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Question

Difficulty: EasyState Expansion in Africa

Source: King Leopold II of Belgium, letter to colonial administrators in the Congo Free State, 1897

"The mission of our agents in the Congo is a noble one. They must carry on the work of civilization in Equatorial Africa, guiding the native populations toward a better future, while developing the economic resources of the territory."

Based on the passage, which of the following developments in nineteenth-century Africa does King Leopold II's letter attempt to justify?

  1. The expansion of direct European imperial control and territorial annexation in AfricaAnswer
  2. B
    The development of mutually beneficial trade alliances between equal European and African states
  3. C
    The creation of free-market capitalist economies that ended government-monopolized trade
  4. D
    The deployment of objective biological research to modernize African farming techniques

Answer

The expansion of direct European imperial control and territorial annexation in Africa
The correct answer is correct because King Leopold II's letter represents the classic 'civilizing mission' rationale used by European powers to justify the partition and colonization of Africa during the late nineteenth century. Despite the paternalistic language of guiding populations, the primary goal was the expansion of direct political control and intense resource extraction, particularly of rubber and ivory in the Congo.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus passage.
The passage shows King Leopold II describing the colonial presence in the Congo as a 'noble mission' to 'civilize' and 'develop economic resources.'
Understanding the context and argument of the source is necessary to identify what historical process it represents.
2
Connect the source's rhetoric to the broader historical developments of the late nineteenth century.
During the Scramble for Africa, European powers colonized and partitioned African territory, using the 'civilizing mission' as an ideological justification for their imperial expansion.
This links the specific primary source to the target historical concept of state expansion in Africa.
3
Evaluate the options to find the development being justified.
The expansion of direct European imperial control and territorial annexation in Africa directly matches this development.
To select the correct response by aligning the historical reality of the Congo Free State with Leopold's justification.

Key Concept

The Scramble for Africa and the ideological justifications for European imperial expansion.

Hints

1
Identify who King Leopold II was and what colonial territory he personally ruled in Africa.
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

State Expansion in Africa

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