King Leopold II Of Belgium Colonized The Congo

King Leopold II Of Belgium Colonized The Congo
King Leopold II of Belgium colonized the African country of Congo with the help of American
explorer Henry Stanley. Leopold desperately wanted the Congo to expand his small territory and to
secure his place in the world. To do this, he sent Stanley to gain treaties from tribe leaders in the
Congo River basin, from 1875 to 1884. Stanley succeeded in obtaining signatures through a
combination of trickery and force. Ever since then, the Congo was dealt a low blow by invidious,
violent takeovers. Leopold's ruthless reign lasted from 1885 to 1908, and then the Belgian
government took over for nearly five decades. The Congo gained complete independence from
Belgium in 1960, but still has a long way to go in order to become strong again. Overall, ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
According to a report from the World Bank in 2015, the Congo is "among the poorest countries in
the world." In contrast, a Congolese refugee of the Casement Report released in 1904 informed of
the brutality their family were subject to by Belgian soldiers. They recounted that "We had to go
further and further into the forest... without food... we starved....leopards killed some of us... and
others got lost or died from exposure and starvation... soldiers said: 'Go! You are only beasts
yourselves.'" Additionally, another refugee from the same report disclosed that troops would "often
kill the Congolese for the sake of rubber. Once, a soldier, pointing to a basket, said... 'look, only two
hands! That's nothing... I brought the white man 160 hands." The hands the soldier was referring to
were those of the Congolese workers who labored in dangerous forests to find rubber. Indigenous
people were denied sustenance, had their hands cut off for amusement, or were shot, at the whims of
Belgian soldiers. The meager wages paid to the Congolese could not be collected while the worker
was recovering from injury, which forced greater poverty to befall the people of Congo in the long
run. When the injury was permanent, such as a severed limb, families lost the little income they had.
As a result, many starved to death. This poverty was then handed down to further generations,
creating a ripple effect that can still be felt today. Over half a century later, Congo is an acutely poor
nation. This is the culmination of violence the Congolese faced during colonization. Without the
cruelness of the Belgian colonists, families would have enough money to buy proper nutrition for
themselves, and many more people would survive. Therefore, the end result of poverty in modern–
day Congo is a direct consequence of the savagery inflicted upon the indigenous people during
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

King Leopold 's Ghost Analysis
King Leopold's Ghost Analysis "The real names of our people were destroyed during slavery. The
last name of my forefathers was taken from them when they were brought to America and made
slaves, and then the name of the slave master was given, which we refuse; we reject that name today
and refuse it. I never acknowledge it whatsoever." In King Leopold's Ghost talks about Leopold II
ruling over the Belgium Congo territory. He forced the enslaved individuals to do horrific and
exhausting tasks, and people who disagreed with him made it known of his horrible acts. Several
countries began to disagree with Leopold's dictatorship. He was a tyrant. King Leopold's Ghost is a
phenomenal book because of the way individuals can make a difference in others lives. The theme
of this book is something that relates to our lives everyday. Our actions can impacts individuals
tremendously. There were several people that spoke out throughout this book, but the most
important one is George Washington Williams. He was a minister, historian, and was in the Civil
War. Williams was a very strong–headed individual, and when Leopold tried to persuade him not to
visit the Congo he did not listen. What he witnessed in the Congo made him ill. He wrote letters that
were published in newspapers making the horrific events that Leopold was ruling over. An example
that Williams gives is very blunt, but just a mild event that occurred in the Congo under Leopold's
ruling. "The Courts of your Majesty's

King Leopolds Imperialism
In the late 19th century, the Congo was but a peaceful African country – a land rich in farms,
rainforests, and hard workers, but by the time the imperialist King Leopold II finally ceded the
Congo Free State to Belgium in 1908, the Congo was without 10 million people and those that
remained were scarred with terrible memories. Imperialist countries seek to expand their empire or
create an empire by taking control of another country for a number of reasons including political,
social, cultural, military, and economic dominance. Africa was a coveted continent to be colonized
especially by Europeans because of its abundance of natural resources that were highly profitable
and in high demand. Belgium was one of those imperialist European countries ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
Leopold became a sneaky, manipulative liar. To get to the end of the tunnel, he colonized the Congo
by taking advantage of his intelligence and leadership position, which ultimately led to the mass
killing of an innocent population and many other atrocities. His own selfish desires consumed him
and ruined other's lives. He accomplished his goals, but he couldn't have been

Analysis Of Adam Hochschild's King Leopold Of Belgium
European powers began to take over territories throughout the continent of Africa during the 19th
century. Historian Adam Hochschild's depiction of King Leopold of Belgium was written in 1998
and titled, King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa.
Hochschild talked extensively about the greed for money and slavery resulting in the genocide of
the Congo and the protests of humanitarians that followed the King's exploitation of Africans. In his
thesis, the author stated that "[t]his is the story of that movement, of the savage crime that was its
target, of the long period of exploration and conquest that preceded it, and of the way the world has
forgotten one of the great mass killings of recent history." ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
The Portuguese travelers were amazed by its size and recorded their thoughts in a diary stating, "this
noble river had determined to try its strengths in pitched battle with the ocean itself." In more
serious parts of his argument, Hochschild used the European sources to prove his thesis. For
example, on page 166, the author quoted a Catholic priest who recorded the calamities that King
Leopold's men did in his name in Africa. The priest related the story of how a state official named
Léon Fiévez terrorized African villagers by killing a few men (severing the head or cutting the hands
of Africans) to make an "example" out of them. Fiévez's terror was so impressive that even a Force
Publique officer quoted him saying "My goal is ultimately humanitarian. I killed a hundred
people...but that allowed five hundred others to live." Hochschild heavily relied on European
sources to prove his point for both simple and serious matters. The priest described how "All the
blacks saw this man as the Devil of the Equator." However, this is according to the priest's own
perspective. This is how he perceived Africans to feel about Fiévez. In other words, it is the priest's
perception. There is no way of knowing for sure how Africans truly felt because their voice is
silence. Nevertheless, Hochschild made a safe assumption as the terror the sources described can
only provoke intimidation and the fact that Belgium became

