History of the CongoShyla Shirk, Laura Kelly, and Bre Robertson

The Democratic Republic of the Congo

Capital: KinshasaOfficial Languages: French (official), Lingala, Kingwana, Kikongo, TshilubaPopulation:67.51 MillionArea: Total 2,344,858 sq kmWater(%) 77,810 sq km

http://www.nationsonline.org/maps/dr_congo_map.jpg

Climate

● Tropical climate● Hottest and most humid close to

the equator and cooler in southern and eastern highlands

● Wet season: April-Oct. (North) and Nov.-March (South)

● Dry season: Dec. – Feb. (North) and April – Oct. (South)

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3059/2869717871_e8bf61328e.jpg

Plants ● Lush plant life● Covered by equatorial

rainforest● Trees commonly reach

heights of 130 to 160 feet ● Rich in native plants: -Mahogany -Ebony -Limba -Cinchoa (source of quinine) ● Edible mushrooms and

veggies grow in forests, grasslands, and swamps

● Eucalyptus trees grow for construction material

Animals• Chimpanzees in equatorial

forest• Gorillas in eastern mountains• Elephants, monkeys, and

baboons in savannah woodlands

• Lions, leopards, and cheetahs in the grasslands

• Hippopotamuses and crocodiles in rivers

• Reptiles and birds common in most areas

• Hunting and poaching have caused decrease in animal life, especially rare and sought after animals

InsectsMost common:● Butterflies● Moths● Millipedes● Mosquitos● Tsetse fly

● Born October 13, 1930 in Lisala, Democratic Republic of the Congo

● Went to a Catholic mission school● Served in the Belgian colonial army

and reached the rank of colonel and became chief of Congolese Army in 1960

● Had his soldiers arrest Patrice Lumumba and transfer him to Elizabethville, Katanga

● Placed Moise Tshombe on trial for treason and condemned him to death

Important People – Mobutu Sese Seko

● Decided Africanization needed to occur – 3 months later abolition of all European names was required

● Changed country name back to Zaire● Zaire continued to have economic problems● May of 1997 rebel forces led by Laurent

Kabila forced Mobutu to flee the country● Died in Morocco on September 7, 1997

Mobutu Sese Seko continued…

● Born November 10, 1919 in Musumba, Democratic Republic of the Congo

● Educated at an American Methodist mission● 1960 July – Supported white mercenaries and

Belgian mining companies● 1964 July – Tshombe moved to Europe, but

came back to become prime minister of the Congo Republic

● Placed on trial for treason by Mobutu since he left the country and then came back

● 1967 July – kidnapped and taken to Algeria to be put in prison

● 1969 June – died in prison of a heart attack (June 29, 1969)

Important People – Moise Tshombe

● Born July 2, 1925 in Katako Kombe, Central Congo

● Founded National Congolese Movement (NCM) in 1958 and later became president of the organization

● Led various strikes/demonstrations – wanted Congo to be granted independence from Belgium

● Became new prime minister in May of 1960● Arrested by Mobutu’s soldiers in July of 1960● Transferred to Elizabethville, Katanga● Murdered on January 17, 1961● Arrested for appealing to the UN to help

restore peace and order

Important People – Patrice Lamumba

● 1950’s – lots of pressure throughout 50’s for independence in many places in Africa, including the Congo

● 1959- Belgium begins to lose control over events in Congo; nationalist riots in Leopoldville

● 1960- June, Congo gains independence● 1960- July, Congolese mutinies, Belgian troops

sent in● 1960-1965 Congo Crisis – political upheaval

and conflict in the Republic of the Congo

Overview of the Congo (1950’s and 60’s)

● 1955 – Belgian Professor Antoin van Bilsen publishes “30 year plan” for increased independence in the Congo

● 1959 – Belgium loses control of over events after nationalist riots in Leopoldville

● 1960 June – Congo becomes independent with Patrice Lumumba as prime minister and Joseph Kasavubu as president

