded at the end of
the thirteenth century in northwestern Anatolia.
After 1354, the Ottomans crossed into Europe, and
with the conquest of the Balkans the Ottoman was
transformed into a transcontinental empire. During
the 16th and 17th centuries, at the height of its
power, the Ottoman Empire was a multinational,
multilingual empire controlling much of Southeast
Europe, parts of Central Europe, Western Asia, the
Caucasus, North Africa, and the Horn of Africa. At
the beginning of the 17th century the empire
contained 32 provinces and numerous vassal states.
Some of these were later absorbed into the Ottoman
Empire, while others were granted various types of
autonomy during the course of centuries.
The Kingdom of Portugal
The Kingdom of Portugal was a monarchy on the
Iberian Peninsula and the predecessor of modern
Portugal. It was in existence from 1139 until 1910.
After 1248, it was also known as the Kingdom of
Portugal and the Algarves and between 1815 and
1822, it was known as the United Kingdom of
Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves. The name is also
often applied to the Portuguese Empire, the realm's
extensive overseas colonies. With the advent of
“rotativismo” and subsequent political stability, the
attention of Portugal turned toward its colonial
possessions in Africa in 1800s.
The Kingdom of Spain
Kingdom of Spain is a sovereign state located on the
Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe. But, in
the 19th century, its name was Restoration, which is
the name given to the period that began on 29
December 1874 and ended on 14 April 1931 with the
proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic. After
almost a whole century of political instability and
many civil wars, the aim of the Restoration was to
create a new political system. This was the
deliberate rotation of the Liberal and Conservative
parties in the government, so no sector of the
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bourgeoisie felt isolated, while all other parties were excluded from the system. This was
achieved by electoral fraud. Opposition to the system came from republicans, socialists,
anarchists, Basque and Catalan nationalists, and Carlists.
The United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway
The United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway was a
personal union of the separate kingdoms of Sweden
and Norway under a common monarch and
common foreign policy that lasted from 1814 The
two states kept separate constitutions, laws,
legislatures, administrations, state churches, armed
forces, and currencies; the kings mostly resided in
Stockholm, where foreign diplomatic
representations were located. The Norwegian
government was presided over by viceroys, Swedes
until 1829, Norwegians until 1856.
The United States of America
The United States of America is a constitutional
federal republic composed of 50 states, a federal
district, five major self-governing territories, and
various possessions. Forty eight of the fifty states
and the federal district are contiguous and located
in North America between Canada and Mexico.
OTHER COUNTRIES OF IMPORTANCE
The Khedivate of Egypt
The Khedivate of Egypt was an autonomous
tributary state of the Ottoman Empire, established
and ruled by the Muhammad Ali Dynasty following
the defeat and expulsion of Napoleon Bonaparte's
forces which brought an end to the short-lived
French occupation of Lower Egypt. Britain's
administration of Egypt and the Cape Colony
contributed to a preoccupation over securing the
source of the Nile River. Egypt was overrun by
British forces in 1882, although not formally
declared a protectorate until 1914, and never an
actual colony. Most important point about Khedivate is that, Egypt has great strategic value in
securing the flow of overseas trade.
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The Mahdist Sudan
The Mahdist State was an unrecognized state that attempted to break Egyptian rule in the
Sudan. Developments in Sudan during the late 19th century were heavily influenced by the
British position in Egypt. In 1869, the Suez Canal was opened and quickly became Britain's
economic lifeline to India and the Far East. To defend this waterway, Britain sought a greater
role in Egyptian affairs. Therefore, the British government supported a program in 1873. After
the removal in 1877 of Khedive Ismail, Charles George Gordon resigned as governor general
of Sudan in 1880. His successors lacked direction from Cairo and feared the political turmoil
that had engulfed Egypt. As a result, they failed to continue the policies Gordon had put in
place. The illegal slave trade revived, although not enough to satisfy the merchants whom
Gordon had put out of business. Although the Sudanese army suffers from a lack of resources,
and unemployed soldiers from disbanded units troubled garrison towns, they were still
besieging Khartoum –the only British garrisoned city in Sudan.
The Sokoto Caliphate
The Sokoto Caliphate was an independent Islamic
Caliphate, in West Africa. Developed in the context
of multiple, independent “Hausa kingdoms”, at its
height the Caliphate linked over 30 different
emirates and over 10 million people in the most
powerful state in its region and one of the most
significant empires in Africa in the nineteenth
century. The caliphate brought decades of economic
growth throughout the region. An estimated one to
2.5 million non-Muslim slaves were captured during
jihad. However, slavery in the Caliphate was not the
more common chattel slavery, slaves provided labor
for plantations and were provided an opportunity to
become Muslims.
The Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer
sovereign republic in southern Africa during the
second half of the 19th century, and later a British
colony and a province of the Union of South Africa.
It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free
State province. Following the granting of
sovereignty to the Transvaal Republic, the British
recognized the independence of the Orange River
Sovereignty on 17 February 1854 and the country
officially became independent as the Orange Free
State on 23 February 1854, with the signing of the
Orange River Convention.
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QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
 What requirements should be met for a country to be able to lay territorial claims
rather than just having an “informal presence”?
 Should free trade exist throughout Africa, in certain colonies, or not at all?
 Does Congo have a government that can sustain itself as a free state? If not, what
changes should be made to the system to make it a suitable government?
 What are some ways to control the Muslim population of North Africa from uprising
against their colonial overlords?
 What are the benefits of Congo becoming a free state? What are the disadvantages?
 What is the foreign policy of the state that you represent? Is it a part of an alliance such
as the Triple Alliance?
 Is holding colonies in Africa feasible and beneficial for the state you represent? What
are some possible repercussions of maintaining presence in Africa?
 What are the goals of the country that you represent? Do they have a project such as
the Rose-Colored Map?
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MAPS
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NOTES FROM THE CHAIRS
As the Historical Committee, we will rewrite the Berlin Conference, so it is important to know
that the situation of country in 19th century and the actions that were taken before the
conference. It will provide you to have a clear view of your representatives' policies. Since we
will rewrite the conference, it might be useful to look at the results for see how much countries
reach their aims in the meanings of income.
The chairs will strongly recommend again studying your country policies in 19th century and
learning their roles in the imperialism period and Europe. Don't forget to research about the
reasons behind the conference to be held. This chair report will provide you a general view of
what we want from you to search for. You may use the links that we provide down below to
start your research.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAXlE7OMoiU
 http://teacherweb.ftl.pinecrest.edu/snyderd/MWH/Projects/mun-bc/History.htm
 http://www.africafederation.net/Berlin_1885.htm
 http://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/hum211/timelines/htimeline3.htm
(EUROPEAN IMPERIALISM 15th-19th CENTURIES)
 http://courses.wcupa.edu/jones/his311/timeline/t-19waf.htm ( 19th CENTURY
WEST AFRICA)
 http://courses.wcupa.edu/jones/his311/timeline/t-19saf.htm (THE HISTORY OF
SOUTH AFRICA COLONIZATION)
 http://www.thenagain.info/WebChron/Africa/BerlinConf.html
 http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/agex/hd_agex.htm
 http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ab48
 http://www.sahistory.org.za/topic/africa-portugal
 http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199846733/obo9780199846733-0058.xml
 http://www.britishempire.co.uk/maproom/africa.htm
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