The Consequences Of King Leopold II
Striving to not be left behind by the African colonial train king Leopold II's attainment of the
Congolese people left a scar that is still very visible today. His hunger for power, money, and global
recognition by the European powers drastically altered the way of life for those residing in the
Congo for generations. King Leopold II's authority of the Congo was solidified during the Berlin
Conference as the he had convinced the European powers of the necessity of Belgium's presence in
the Congo under the guise of charity. With the support of the Berlin Conference and the aid of
Henry Stanley, an African explorer who was assigned to make the Congo fit for King Leopold II, the
Congo fell into Belgium's control in as tribal leader signed away their rights unbeknownst of the
consequences. King Leopold II's control over the Congo colony was absolute and enforced by an
army with up to 16,000 troops creating a prison state where the only rights the Congolese people
held was the right to serve the King.
During the colonial period, many of the European powers believed it was their duty to finance the
colony, regrettably King Leopold II was of another opinion and believed the colony should support
the mother country. Unfortunately, his belief was not fruitful and the colony began to financially
cripple the king, until 1888 when John Dunlap's invention of the pneumatic tire created a large
market for rubber which was immediately monopolized on by the King. As the demand for rubber

King Leopold: The Belgian Congo
King Leopold In 1853 Leopold turned eighteen and his father took him to Vienna since they had ties
with the Austro–Hungarian empire which made him eager and was betrothed him to an eligible
young Hapsburg, archduchess Marie–Henriette. This was a horrible match and would later cause to
be a bad influence and would not help him out in the long run. 1390–1914 the Kingdom 0f Kongo
Visual tradition of this country's early history was set in a writing for the first time in the sixteenth
century. The most comprehensive writings were recorded I'm the mid seventeenth century, including
ones written by the capuchin missionary, Giovanni Cavazzi Da Montecuccolo. First Congo president
The Congo president was Joseph Kasavubu (born 1910?, Tshela, Belgian Congo [now Democratic
Republic of the Congo]–died March 24, 1969, Boma), statesman and first president of the
independent Congo republic from 1960 to 1965, who shortly after independence in 1960 ousted the
Congo's first premier, Patrice Lumumba, after the breakdown of order in the country. ... Show more
Lumumba was born in the village of Onalua in Kasai province, Belgian Congo. In 1955 Lumumba
became regional president of a purely Congolese trade union of government employees that was not
affiliated, as were other unions, to either of the two Belgian trade–union federations (socialist and
Roman Catholic). In October 1958 he, along with other Congolese leaders, launched the Congolese
National Movement (Mouvement National Congolais; MNC), the first nationwide Congolese
political party. The Belgian authorities responded with repression. Lumumba was imprisoned on a
charge of inciting to riot. Lumumba was thereupon released from prison and flown to

The Role Of King Leopold In The Congo Free State
King Leopold gained so much world support for his Congo Free State project by leading people
especially the European community to believe that he was helping to improve the Congo and its
people by developing it. The Congo then became aligned with the kingdom of Belgium under him.
While the world believed that King Leopold II was doing humanitarian work in the Congo the truth
was he was severely mistreating the people by forcing them to extract Ivory, Rubber, and other
minerals to sell on a world trade market. On May 29, 1885 King Leopold named his new colony the
Congo Free State. Under Leopold's II administration the Congo Free State became one of the
greatest genocides in history that occurred.
In 1482 a naval captain named Diogo Cao set

King Leopold Of Belgium
unearth the source and extent of the veiled forced labor. The master is King Leopold of Belgium. Of
course, this is contrary to his popular image on the world map. Leopold never even set foot in
Congo but cunningly managed to drain off the minerals and natural resources of poor Congolese
men and women at the expense of their blood. On the international stage, Leopold pretended as the
most loyal and generous. Lest did Europe and America know that he was living on the blood of
millions of people. Leopold had implemented a brutal system in Congo that exploited Congolese in
their own country. The power–hungry man disguised in the umbrella of colonialist charity to harness
terror on helpless people. He managed to wipe out 10 million lives through

Who Is King Leopold II Colonize Congo Imperialism
Imperialism is when a policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or
military force. King Leopold II colonized the free state of Congo through imperialism. He brought
formal education systems into play. Within this new found education system they taught many
indigenous languages in the school that the government sponsored or paid for. Once the free state of
Congo became the Belgian Congo, King Leopold II also greatly improved the healthcare system that
was once non existing to a program that was steadily improving not just the care given, but the
overall well being of Belgian Congo. In saying that there were still things that were horrid and
happened in Congo because of the belgian people. The native people in Congo faced discrimination
to the point ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Yes, King Leopold II instated an education system and healthcare system, but in doing so he took
away the personal rights of so many people because he simply wanted to or it worked "best" for
him. The Roman Catholic Church and some Protestant Churches forced their religion and the set
values that came along with that religion on the indigenous people. The Democratic Republic of
Congo was a "personal" matter on most fronts for the King and because of all the natural resources
that came with gaining the land that was Congo. Just to name a few of the natural resources, there
are diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, cassiterite (or tin), along with oil and coltan. So in taking over
the once free state of Congo the King not only gained the natural resources, but in his demented
mind he also gained the people or work force to harvest these resources. Some of the long lasting
effects of the imperialism on the now Democratic Republic of Congo still linger even today. During
the imperialism of Congo the people and Congo itself never really gained financially or culturally
anything

Leopold Letter To The King Essay
Throughout his tenure as King of Belgium, Leopold II was primarily known for the founding and
exploitation of the Congo Free State as a private venture. During Leopold's reign as King, it is
estimated that approximately 8–10 million natives perished as a result of the atrocities committed by
Leopold in the Congo. The major atrocities committed by Leopold are listed by George Washington
Williams in his Open Letter to the King: the fooling of Africans into thinking that "whites had
supernatural powers, to get Congo chiefs to sign their land over to Leopold" (109). The
establishment of military bases along the Congo River which caused a wave of death and
destruction among the natives. The excessive punishments used by Leopold such as condemning
prisoners to the chain gang for slight offenses. The fraud carried out by Leopold that his new state
was "providing wise government and public services" towards natives (110). The kidnapping of
African women by white traders and state officials (under Leopold) with the intent to use them as
concubines. The random shootings committed by white officers towards villagers in order to
intimidate survivors into working as forced laborers, in order to capture women, and sometimes for
sport. Finally, Leopold falsely portrayed himself as being the noble antislavery crusader and instead
engaged in the slave–trade under public radar. In order to try to understand why Leopold carried out
these atrocities, it is necessary to investigate his motivations and ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The atrocities listed by Williams in his Open Letter serve to convict Leopold as a tyrannical ruler. It
brings disgust to me that his exploitation of natives went without international notice for many
years. Due to the millions of deaths as a result of Leopold, I believe his name should be with the
likes of Hitler, Stalin, and Mao. I am horrified that such brutal treatment of fellow human beings

