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Berlin Conference convenes to discuss terms for African colonization
The Berlin Conference is significant because it marks when King Leopold II decided to carve up Africa so that Belgium expanded as well as the rest of the European nations. They did not consider cultural or linguistic boundaries when they chose which land to conquer, so this caused wars amongst the people of Africa later in the future. -
East India Company collapses due to Sepoy Rebellion; British Raj begins
East India Company, a major company at the time, collapsed because of the Enfield rifles that they produced. -
Suez Canal links the Mediterranean and Red Seas
This is important because the Suez canal is such an important trading route that connects two bodies of water that before were impractical to travel through one to another. -
European trade with Africa becomes well established
King Leopold II decided not to wait for those natural resources to be traded to them, but rather to divide Africa amongst the European nations and decrease the cost of transport back to their main land.