The Rule That Triggered the Scramble for Africa

Added: 2026-05-21

[00:00:00]The most important was the principle of effective occupation.

[00:00:04]To have your claim recognized, you had to actually control and administer the territory, not just plant a flag.

[00:00:11]The scramble had already begun before Berlin, but the conference accelerated it.

[00:00:16]European powers rushed inland, signing treaties, often under duress, sending expeditions, and claiming land as quickly as they could.