King Leopold Imperialism Analysis
During the nineteenth–century European drive for possessions in Africa... people justified
colonialism in various ways, claiming that it Christianized the heathen or civilized the savage races
or brought everyone the miraculous benefits of free trade."(Hochschild 38)Many people played a
major role in colonizing the Congo. Many people tried to end the mass murder in the Congo. Even
though most of these people were not able to stop it completely, they were a great input to stopping
and putting an end to Leopold's brutality. King Leopold was one of the sneakiest European leaders.
His ambitions to increase his country's power lead him to hunt for a colony. Leopold was able to
manipulate his people, and he tried to hide his true intentions for wanting ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Meanwhile, Leopold was able to develop his own economic system, which he leased areas in Congo
to different European companies, which he made 50 percent of the wealth gained. "In setting up this
structure, Leopold was like the manager of a venture capital syndicate today. He had essentially
found a way to attract other people's capital to his investment schemes while he retained half the
proceeds." (Hochschild 117). Most women and children were raped and sometimes treated and
hunted like animals for entertainment purposes. Most of the Congolese slaves were tortured and
whip by chicotte. Belgium soldiers cut of the hand and leg of the Congolese slaves especially if they
don't meet their required it was a way for them to have fun, some even had a skull of slave as part of
decorations in front of their house. "For each cartridge issued to their soldiers they demanded proof
that the bullet had

King Leopold Imperialism
The history of the Congo from the late 19th century to the early 20th century reveals much of the
cruelty and darkness of European colonization in Africa. After establishing the Congo Free State in
1885, King Leopold II of Belgium controlled the Congo as his personal state and justified the two–
decades–long reign by the need of the civilization in the Congo. However, under King Leopold's
moral statement is his hunger for wealth and power. As one of the enduring themes in the study of
international relations, the pursuit of individual's or national self–interests can result in the
recurrence of conflicts, the rise of colonialism and the outbreak of wars in political history. This
paper exams that how King Leopold, driven by the greed and self–interests, ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
However, to claim the Congo under his personal control, Leopold needed the formal recognition in
the international system. In 1883, Leopold enlisted former US ambassador to Belgium Henry
Shelton Sanford to help himself obtain the recognition from America. Sanford reported to the US
government that the US will receive benefits from the free trade with the Congo. He further
indicated free slaves in America could also be sent to the Congo. With the prospects for America's
own interests, eventually the resolution on the recognition of Leopold's claim to the Congo passed in
America. In 1884, the Congo question was discussed during the Berlin Conference, where Leopold
reinforced his philanthropic claim to major countries of Europe. Leopold portrayed the colonialism
in the Congo was a humanitarian work that would enlighten the ethnical groups and the society in
the Congo. Since the idea of paternalism, in which Aricans were considered children or savages and
had no capacity to make decisions, was common in Europe in the 1880s, Leopold's imperialist
stratedy was not only widely accepted but also morally justified at the conference (Paris, 2002;
Hochschild, 1998). Leopold also maintained to build economic infrastructure such as railways and
telecommunications system and open a free trade zone in the Congo. To expand

Modern Europe : King Leopold 's Ghost
Bailey Votto Dr. Strobel Modern Europe King Leopold's Ghost October 23, 2015 Scars He had a
prominent nose. No one else in Leopold's family had this nose, just him. His mother, disgusted by it,
thought it made him look deformed. Leopold was an awkward and shy fellow. His brother was
lively and popular, his sister was intelligent and charming while all Leopold had been his bad
temper, an ugly limp, and his protruding nose. Leopold's troubles only increased as he aimlessly
wandered into his predestined future. The little boy's meaningless, childish dreams began to turn
into dreams of a selfish desiring of a colony overseas. He wanted huge lands that would flourish into
bountiful production. Just as other European powers were handed over ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
King Leopold's sullen childhood set up a foundation for his malicious actions years to come. The
desperation for the Congo territory catalyzed Leopold's developing thoughts into deceitful promises.
At first when Leopold read about Henry Morton Stanley's adventurous trips, he knew that these
were the lands he wanted. His excitement quickly turned into greed and he made every effort
possible to get what he desired. He became the chairman of the International African Association
which set up a smokescreen for his endeavors into the Congo. In the meantime, Stanley was in
Africa crossing the lands, killing villages, and fighting off diseases, making a name for himself back
home. King Leopold praised this man and wanted him to join his side. He came up with secret plans
to have Stanley set up bases in the Congo so he could begin quietly claiming the territory and
making it his. He sent Stanley on exploration missions so his intentions would be hidden. Leopold 's
lies grew and grew as did his greed. After being told he could make treaties with the natives, he sent
his army to go up and down the river, signing treaties, permitting him everything he wanted. He get
recognition of his territory and making it legitimate, Leopold used the connections he had to
manipulate others in power that he had good intentions and ideas. Henry Shelton Sanford convinced
the White house of

King Leopold 's Ghost : A Story Of Greed, Terror, And Heroism
King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa by Adam
Hochschild explains the lead up to and the establishment of the Congo Free State under Belgium.
Hochschild does so through many accounts of the life going on inside the Congo during the
exploration of the Africa and the beginning of an established government in the Congo. The death
toll during Leopold's reign could have reached over 10 million before the Belgium government
would take the Congo away from the out of control Leopold. This could make the Leopold's Congo
one of the worst genocides in human history. Unfortunately there was no basis for recording the
murders by Leopold's officers, so we will never know the exact figure of the death toll. The book
aims to show the beginning to the end of a colony and increase public awareness of the atrocities
committed in most colonies during the 1800s and into the 1900s. Hochschild does this using King
Leopold II of Belgium, who was able to grab the Congo in the scramble for land in Africa. Leopold
had always seen Belgium as a neutral weakling in the sense that there was no land to explore. By the
time Leopold came into power, all of the land of the known world had been colonized. All that was
left on the map was the large blank spot of Africa. Leopold saw the chance of creating Belgium's
first colony, and he took it.
Leopold was one of the first in the race for land in Africa and he began exploring Africa with the
help of Henry Morton

