The primary purpose of the Berlin Conference of 1884 was to lay down the rules for the partition of Africa among European powers. Convened by Otto von Bismarck, the conference sought to avert conflict over colonial claims by establishing guidelines for European nations to follow as they expanded their empires. Notably, it did not account for African societies, leading to significant political upheaval and social disruption in the continent. The decisions made there drastically reshaped Africa’s boundaries and had lasting effects on its people and cultures.