BELGIAN CONGO
By: Amber Schott, Dan Raynor, Joann O'Connor
and Taylor Leach
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stamp_Belgian_Congo_1910_25c.jpg
Initial OccupationThe estate of the Belgian Congo began when King Leopold II created an international trading company to take Congo's resources. This continuted to accelerate when the Berlin Conference took place in 1884. During the conference, King Leoplold II took the Belgian Congo as a colony. King Leopold II wanted to take the Belgian Congo for its rubber and ivory. In 1908, the British Parliament took over the colony.
http://online.culturegrams.com/world/accessible_report.php?cid=37 http://apwhwiki.pbworks.com/w/page/363077/Berlin-ConferenceX
Benefits to the Imperial Power
The main reason why King Leopold II wanted the Kongo Kingdom was for their rubber and ivory. He was recieving a large profit for his sales of resources. In 1887, J. B. Dunlop invented the rubber made bicycle tubes. With its growing popularity, there was a high demand for rubber. This made King Leopold II a very happy man because his trading industry became more popular, and it gave him more money.
http://www.noplacetobe.com/travelblog/easy-riding-dalat-to-saigon-pt-2/http://www.yale.edu/gsp/colonial/belgian_congo/index.html
Treatment of the Indigenous People
King Leopold II is known best for how he treated the People of the Congo region. He treated them the worst out of all the dictators in Africa. Breaking the law, he inslaved the people and made them work. If they refused to work, their wives were held and beaten and most of the time they would cut off the right hand of the tribal member.
http://www.yale.edu/gsp/colonial/belgian_congo/index.htmlhttp://www.themanyfacesofspaces.com/MFS-StrangeButTrue-People7.html
Maps
This is a map while the Belgian Congo
was being imperialized.
http://www.africafederation.net/Berlin_1885.htm
Maps
This map is of the Belgian Congo during
imperialization.
http://honorsglobalstudies.pbworks.com/f/The+Belgian+Congo%5B1%5D%5B1%5D.pptx
Maps
This is Democratic Republic of Congo
today.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/africa/democratic-republic-of-congo/
Long-Term Impacts
Enviromental- The Belgian Congo destroyed the rubber trees, and killed many elephants for their ivroy. Cultural- It destroyed families and made them live like the Belgians.Economic- The Belgians took all of the Congolese money for themselves.8-10 million people died as a result of King Leopold's dictatorship.Mobutu takes all of the nation's money and leaves to France.
Indigenous Perspectives
Indigenous Views At First- were very hateful towards
the WesternersDuring- scared at the violence
that was committed against them After- slightly grateful for the help
that imperialisim gave them with their 10 year plan, but still have much animosity towards the treatment of their people
http://www.kidz-dj.nl/xgdby.php?dotp=Belgian-Congo-Genocide
Resistance & Independence
Resistance: 1959 various political riots inKinshasa
Independence:Achieved June 30th 1960 Renamed "Democratic Republic
of the Congo"Kasavubu is named head of state
After Independence:September 14, Col. Joseph Mobutu seizes power
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/2664459/HultonArchive&usg=m1Aa7hNzJsgfWyQ_ZXQ6O0nw_
Resistance & Independence Contin.
After Mobutu took power nation was renamed Zaire
Mobutu stayed as dictator until 19971997 power switched from Mobutu
to KabilaKabila later assassinated
http://www.knowledgerush.com/wiki_image/3/3d/Mobutu.jpg
BenefitsWhile there were no political
benefits, there were many economical benfits for the indigenous people
2,468 hospitals 1,300,000 children in primary school $960 million 10 year plan financed
70% by the Congo people Leading producer of industrial diamonds,
cobalt, uranium Main exporter of tin and copper
http://www.kopar.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/industrial-grade-diamonds.jpeg http://easycalculation.com/chemistry/elements/images/uranium.jpg http://www.emovendo.net/images/T/t-16196-64.jpeg http://giantcrystals.strahlen.org/america/cobalt3.jpg
Culture Imperialism The indigneous people's tradition
while changed, stayed partially intact.The tribes adapted to the new viewsImperialism slowly altered the
traditional views and ideasIn addition to this new political
systems, in imperialistic ideas were set up instead of the tribe leaders and villages.
