Belgium Imperializing the Congo

Sam Mrozinski

Methods Motives

Overview

Primary Source

Country Today

Gaining Independence

Video

Charts

Conclusion

Overview• Imperialism is the takeover of a country or territory by a

stronger nation with the intent of dominating the political, economic, and social life of the people. Starting in the 1800’s, European countries began to claim territory in Africa mostly because it was one of the last regions in the world that was un-imperialized and it had a great economic appeal.

Gaining Independence

• Jean Félix Tchicaya • Formed the RDA in 1946• Formed the Parti Progressiste African

in 1947• Became a member of the French

Parliament• November 21, 1945

• Fulbert Youlou • Prime minister

• Resulted in the establishment of the Republic of Congo

Gaining Independence Continued• Jacques Opangault• Organized a revolt

February 16, 1959

• Between southerners and northerners• Opangault was arrested

• Youlou held elections and won• July 12, 1960• France agreed to Congo becoming fully

independent• August 15, 1960• Republic of Congo became an

independent country • Youlou as first president

Country TodayDemocratic Republic of Congo• Located in Central Africa• Largest country in Sub Saharan Africa• Population of over 75 million

• Divided into 12 departments• Departments divided into communes\

districts

• Eastern DRC is very violent• Armed groups attack local communities• Kidnap women and children and force them

to work as sexual slaves• Known as the “rape capital of the

world”

• Second highest infant mortality rate in the world

Country Today Continued• Established a stable presidential democratic

republic• Joseph Kabila

• The Second Congo War• Conflict between

• Over 200 ethnic groups• Majority are bantu people

• Vast potential of natural resources and mineral wealth

• Economy has decreased drastically since 1980’s• due to war, corruption, and political

instability• Worlds lowest GDP per capita

Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx2Sj1fhSso

0-4:44

This video is about European imperialism and the race for Africa. It also talks about how King Leopold II claimed the Congo after the Conference of Berlin in 1885. It explains how he treated the people of the Congo and how he punished them if they didn’t meet the rubber quota.

WARNING: SHOWS VISUAL IMAGES OF HANDS BEING CHOPPED OFF. DO NOT WATCH IF SQUEAMISH.

Primary Source

http://www.theatlantic.com/past/docs/issues/96sep/congo/stanley.htm

Chart 1http://www.gapminder.org/world/#$majorMode=chart$is;shi=t;ly=2003;lb=f;il=t;fs=11;al=0;stl=t;st=t;nsl=t;se=t$wst;tts=C$ts;sp=5.59290322580644;ti=2012$zpv;v=0$inc_x;mmid=XCOORDS;iid=phAwcNAVuyj1jiMAkmq1iMg;by=ind$inc_y;mmid=YCOORDS;iid=phAwcNAVuyj0XOoBL%5Fn5tAQ;by=ind$inc_s;uniValue=8.21;iid=phAwcNAVuyj0XOoBL%5Fn5tAQ;by=ind$inc_c;uniValue=255;gid=CATID0;by=grp$map_x;scale=log;dataMin=282;dataMax=119849$map_y;scale=lin;dataMin=0;dataMax=1359368470$map_s;sma=49;smi=2.65$cd;bd=0$inds=i49_t001960

,,,,

This chart shows that as the population increases, the income per person decreased and then made a recovery. This means that as the Congo got more populated, people made less money and over time the economy was able to make a recovery, being right around where it started.

Chart 2

http://www.gapminder.org/world/#$majorMode=chart$is;shi=t;ly=2003;lb=f;il=t;fs=11;al=0;stl=t;st=t;nsl=t;se=t$wst;tts=C$ts;sp=5.59290322580644;ti=2012$zpv;v=0$inc_x;mmid=XCOORDS;iid=phAwcNAVuyj2tPLxKvvnNPA;by=ind$inc_y;mmid=YCOORDS;iid=phAwcNAVuyj0NpF2PTov2Cw;by=ind$inc_s;uniValue=8.21;iid=phAwcNAVuyj0XOoBL%5Fn5tAQ;by=ind$inc_c;uniValue=255;gid=CATID0;by=grp$map_x;scale=lin;dataMin=12;dataMax=83$map_y;scale=log;dataMin=1.7;dataMax=420$map_s;sma=49;smi=2.65$cd;bd=0$inds=i49_t001960,,,,

This chart shows that the infant mortality rate goes down as the life expectancy increases. This means that there are less infant deaths in the Congo and the general life expectancy rate has gone up as well, so more people live longer.

Methods• Force, threats, and violence• Established a new flag• The star representing the light of

colonization that Belgium introduced to the Congo

• King Leopold II it the Congo Free State in the 1870’s

• Tricked Chiefs• Henry Morton Stanley went to the

chiefs and tricked them into signing contracts that they couldn’t read that gave up their rights to everything

• Spin control

Methods Continued• Force Publique• An army, that searched for elephant

tusks, killing elephants or taking from other villages

• Killed any people who resisted• Leaving many kids as orphans

• Raised an army of orphans • Only school they attended was a

military school• Slaves• Forced slaves to work hard by

threatening with violence

Methods Continued• Chicotte• A whip made of raw sundried hide• So strong and dangerous 100 hits

could be fatal• Became a symbol of Leopold’s rule

• Along with the steamboat and rifle

• Red Rubber Terror• Leopold created a rubber quota in

order to make a profit• Punished for not reaching quota or

killing the vine• If someone didn’t reach the quota

their hands would be chopped off

Motives

• Economic

• Political

• Ideological

Motives; Economic• Congo had a large supply of raw

materials• Rubber• Ivory• Gold• Other natural resources

• Had a labor force that was easily exploited and easy to manipulate

• The Congo River• Strategic location• Used for trade

• Location made trade easier

Motives; Political

• Race for Africa

• King Leopold II felt pressured that everyone else was claiming land

• Only took the Congo because it was the only region left to claim• King Leopold II used exploration as

an excuse

Motives; Ideological

Social Darwinism

• “Survival of the Fittest”

• Societies with more wealth, power, and technology are superior to those with less

• Wanted to gain more power and land

Conclusion• Motives• Economic• Ideological• Political

• Methods• Force and violence

• Gaining independence• Revolt• Belgium agreed to free the Congo

• Country Today• The Second Congo War• Very poor• Rape capital of the world