African Congo Timeline
Afua Ofori-Darko & Sofia Lobo
Emancipation of the Congo
Berlin Conference
Congo is Made Whole Once Again
Kongo's First Catholic King
- UN influence grew within Congo
- Katanga's succession was resolved
- January 14, 1963: country was made whole again
- November 15, 1884
- Germany calls Berlin Conference to discuss the recent events in the Congo.
- Conference was called to do three things:
- Discuss "freedom of trade in the basin and mouth of the Congo."
- Discuss "freedom of navigation on the Congo and the Niger based on the same principles as applied for the Danube."
- To make clear "the definition of the formalities to be observed when taking possession of new territory on the African coast."
- June 30, 1960
- The Congo is emancipated from Belgium.
- Although the Belgians brought wealth to their colony, the Congolese were hoping to finally enjoy their own economic prosperity.
- After conquest from foreign countries, the depression, the horrible colonial rule, WWI and WWII, the Congolese were ready for independence.
- Other countries were ready to side with the Congolese in their fight for independence because of the problems of racism, the treatment of the native population as second-class citizens, and the lasting effects of WWII.
- Nzinga Mbemba, the governor of Nsundi was baptized under the name Afonso I
- Became the Kongo's first and most capable King
- His relations with Europe opened opportunities
- Adopted Catholicism as the State Religion
- Lead to the destruction of the Kongo's people
- Slavery expanded 10,000 slaves a year
Congo Splits into Four Principal Fragments
1st Portuguese Caravan Reaches Mbanza Kongo
Portuguese Place King Alvaro I Into Power
Congo Free State becomes the Belgium Congo
- Two years after the Portuguese helped Alvaro I into power, he again needed their help when a group of migrant warriors invaded Congo
- Alvaro I and Alvaro II caused a decrease in power to Luanda, a market colony set up by Portuguese
- Mbanza Kongo was the kingdom's wealthiest town
- Expedition lead by Portuguese seaman Diogo Cão
- Began Portuguese influence in the Kongo
- King João II of Portugal sent missionaries to the Kongo
- Mission wanted to embrace the native people with Catholicism
- November 15, 1908
- Congo Free State becomes the Belgium Congo.
- The Belgium Congo is not very different from Leopold's Free State.
- A large number of native Congolese were still enslaved.
- The new Belgian Congo was still Leopoldian in thinking when it came to the monetary wealth of the Congo's resources.
- February 1961
- Congo splits into four principal fragments:
- Katanga
- South Kasai
- Congo (Leopoldville)
- Congo (Stanleyville)
- This was a gradual improvement and trend toward reunification.