Final answer:
The statement about the French expansion in West Africa is true. France acquired numerous territories in West Africa during the late 19th century, and was heavily involved in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and colonialism in Africa.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that European states expanded empires in Africa, specifically the French in West Africa, is true. During the period of 1880 to 1900, France expedited its colonial expansion in West Africa, particularly after realizing Belgium's interest in Central Africa. Prominent French officer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza played a significant role in this expansion by negotiating with local leaders and signing treaties. The French imperial endeavors led to the control of territories that are now known countries like Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Burkina Faso, and Chad. The French also took control of territories in East Africa such as French Somaliland (now Djibouti) and the island of Madagascar.
Further evidence of French involvement in Africa is demonstrated by their active participation in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and the establishment of forts along the western African coast by the 1600s. The Berlin Conference of 1884, attended by European powers, divided Sub-Saharan Africa into colonial territories, many of which retain their borders today. This expansion was part of a larger pattern of European imperialism in Africa that also saw empires like Britain, Spain, and Portugal establish a presence in different regions of the continent.