King Leopold II Research Paper
Leopold II was a king that occupied the Belgian throne from 1865 to 1912, but he is more
remembered for his terrible effect on the Congo Basin. In the Belgian Conference from 1884–1885,
Leopold II became recognized as the sole ruler of the Congo Basin area. He ironically dubbed this
land as the Congo Free State, which became his personal property, and where his cruel mistreatment
of the natives took place. Under his rule, up to tens of millions of Africans were massacred, and
even more were inhumanely tortured. Under Leopold's rule, the Congo Free State was "subject to a
terror regime" (Religious Tolerance). Leopold II and his army, the Force Publique, enforced cruel
conditions onto the slaves and consumed all of the land's resources for their ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
He first divided the land into two areas Free Trade Zone, and the Domaine Privé. The Free Trade
Zone was available to Europeans who were interested in purchasing monopoly leases of anything
valuable which was mostly ivory and rubber. The Domaine Privé, on the other hand, was Leopold's
personal land. King Leopold's gain in wealth is shown from a Gondola study in 1966. The study
shows that from 1888 to 1905, the value of rubber greatly increased from 260,000 Belgian Francs to
39,874,000 Belgian France. The value of ivory increased as well, from 1,096,000 Belgian Francs to
4,669,000 Belgian Francs between 1888 and 1890. Although the rubber and ivory trade presented
Leopold with an enormous profit, it also lead to his downfall. The large shipments of rubber being
exchanged with guns and ammunition made people suspicious. People like Edmund Dene Morel, an
investigative journalist, and merchants who wanted to break the Congo's monopoly like William
Cadbury rose up to expose Leopold II. In 1904, Roger Casement delivered an eyewitness report and
all of his details were proven. The nations present during the Berlin Conference agreed that the
power must be removed from Leopold, but by the time the Parliament of Belgium took over the
Congo, Leopold had already "milked"(Religious Tolerance) the

King Leopold II and the Congo Free State
King Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) was the reigning king of Belgium from 1865 until his
death in 1909. He managed the throne after the death of his father, Leopold I. He was born under the
original name of Louis Philippe Marie Victor in Brussels. He joined the Belgium armed forces at a
relatively early age and, in 1853, he took as his wife the Archduke of Austria's daughter, Maria
Henrietta. He became widely noted as a philanthropist, his work earning him worldwide fame. Upon
his death, Leopold's nephew, Albert I, succeeded him to the throne of Belgium.
The famous travels of Sir Henry Stanley in search of Dr. Livingstone through the unexplored
regions of Africa caught the attention of Leopold. He hired ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
He had his own piece of "that magnificent African cake." The newly named Congo Free State was
handed over to Leopold essentially as his personal country. With such authority, he easily exploited
the natives and their abundance of natural resources.
The presence of ivory, rubber, copper, and diamonds in the Congo only whetted Leopold's appetite
for wealth. He sent Sir Stanley deeper and deeper into the unexplored jungles in search of profitable
resources. However, his treatment of the native population was not quite in line with his
philanthropic reputation. He extorted the indigenous peoples with often called "barbaric" methods.
Leopold strove to further develop the Congo nation by establishing an exportation network which
included the building of river ports and roads into the interior of the nation. The expeditions proved
to be quite successful for the Belgian king. Some figures report an income of approximately
₤30,000 per year earned through his ventures in the Congo.
However, the rest of Europe began to take notice of the inhumane methods utilized by Leopold after
his African state grew larger. In addition, the financial returns started to wane after the initial stages
of colonization. By 1908, the Congo project had overstretched its financial resources and Leopold
was not able to manage it independently. He began to sell parts of the state like stock in a
corporation. This

African Slavery Under King Leopold II Of Belgium
African area by negotiating treaties, establishing military posts, and forcing many Muslim slave
traders out of the region. After the Berlin West Africa Conference in 1884 and 1885, King Leopold
II of Belgium was granted administrative powers over the region titled, the Congo Free State.
Although promising he would advance his private property to improve the lives of the native
Africans, he immediately seized any vacant land in which no European was living on and deemed it
the state's property. His servants working under him were then encouraged to exploit this land for
the benefit of their own with little regard to the native's own lives. Under King Leopold II's
administration, the Congo Free State was divided into two economic zones: the

How Did King Leopold II Enter The Congo Free State
King Leopold II was the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free State from 1885–1908. In the 23
years that he ruled the state, he used inhuman force and the Force Publique to assist in his reign of
terror. The aim of this investigation is to establish whether Belgium should remove their public
statues of King Leopold II by observing the atrocities he was instrumental in, in the Congo Free
State. A statue is defined as a carved or cast figure of a person or animal, it is usually life size or
larger and they are usually erected to commemorate a historical event or an influential person. The
Congo Free State was 76 times larger than Belgium and it all belonged to one man, King Leopold II.
He was granted control over the state by the Congress of Berlin. The state was high in resources
such as rubber and ivory. He has been labelled, on many occasions, ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The Congo Free State was one of, if not the largest, colony ever owned by one man. In 1876 he
formed the International African Association (IAA) and he used this as a front to enter the Congo
Free State and he used it to justify his entry into the African state. He was the only shareholder in
the IAA. He also justified his entry into the state by claiming to 'westernise Africans' and by
bringing missionaries into Africa (James, 2011). All through his reign, he maintained the idea that it
was all for the benefit of the colony. While he was the owner of the Congo Free State, he treated the
natives as slaves for his personal gain. Due to the tribal chiefs being illiterate and not being able to
write, King Leopold II used this to his advantage. He made the chiefs sign contracts where they
essentially sold their

The Ghost Of King Leopold
The film "The Ghost of King Leopold" portrays the struggles of native people in the Congo as King
Leopold of Belgium drained the region of natural resources and exploited the native population.
Leopold imperializes the Congo very easily because, the rest of the world took his word, when he
said he was bettering the Congo region, in reality he was filling his own pockets. Leopold reigned
from 1885–1908; he enslaved the native people of the Congo and used the whole region as his own
personal plantation. Leopold took many things from the Congo; his largest profit margin was from
the natural resources. Leopold extracted Ivory and Rubber in enormous amounts from the Congo,
through the use of the labor of the native people. Leopold's efforts greatly

The Art Nouveau Caused By King Leopold II Of Belgium
In Belgium, the Art Nouveau provided works of Victor Horta. The beauty of these artist works often
overshadows the historic context that funded, supplied, inspired this art and design movement. The
transformation art and design in Brussels during this time was a product of imperialism and
genocide sanctioned by King Leopold II of Belgium, through the exploitation and appropriation
Congolese culture and raw materials.
Born in Brussels, Belgium in 1835, Leopold II became the second king of Belgium at the age of 30
[Fig1]. Belgium was a young country with an equally small economy and population. Striving to
compete the economic success of Britain and Germany, Leopold II would turn his attention towards
Africa, with the purpose of establishing Belgium as a world power, during a time of imperial
growth, which coincided, with the expiation of Art Nouveau in Europe. To acquire the land, raw
materials, and population of twenty million; Leopold II effectively established control of the Congo
through economic and political means. Leopold II was one of the first European rulers to attempt to
develop this area and would successfully obtain it in 1885, creating the Congo Free State (Frost
2001). Leopold II did many things in order to acquire this colony. For example, he exploited
tensions other colonies controlled by Britain and Germany, by hosting the Brussels Conference of
1876, which lead to the creation of the International African Association; established arbitrate