● 1960 July – Congolese army mutinies● 1960 September – Kasavubu dismisses Lumumba as prime minister● 1960 December – Lumumba arrested● 1964 August – Presedent Kasavubu appoints Tshombe prime

minister● 1971 – Joseph Mobutu renames country Zaire and himself Mobutu

Sese Seko● 1977 – Mobutu invites foreign investors back, without success● Late 1970’s – Congolese increase political mobilization and gain

additional influence in the national assembly● 1989 – Zaire defaults on loans from Belgium, cancellation of

development programs, increased deterioration of the economy

Timeline of Congo’s History

● 1991 – Following riots in Kinshasa by unpaid soldiers● 1991 – Mobutu agrees to coalition of government, but keeps

control of security of apparatus and important ministries● 1993 – anti-Mobutu government created● 1997 – anti-Mobutu rebels, aided principally by Rwanda,

capture the capital● 1997 – Zaire is renamed the Democratic Republic of Congo● 2001 January – President Laurent Kabila is shot dead● 2002 April – Peace talks in South Africa, Kinshasa signs a

power-sharing deal with Ugandan-backed rebels● 2002 December – Peace deal signed between Kinshasa

government and main rebel groups● 2003 April – President Kabila signs a transitional

constitution, under which the government would be in charge of upcoming elections

● 2005 May – New constitution, with text agreed by former warring factions, is adopted by parliament

Differences in Culture

● Most do not farm their own food

● Most can only speak English, but some are bilingual

● Even in rural areas, houses are made of brick, concrete, and stone

-Nearly all have A/C and/or heating● Food is typically eaten at least

three times a day, and can range from fruits and veggies to various types of processed foods

• Most native Congolese farm, hunt, and fish for their own food

• Not uncommon for a person to speak four languages

• Homes made from vines, sticks, and mixture of sand and water in rural areas

• Food is often not a daily activity and when food is available, it doesn’t have the nutrition people need to stay healthy

-mostly potatoes and fufu, occasionally fish

America:Congo:

Differences continued…

● Clean drinking water● Available

transportation and roads

● Sleep on mattresses● Health care available

to most

● Only about 14% have access to clean drinking water

● Limited transportation

● Sleep on handwoven mats

● Minimal health care

Congo: America:

Works Cited● http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Democratic-Republic-of-the-Congo.html

● http://spartacus-educational.com/COLDmobutu.htm

● http://spartacus-educational.com/COLDtshombe.htm

● http://spartacus-educational.com/COLDlumumba.htm

● http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/132363/Democratic-Republic-of-the-Congo-DRC/40791/Climate

● “The Congo Crisis: 1960–1965." Global Events: Milestone Events Throughout History. Ed. Jennifer Stock. Vol. 1: Africa. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2014. Student Resources in Context. Web. 20 Jan. 2015.

● "Congo." UXL Multicultural: A Comprehensive Resource on African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native North Americans. Detroit: UXL, 2003. Student Resources in Context. Web. 20 Jan. 2015.

● http://www.cws.org.nz/files/A%20Short%20History%20of%20the%20Congo.pdf

● http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/132321/Republic-of-the-Congo/40707/Plant-and-animal-life

● Turner, Thomas (2007). The Congo Wars: Conflict, Myth, and Reality (2nd ed.). London: Zed Books. ISBN 978-1-84277-688-9.

● Freund, Bill (1998). The Making of Contemporary Africa: The Development of African Society since 1800 (2nd ed.). Basingstoke: Palgrave-Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-333-69872-3.

● Borstelmann, Thomas (1993). Apartheid, Colonialism, and the Cold War: the United States and Southern Africa, 1945–1952. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-507942-6

● http://lntreasures.com/congodrc.html

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of these countries borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

A. Central African RepublicB. BrazilC. EthiopiaD. Libya

2. Which of these insects is one of the most common found in the Congo that was listed in the presentation?

A. Bot FlyB. ScorpionC. MillipedeD. Leech

3. Who decided Africanization needed to occur in the Congo and abolished all European names?

A. Patrice LamumbaB. Kimungo KikoC. Moise TshombeD. Mobutu Sese Seko

4. Who was murdered by Mobutu Sese Seko’s soldiers?

A. Moise TshombeB. Antoin van BilsenC. Patrice LamumbaD. President Kasavubu

5. Which of these is NOT a difference in culture between the U.S. and the Congo?

A. Food and how often it’s eatenB. Population in main citiesC. Materials houses are made ofD. How many languages the average citizen

can speak