Final answer:
The Berlin Conference in 1884-85, organized by Otto von Bismarck, was attended by European and American representatives who divided Africa into colonial spheres without African participation. This division often ignored ethnic and political borders, leading to long-term unrest. The meeting was effectively a colonial land grab amidst international tension and perceived competition with American economic power.
Step-by-step explanation:
What Happened at the Berlin Conference in 1884-85?
In 1884, under the organization of German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the Berlin Conference was convened to establish order amongst European powers with regard to colonial claims in Africa. The meeting brought together representatives from 13 European nations as well as the United States, but notably, no African states apart from Ottoman-controlled areas were included. The imperial powers drew administrative boundaries that often disregarded existing ethnic and political divisions in Africa, with the aim of weakening local resistance and easing the imposition of foreign rule. These artificially created borders not only caused immediate turmoil by mixing hostile groups or splitting allied communities but also led to long-standing issues with civil unrest, separatist movements, and boundary disputes well into the mid-20th century.
Despite the diplomatic veneer, the Berlin Conference was, in essence, a collective land grab, with European nations deciding amongst themselves their respective spheres of influence and territories for conquest throughout Africa. This decision-making occurred in the context of rising international tensions and a fear of American economic prowess. European powers, therefore, sought to expand their empires even in the absence of a clear understanding of Africa's potential wealth.