King Leopold II And Heart Of Darkness
Leopold II was born in Brussels, Belgium, on April 9, 1835. He was the second King of the
Belgians, and is mainly remembered for the founding and the exploitation of the Congo. King
Leopold became leader of the Congo and brutally killed ten million Africans. Leopold used Force
Publique (FP) to commit the atrocities that he himself did not do. In 1876, Leopold formed an
organization called "Association Internationale Africaine" which enslaved the people of the Congo,
amputated body parts, forced Africans into labor, and starved them to death. I can relate this
information to Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness in many ways. First, both events took place in the
Congo, in Africa. Second, King Leopold is very similar to the character Kurtz in the

King Leopold II's Genocide Research Paper
In conclusion, Belgian colonial administration had two distinct types of ruling periods: the direct
company rules (Congolese Free State) and the direct colonial rule (Belgian Congo). With a
staggering number of natives killed, per the reports, 10 millions of human losses of life. Human
rights were violated at every level. Bodied were mutilated, capital punishments were also in place.
This period was called "King Leopold II's Genocide." The local people were forced to pay taxes and
subjected to forced labor. There are lots of similarities between Leopold II's Congo in 1885 to 1908,
Belgian Congo in 1908 to 1960 and the modern Congo, since Democratic Congo, the vast central
African state has seldom know political stability. The soldiers have

The Congo And King Leopold
Africa was a very large continent back then and everyone was spread apart. Also, everyone worked
for their selves and didn't have to be told what to do. No one was expecting hardships or forced
labor until the British and many other countries came into play. The British were not happy until
they found the "Free State" of the Congo. They were led to investigate by a man named Roger
Casement.
In the first reading, The Congo and King Leopold, the group of people that lived in the Congo were
known as the Congolese and were later well known in this reading. King Leopold did not feel happy
with just owning Belgium so he went off to the Congo. Meanwhile, Casement's report caused
debates and in the reading it states, "Millions of Africans were being killed or dismembered while
harvesting rubber from the forest of Central Africa . . . for cheap rubber and to satisfy King
Leopold's quest for wealth." The causes and effects were seriously deadly because Leopold enslaved
Africans that he owned when he took over Africa. Having said that, once the Industrial Revolution
gained more momentum Europeans wanted to find land and build their new and safer lives in Africa.
The author states ".. people there realized that if they wanted to surpass neighboring countries
economically, they would need access to more raw materials to fuel their factories and more people
to purchase the products those factories made." Europeans that didn't want to stay came over to
Africa and took their land. They

Analysis Of The Book ' King Leopold 's Ghost '
King Leopold's Ghost is a nonfiction book about Imperialism in Africa written by Adam
Hochschild. Hochschild was born in New York in 1942 and graduated from Harvard in 1963 with a
B.A. degree in history and literature (Interview with Adam Hochschild). He worked as a reporter for
a daily newspaper for two years and then he went on to writing and editing magazines. In 1986 he
wrote his first book, and then twelve years later he wrote his second: King Leopold's Ghost.
Hochschild said he writes about subjects he's interested in. In the introduction to King Leopold's
Ghost he states that he knew nothing about the history of the Congo until he noticed a footnote in a
book (Hochschild 3). Hochschild said that when you come across something striking, you remember
where you were when you read it. In this particular experience he was in an airliner crossing the
United States. He read a quotation by Mark Twain about the caliber of what happened in the Congo
and was startled (3), this sparked his interest in the Congo and inspired him to start researching to
see if the mass murders he read about were true. The book, King Leopold's Ghost covers
information from the 1840s (Hochschild 21) to now about the Congo past and present, but King
Leopold's reign of terror was from 1885–1906 (History of the Belgian Congo). The phrase 'reign of
terror' is not an exaggeration, for King Leopold's ownership of the Congo was very horrific. It all
started when Henry Morton Stanley went in search of

King Leopold II and Belgian Imperialism Essay
King Leopold II and Belgian Imperialism
In 1865, King Leopold II succeeded his father to the thrown of Belgium and thus began one of the
most brutal and insensitive periods of imperialism ever to exist. From manipulative treaties to
straight forward intimidation, Leopold dominated his empire like no other. He was cruel, deceptive,
and downright evil, yet it took the world over twenty years to recognize this. The record of King
Leopold's atrocity is an interesting account of how a jealous man could inflict some of the most
disgusting forms of oppression upon his fellow members of the human race.
When Leopold came to power in 1865, he was incredibly disappointed at Belgium's lack of power in
the imperial ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This lack of restriction allowed Leopold II to use the most horrible methods possible to accomplish
his goal of obtaining mass wealth. The native people and captured Muslim slaves were forced to
work as either ivory hunters or rubber gatherers, jobs that often kept men away from their families
for many months at a time. When the natives finally rebelled, Leopold's private army, the Force
Publique was called in to subdue them. After this task was accomplished, Leopold used his army to
force the Muslim slave traders out of Africa under the guise of performing a great humanitarian act
when, in reality, the reason for their expulsion was Leopold's desire to control the upper portion of
the Congo river. At this point, Leopold's enterprise had not made a substantial amount of money, but
this was all about to change.
In the mid–1890's, the inflatable rubber tire was invented, thus beginning the use of the most brutal
forced labor tactics ever known to man. With the increased demand for rubber, Leopold needed
more men to journey deeper into the jungle in search of plentiful wild rubber. To obtain these extra
men, Leopold decided to tax the African tribes by forcing them to provide his rubber industry with
ever possible man they had. When these condition were not met, Leopold would hold the wives and
children of the men hostage until they submitted to work. When the tribes rebelled, they were again
defeated by the Force

The Image Of King Leopold
This image captured the harsh times the Africans went through because of king Leopold's reign. The
power of this photograph showed people how conditions really were for the Congolese people
producing rubber. King Leopold ran a state sponsored slavery system and mass mutilated hundreds
of people. This picture shows the sadness within the people, showing them in misery in a place
where they are left with nothing. The world had thought that the people doing the work were being
treated well. the media at the time said that what they were doing was right and wasn't harmful to
them. By looking at these people in the picture with their malnourished bodies as well as their
miserable and sad expression, the world saw the truth of things and how the

