The Scramble for the Pacific: How Europe Divided the Ocean

The Rise of Colonialism: How Europe Divided the World — Fexingo History · Sep 16, 2026 · 8m · transcript

While historians often focus on the Berlin Conference's division of Africa, a parallel and equally ruthless partition was occurring in the Pacific during the late nineteenth century. This episode examines how Great Britain, Germany, France, and the United States carved up Oceania without consulting the indigenous peoples who lived there. We explore the complex web of treaties, annexations, and strategic maneuvers that transformed independent island nations into colonial possessions. Key figures include King Kalākaua of Hawaii, whose diplomatic efforts to maintain sovereignty were…