Question

...Ivory and slaves had been the Congo's main exports, but Leopold focused on rubber. The mass

marketing of bicycles and automobiles in the 1890s greatly increased the demand for rubber and
sent prices soaring. When a rubber producing vine was discovered in the rainforests of Congo in
1890, Leopold forced out the competition and acquired a monopoly on the scarce commodity.
By one estimate, the Congo was producing 20,000 tons of crude rubber a year at a 900 percent
profit. The high return was due largely to cheap labor......
Source: Michael Parker, Mission Crossroads, Spring 2017
1 The information in this passage would be most useful to an economist researching
(1) motivations for European imperialism in Africa
(2) employment strategies used in Europe
(3) reasons for European interest in ivory
(4) importation of European raw materials to Africa
2 Which event contributed to the situation described in this passage?
(1) passage of the British Abolition Act
(2) creation of the Sadler Report
(3) meeting of the Berlin Conference
(4) establishment of the Napoleonic Code

Answer 1

The passage would be useful for researching motivations for European imperialism in Africa, specifically the exploitation of rubber in the Congo under King Leopold II. The situation described in the passage was influenced by the meeting of the Berlin Conference.

Step-by-step explanation:

The information in this passage would be most useful to an economist researching motivations for European imperialism in Africa. The passage describes how King Leopold II of Belgium focused on rubber as the main export of the Congo, which was in high demand due to the mass marketing of bicycles and automobiles in the 1890s. Leopold acquired a monopoly on rubber production by forcing out competition and exploiting cheap labor, resulting in high profits.

The event that contributed to the situation described in this passage is the meeting of the Berlin Conference. The conference, held in 1884-1885, marked the division of Africa among European powers and established the guidelines for colonization. It provided the opportunity for Leopold to claim the Congo as his personal possession and exploit its resources.