King Leopold II 's Mission For Colonization
During the late 19th to early 20th century, King Leopold II impacted the African Continent and the
larger International community more than any other European monarch. Firstly, King Leopold II
sinisterly orchestrated a colonization operation that is comparative to a genocidal regime. Secondly,
King Leopold II's actions in the Congo led unified condemnation across oceans from a broad range
of socioeconomic statues. Lastly, the opposition forces against King Leopold II's colonization of
Congo helped pave the way for future justice on the continent as well as internationally. Ultimately,
this Europe created the competitive environment that promoted King Leopold II's quest for
colonization. To begin, King Leopold's regime inflicted a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Unlike the slave traders who came before him, King Leopold managed to take possession of and
exploit the indigenous people of Congo, their land, and their resources on an unprecedented scale.
He obtained a network of valuable raw materials and millions free laborers to extract them. At the
hands of King Leopold II's workers, the people of Congo suffered horrific travesties. Not only did
they suffer the loss of their land, the people of Congo were the victims of a hostile militant take
over, who's main purpose was to become a profitable service to the King's ever–growing greed. His
beloved pet project would later prove to be an efficient murder machine. In order to gather resources
and labor for the King's projects, workers acted mercilessly. They swindled land from local Congo
tribes, held women hostage, and forced children into work.(109)(111)"(119). George Washington
Williams best penned King Leopold II's cruelty in his detailed documentation. His account
contrasted the lies that King Leopold fed the public while simultaneously addressing the barbaric
methods employed such as chain gangs, capturing women, forced laborers, and shooting for sport.
(Pages 110–111) The result of this barbaric approach to harvest raw materials was the loss of people
estimating to be half of the total population of Congo(page 233 ) The impact of King Leopold II's
reign sent shock waves overseas. Despite his worldwide campaign to paint himself as Congo's
savior, King Leopold

King Leopold 2 Research Paper
The second king of Belgians, King Leopold II, were admired throughout European. He was first
known for his generous and noble act, sacrificing his time and fortune to benefits the Africans. Of
course, Edmund Dene Morel learned the truth behind King Leopold II's practices of slave labors and
eventually brought it to the public eyes. King Leopold II was able to keep the horrific practices of
slavery murder, and mutilation of millions in the Congo hidden from the rest of the world for
roughly two decades through propagandas. As stated on page 1, " ... the troop, it is said, fought, and
defeated local slave–traders who preyed on the population, and for more than a decade European
newspaper has praised him for investing his personal fortune in public works to benefit the
Africans." Newspaper bragging about King Leopold II's selfless service to the Africans was
preventing the people from seeing the truth about his true practices. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The slaughter of millions in the Congo Free State around the turn of the twentieth century is not
remembered as well and is not taught in history classes as much as other atrocities and genocides of
the twentieth century because the Holocaust outshined the "other genocides" which is the reason
why the subject entered the curricula, not everything is going to be covered. Another way I see it is
that the "other genocides" are not close to America's cultural heritage. There are many people in
America that have either direct or indirect connections to the Holocaust and there were not enough
people who were affected by the "other

King Leopold 's Ghost By Adam Hochschild
The late 1800's marked the peak of imperialism throughout Europe, primarily Africa. As a new
century began to evolve, many European powers aggressively decide to surmount their power in
many parts of Africa. More specifically, King Leopold's journey to conquer the Congo and exploit
the lucrative rubber/ivory market accurately describes the forced efforts of tyranny. King Leopold's
Ghost by Adam Hochschild explains the propaganda remunerated by people in favor and opposition
of King Leopold's conquest. It also features the contributions of journalists and writers in relation to
Leopold colonizing the Congo through means of propaganda, missionaries, use of other countries,
and other various other methods to end his rule and change the common perceptions of imperialism.
The main goal, however, of writers in the Congo, was to let the world know of Leopold's actions and
to end his selfish ruling. The role of journalists became most prevalent beginning in the 1880's. In
1885, under the pretense of philanthropy, King Leopold II Belgium claimed land along the Congo
River as his personal property. He named it the Congo Free State, and for the next twenty–three
years, he enslaved the Congolese and exploited their land. It is estimated that their population
decreased by 10 million due to starvation, murder and disease. But while the king was forcefully
pursuing his actions of forced labor, the world was largely unaware of what was occurring in the
Congo. It would take many years

King Leopolds Ghost Essay
Book Review of King Leopold's Ghost, by Adam Hochschild
What some have considered to be the first international scandal of
the modern era took place in the Congo from 1890 until 1910. King Leopold
II of Belgium was at the head of this so–called scandal. Although Europe
and the rest of the world seemed to have forgotten the victims of these
crimes, there is a considerable amount of material to use when attempting to
recreate the horror that took place in Leopold's Congo. This is exactly
what Adam Hochschild is attempting to do by writing this book. By using the
written words of mostly Europeans and Americans, which creates a distorted
view of history, he wants to show that the Holocaust type event ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
By acting as the director and guiding his actors and stagehands,
Leopold finds the angle he needs and that is pretending to engage in a
philanthropy movement in the "dark continent."
In Chapter 9, "Meeting Mr. Kurtz," Hochschild provides a good
description of the novel, Heart of Darkness, and in the process enlightens
the reader about the true background and meaning to Joseph Conrad's novel.
Early in the book, Hochschild mentions the novel and how it has been studied
for Freudian overtones, mystic echoes, and its inward vision. According to

him, the book is more fact than fiction because there are many similarities
between the book and Conrad's very own travels into the Congo. In fact,
Hochschild calls the narrator of Heart of Darkness, Marlow, Conrad's alter
ego. Probably the biggest example of how the book is based on Conrad's own
travels is the fact that the stories' villain, Mr. Kurtz, is clearly
inspired by a number of real people. These include George Antoine Klein,
Major Edmund Barttelot, and Captain Leon Rom, who probably is the real–life
basis for Kurtz's most important signal, a collection of African heads
around his house. Heart of Darkness is given a completely new spin because
of Hochschild's interpretation.
Hochschild has a tendency to be too descriptive. There are some
parts in the book

