Belgian Congo Imperialism

The Congolese

The Congolese people were avid workers, for they had to be to live. The people used the Congo River which runs along the eastern and southern boarders, for food, transportation, and trade. The Congolese are the indigenous people to the Congo and lived there freely until King Leopold II. They traveled and traded fruits and traded mainly fruit along river in small wooden boats.

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Religion

African tribes before imperialism in Congo

had a very different religion. They were polytheistic unlike the Belgian Christians. The tribes did believe in "Juju" (The Devil). They practiced a lot of witchcraft and rituals.

They also practiced sacrifice and possession.

"I believe that the moment has come for us to extend our territories. We must lose no time, under penalty of seeing the few remaining good positions seized upon by more enterprising nations than our own".

- King Leopold II

Success and Failure of Imperialism

The imperialism of King Leopold II in the Congo, caused the colony to fall quite dramatically. The population dropped almost thirty percent under the rein of Leopold. He sent children into the fields to harvest the rubber plants for the growing demand due to the invention of the rubber bicycle and car tire. The King had great revenue from rubber making it a success, But also managed to diminish the local population, being a downfall.

Belgian Bye-Bye?

In the 1940's Belgium was invaded

by Germany in the second World War

In the end Congo helped build Belgium back up. A rally in Leopold was held and Lumumba demanded Independence. A conference in 1960 set an exact date (June 30th) for Congo's independence. Soon in elections a prime minister was elected. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Their government is now alot

similar to the US.

Sources

Motivation for taking the Congo

Belgium nation recognized the economic importance of Africa and its natural resources. The need for raw materials to support the Industrial Revolution (1750–1850) intensified this interest. Leopold had discovered the horrors of the African slave trade along with the profitability of the interior’s largely untapped supplies of ivory, coal, sugar cane, copper, iron, and palm oil. Leopold decided to establish an African colony in the name of philanthropy, not imperialism, declaring that Belgium would crusade for the abolition of the slave trade and bring enlightenment to Africans.

http://1hdwallpapers.com/somewhere_in_africa-wallpaper.html

Zaire, Formerly. "History and Government." Congo In Pictures. Munneapolis: Learner Publications, 1998. Print.

Zaire, Formerly. "The Land." Congo In Pictures. Munneapolis: Learner Publications, 1998. Print.

"Metals and Minerals." New Encyclopedia of Africa. Ed. John Middleton and Joseph C. Miller. 2nd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2008. 537-550. World History in Context. Web. 6 Nov. 2014.

Horn, Max. "HyperWar: 'The Belgian Congo at War'" HyperWar: 'The Belgian Congo at War' Belgian Information Center, n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2014.

Riding, Alan. "Belgium Confronts Its Heart of Darkness; Unsavory Colonial Behavior in the Congo Will Be Tackled by a New Study." The New York Times. The New York Times, 20 Sept. 2002. Web. 04 Nov. 2014.

Scheyven, Louis M. "We Did Not Wish to Wage a Colonial War." Terrorism: Essential Primary Sources. Ed. K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 126-128. World History in Context. Web. 4 Nov. 2014.

"King Leopold II of Belgium Establishes the Congo Free State: 1885." Global Events: Milestone Events Throughout History. Ed. Jennifer Stock. Vol. 1: Africa. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2014. World History in Context. Web. 4 Nov. 2014."Religion and Ritual." New Encyclopedia of Africa. Ed. John Middleton and Joseph C. Miller. 2nd ed. Vol. 4. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2008. 306-313. World History in Context. Web. 10 Nov. 2014.

http://www.historytoday.com/sites/default/files/belgium_main.jpg

positive and negative effects

Resistance and/or conflict from the colonial people toward the Europeans.

Positive:

-Brought formal education systems to the Congo

-Many indigenous languages were taught in the schools that the government sponsored

-Had greatly improved healthcare once the Congo became Belgian Congo- healthcare improve steadily throughout the time of Belgian CongoNegative:

-Congolese peoples were discriminated against, had curfews and were banned from local “white” establishments

-Segregated the Congolese people because of their color and culture

-Culture was being destroyed by the devastation and lack of personal rights

-Roman Catholic Church and some Protestant Church's forced their religion and values upon the indigenous people

-Once they were granted independence they were not left with enough education to cultivate and develop a country

-Leopold originally ruled approximately 30 million people in the Congo

-Scholars estimate that Leopold's brutal treatment of the Congolese reduced population anywhere from 10-50%

-Main causes of death were war, starvation, forced labor, largely reduced birthrate and disease, some of which continued to be present after his rule ended

-Over-exploited rubber from Congo region and rubber gradually diminished throughout the Congo.

-The Belgians used the resources of the Congo to make money for itself

-Belgium had complete control over all the minerals in the country

• Early 1890's reports of abuse towards the Congolese

• Some Congolese natives hands were chopped off if they misbehaved

• 1959, a mix of frustration and anger over racial discrimination made Congolese rioters attack Europeans in Leopoldville and Stanleyville.

• On October 30th 1959, riots broke out in Stanleyville.

• On July 1, 1960, more riots broke out in Leopoldville.

Belgian Congo Imperialism

~Kelsey, Cynthia, Michael, Kaaden~