King Leopold and the Belgian Congo Essay
King Leopold and the Belgian Congo
It is widely debated why exactly King Leopold decided to conquer the Congo, but the general
consensus seems to be that it was out of the belief that "the highlands of the Congo may be as rich in
gold as the mountains of the western slope of the American Continent" (Stead). In the mid–1870s,
the King hired Henry Stanley, who was familiar with many parts of Africa, to help him go about
conquering. During the following years Stanley stayed in Africa, talking various tribes into signing
over their lands and rights. After this was completed the King officially took over the Congo,
renaming it the Congo Free State. This was especially ironic because all natives of the country were
either forced to give up ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Eventually, word started to spread about what was going on. The public had strongly believed that
the natives were benefiting from being "civilized" through their forced labor. However, between
disgusted Belgian officials and authors such as Joseph Conrad and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the truth
was becoming clearer. In 1904, the Congo Reform Association was founded. Four years later, King
Leopold was made to turn over the Belgian Congo to the Belgian government. Much of the
collected evidence against him was in the form of photographs. The king had managed to
successfully bribe almost every single person who might otherwise have made a witness against the
goings–on in the Belgian Congo, as it was renamed after being handed over to the Belgian
government. This did very little good for the people of the Congo; they were still being overworked,
repressed, and denied basic human rights. The situation was more than a little embarrassing for the
king, who disliked his authority being overshadowed. Still, his profit from the matter was no cause
for complaint. Leopold's original investment was said to be somewhere in the neighborhood of six
and a half million dollars; the financial gain was that number, multiplied many times over.
Compared to Belgium's profit, during its time of colonization the population of the Congo was
decreased by

King Leopolds Ghost Analysis
Adam Hochschild's "King Leopold's Ghost" is an account of a man's rise of power who was very
cruel and did unimaginable things. When I began reading, I wasn't sure where the novel was going,
but I soon caught on to what Hochschild was revealing. As the story begins to unfold he tells a story
of King Leopold II of Belgium who managed to seize land next to the Congo River in Africa. King
Leopold used political manipulation and lies to get what he wanted. King Leopold had everyone
fooled that he was a humanitarian and he was in the Congo for the greater good, but that was not the
case. He claimed that civilizing the Congo would keep out "Arab slave– traders" to gain support of
people, but Leopold wanted something else. Leopold was very ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
For example, if the "men" were not meeting his standards they often held women hostage and raped
them to ensure productivity was sufficient. Although, innocent blood was being spilled and they
even cut limbs some people and surprising part is Leopold never set foot in the "free state".
Hoshschild even makes the comment that "there was something very modern about that"
(Hochschild 4). King Leopold II had no human respect, and his own family had barley anything to
do with him. I personally don't understand how someone could stand to look themselves in the
mirror after doing such horrible things, and it shows how far people would go for wealth.
Throughout the book Hochschild shows the dedication of Morel, and major roles that characters
played to shape the history of the Congo like Stanley, and William Sheppard (who was one of the
most outspoken out of all American Congo missionaries.) The author examined the Congo because
it shows how extreme colonialism is and what it was like for people that were under a colonial rule.
I think this book has a clear meaning and thesis, Hochschild wanted to expose what happened in the
Congo because he felt like it had been covered up and he wanted to paint the readers a picture that
they would never forget. My theory is I don't believe that King Leopold was there for the greater
good and to better the Congolese people. I think it's obvious from

How Did King Leopold Contribute To The Rise Of Imperialism
Imperialism is the building of an empire by using power in the form of economic, political or
military means. In Africa this was shown widely under the rule of King Leopold. King Leopold was
the ruler of Belgium. While he was in rule, he had an obsession with trying to find Belgium a
colony. In the 1830s the only country left for capturing was Africa. Africa was so interesting to him
as a result of over half of it was still led by the native people, which he knew that he could out rule.
Also, Africa flourished in multiple resources. These include: ivory, rubber, timber, coffee, gold, and
that is only a few of the variety resources contained there. With the knowledge of what was there
Leopold sent out Stanley to map the Congo River, which is ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
He was the first white man to do this. This led to the beginning of the lying and deciding of King
Leopold and his beginning imperialism in the Congo. Leopold's actions towards the Congo affected
it greatly. To begin this he set up a humanitarian veneer. Humanitarian means to be nice to others
and veneer means covering that is fake to cause another object appear appealing. Leopold did this
by claiming to the Africans along with all the other countries that he attended to free the slaves and
help with stopping the slave trade. He also claims to build a railroad in the Congo to help slave
trade, but in

Essay King Leopold: The Oppressor
King Leopold II of Belgium's speech delivered to missionaries traveling to the Congo describes an
attempt by the king to justify the subjugation of the Congolese people for the benefit of the Belgian
economy. King Leopold directed his speech to the Catholic missionaries who were planning on
working with the indigenous population of the Congo in 1883. Leopold, blinded by racism and
imperialist greed, stresses that the missionaries should selectively interpret their Bible teachings in a
manner that appears to rationalize the oppression and exploitation of the native Congolese
population. In doing so, the missionaries helped Leopold achieve his goal of transforming Belgium
into an imperialist country with international influence. Leopold's ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
1). In doing so, Leopold hoped to enrich and augment the power of Belgium even if it came at the
expense of millions of lives he did not value. King Leopold allows his elevated social standing and
sense of authority to resonate throughout his entire speech. By establishing a commanding tone, he
strengthens his position of influence and leadership and uses this as much as possible to steer his
audience to think like he does. Repetition of commands and key phrases such as "you are going to",
"you will", and "for the interest of Belgium" also mirror the fact that Leopold is used to giving
orders and not being questioned about their motive (Par. 1). This repetition resounds through his
entire speech and effectively drills the Leopold's wishes into the heads of the people that he wants to
impel. This method of structuring his speech gives Leopold another power: the ability to hone his
audiences' attention solely on his own opinions with little or no regard for justification or an
opposing viewpoint. Such oratorical technique is efficient in making it seem as if there is no other
option as exceptional as the example given by the speaker. If the audience is malleable enough, they
may almost feel compelled to do as they are asked. By synergistically combining the elements of his
reverence as a political figure and repetition, Leopold

King Leopold Impact
Joseph Stalin was responsible for the deaths of 49 million people while Adolf Hitler was responsible
for the deaths of 11 million people. However, few people realize that King Leopold helped plan the
deaths of 8 million people. The deaths of these people, still impacts the Congo today. At the Berlin
Conference in 1884, King Leopold was granted the Congo for his personal territory. During his 23
years of reign, Leopold generated a significant amount of profit from the rubber business.
Throughout this time, Leopold commanded the Congolese people to work until death. Thousands of
people were raped, tortured and over 900 people perished daily ("Democratic Republic of Congo").
Throughout this horror, the first human rights movement began during ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Currently, the unemployment rate is 53% ("Democratic Republic of Congo Profile"). Over half of
the population is not working. This is because the working generation was not educated as they were
kept hostage in the time of imperialization. Additionally, the literacy rate is 69.8% (Democratic
Republic of Congo Profile"). The lack of education results from the issues in colonial times. Without
education, the Congolese were unable to advance in technology and medicine. Diarrhea and malaria
diseases account for half of the death toll. During Leopold's rule, the life expectancy rate was
uncountable as ½ the population was murdered. Currently, the life expectancy is 50 years old; the
second lowest throughout the world ("The World Factbook"). The low life expectancy rate directly
corresponds to the lack of education during the colonial era as the society was unable grow and have
modern medications. The Congo currently suffers as they are unable to make advancements in the

King Leopolds Ghost Essay
King Leopolds Ghost King Leopold's Ghost tells a story of the Belgian King Leopold II and his
misrule of an African colony, named (at the time) the Congo Free State. It is a wild and unpleasant
story of a man's capacity for evil and the peculiar manifestation of it.
In telling this story, Hochschild does a wonderful job of giving detailed descriptions, especially of
the colorful individuals involved, both good and bad. His analysis of the situation is very solid,
starting with the movement when the Congolese hero (Morel) finds out a very terrible fact and
moving on through his (Morel) analysis and actions, all the while telling the story of a treacherous
monster. Set in the palaces and boardrooms of Europe and in the villages ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Among these supporters was the highly respected Joseph Conrad (author of Heart of Darkness).
So what about this Mr. King Leopold? As of now you must understand that he has done something
far worse than inhabit slave labor and import ivory and rubber to have caused such a controversy
across the world? Simply, Leopold wanted a colony, any colony to give his position some leverage;
he felt that by owning more than just his small country, that he'd somehow be validated as a King.
Since he'd noticed the world flying by him quickly with new developments and technological
advancements, not to mention anyone who was anyone owned a piece of the colonialism pie,
Leopold just had to have his piece.
Leopold feeling squeezed out by the British, French Empires, and the rising power of Germany,
studied forms of colonialism from the Dutch East Indies, to the British possession in Indian and
Africa. Leopold's regime, despite his studies, differed from those of those of his fellow colonialists.
Leopold schemed to build himself a forced labor camp on a massive expanse of central Africa and
was quite smooth with pulling all of this off. Through methods of bribery, chicanery, brute force and
almost supernatural sense of cunning, Leopold had

King Leopold II Of Belgium
Characterized by ambition and restlessness from an early age, King Leopold II of Belgium utilized
his desire to make a name for himself, while increasing his personal wealth and power, and deftly
harnessed subterfuge in order to convince the Belgian government that his interests in Africa were
philanthropic, all the while exploiting and deceiving the native peoples of the Congo. However, it
was this same relentless ambition which would eventually lead to Leopold's being forced to sell his
colonial holdings, as the moral limits of the observers and of participants in the king's imperial
system were pushed to their breaking points.
King Leopold II began his career on the world stage as a young individual leading an almost equally
young nation. Much of his life was devoid of genuine human connections and emotion, and he
ruthlessly pursued power and profits, likely in an attempt to fill this void. He went about this pursuit
by modeling the nation which he so admired, Great Britain. He was entranced by its methods of
imperialism, and he came to the conclusion, after investigating a multitude of other options, that
Africa offered the most opportunities for his individual profit, as the majority of the wild lands on
other continents had already been colonized by more influential European powers.
After he came into power, Leopold broached the topic of a Belgium–controlled colony in a much
different manner than he had while his father was still king. Previously, Leopold was

Personal Narrative: Two Views Of King Leopold
I have just returned from a three and a half month journey through the Congo. I embarked on my
journey for Britain with the idea that Europe would help Africa progress socially and free them.
After my arrival and a few days in the field, my views on the situation took a sharp turn. While on
my trip I witnessed mutilations, kidnappings, and killings of the natives by the Congo
Administration of King Leopold. There are many conflicting views of what is happening in the
Congo area and whether it's right or not. As a first hand witness I know that King Leopold is not
helping Africa in anyway and instead is hurting them culturally, physically, and economically.
To start off his poor execution of taking control of the Congo Leopold "spent millions ... Show more
This made the amount of rubber the ily–treated workers were gathering insufficient and to be
punished. The treatment of workers and of the natives in general was horrifying. The Force Publique
"frequently killed people who did not bring in enough rubber" or cut off their hands to send a
message to the other workers. Women were even "held hostage until the men brought in enough
rubber to satisfy the state... other people were regularly whipped". To find enough rubber "women
had to give up cultivating the fields and gardens" which combined with having no money due to the
crazy taxes and depleted economy, caused starvation. I hope the people of Britain realize how
terrible the situation is in the 'Free State' of Congo and do something about it. I realize the fright in
the government about going up against Leopold could cause him to "make deals with the French in
retaliation, thereby increasing French power in Africa, and overall. However, France gaining power
is much better than the Congolese losing lives and having their chances of being a successful region
diminished. The current involvement by the British Parliament is helping to raise awareness but is
not creating any immediate change.
I am putting all my research into a report that I will soon publish, I hope that it will spread the word
about the horrendous acts being committed by King Leopold. The slavery in the Congo Free State is
"a form

King Leopold II : The Causes Of The Congo Genocide
Why is genocide something that people use to exploit, cheat, and damage people or groups? The
Congo Genocide was no exception to this question. In this case it all started from the desire to grow,
control, and gain wealth with horrible techniques that were kept under covers for far too long. Some
preface before delving deep into the roots of the Congo Genocide is that before all of this happened
there was King Leopold II who was in the throne of Belgium from 1865 until he died in 1909. The
Congo Free State occupied almost all the Congo River basin however, now it exists as the
Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was formed in the 1880's as a private property by a group of
European investors, and formed by King Leopold II. King Leopold II brought his attention to the
Congo during the exploration of the Congo River by Henry Morton Stanley in 1874–1877. In
November of 1877 Leopold formed the Committee for Studies of the Upper Congo and opened
trade between Europe and The Congo through the Congo River. Between 1879 and 1882, with help
from sponsors Stanley created posts in the upper Congo and created negotiations with local rulers.
By the time that 1884 rolled around, their Association Internationale du Congo had signed treaties
with 450 independent African tribes and regions, and with that they declared the right to govern all
their territory as a singular state; this state of 905,000 square miles with an area seventy–six times as
large as Belgium. King Leopold II was to

King Leopold II Of Belgium Colonized The Congo

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

More from Barb Tillich

More from Barb Tillich (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

King Leopold II Of Belgium Colonized The Congo