During Mobutu's dictatorship some councils were set up but were later destroyed after old tribe leaders attemped to go back to their old ways
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/3209251/Hulton-Archivehttp://sfbayview.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Patrice-Lumumba-speaks-to-Parliament-Leopoldville-Belgian-Congo-13-days-before-independence-061760-by-Bettman-CORBIS2.jpg
Modernization
While the treatment towards indigenous people was harsh, imperialism helped the people of the Belgian Congo
They became one of the more accelerated producers of certain products in addition to financing themselves for their own 10 year plan
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/Belgium/Congo/img/Congo-p17b.jpg
Consequences on the Imperial Power
King Leopold was forced to hand over Congo to the Belgian government in 1908.Leopold made approximately $1.1 billion
Morel wrote the Black Man's Burden based on the tragedies Belgian Congo faced.
http://10.6.200.233/contentfiltering/blocked.aspx?id=7510603446700614672
Consequences continued...Adam Hochschild's book King Leopold's Ghost was also written about the Imperialism terror that went on in Congo (1998). http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/50668639
Consequences on the Occupied Region
The Elephant population was depleted and the focus became on rubber.
Slave labor was intact to collect the rubber and ivory
To get the labor done King Leopold's men would beat the workers sometime to the point of death.
8 to 10million people died as a result of King Leopold's reign.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3516965.stm
After King Leopold's power was revoked, the Congo had to pay of the debt he had put the region in.
The Belgian government placed schools and churches in the Congo destroying their tribal way of life.
In 1960, Belgian Congo finally gained independence.
The Congo's Constitution was recently created in February of 2006 on the 18th.
Consequences continued...
http://meg100091191.wordpress.com/blog2-summing-up-a-historicalbiographical-approach/
Modern Status of Congo
Average male makes $300 yearly
High mortality rate due to AIDS, 79000 Congolian's are living with HIV/AIDS
Average Congolian will live to be 54.54 years old
Most Congolian's only receive 6 years of education
http://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cg.html http://www.kateholt.com/galleries/editorial/democratic-republic-of-congo-ii
Modern Status of Belgium
Average male makes $4200 yearly
15000 Belgian's are living with HIV/AIDS
Average Belgian's will live to be 79.37 years old
Most Belgian's receive 11 years of education
http://www.iho-ohi.org/index.php/category/belgium/ http://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/be.html
Democratic Republic of Congo FlagIt was changed in 2006.Red stands for the blood of the people.Yellow stands for prosperityBlue stands for hope and peace.The star stands for unity.
http://flagspot.net/flags/cd.html
Belgium Flag
The colors of the Belgian flag are based on the coat of arms of the province of Brabant. The vertical stripe design was based on the design of France's flag
http://www.worldflags101.com/b/belgium-flag.aspx
ReferecesAfrican Nations and Territory Identity . (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.africafederation.net/Berlin_1885.htmArchive for the ‘Belgium’ Category. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.iho-ohi.org/index.php/category/belgium/THe Bekgian Congo. (n.d.). Retrieved February 22, 2011, from http://www.scribd.com/doc/12754616/The-Belgian-CongoBelgian Congo. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.yale.edu/gsp/colonial/belgian_congo/index.htmlBelgium and congo factbook. (n.d.). Retrieved February 20, 2011, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/be.htmlBerlin Conference. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://apwhwiki.pbworks.com/w/page/363077/Berlin-ConferenceCIA. (n.d.). Belgium [Fact Sheet]. Retrieved February 21, 2011, from CIA website: http://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/be.htmlCIA. (n.d.). The World Factbook - Congo [Fact Sheet]. Retrieved February 11, 2011, from CIA website: http://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cg.htmlDemocratic Republic of Congo. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://flagspot.net/flags/cd.htmlGonbola, D., Ch. (n.d.). The History of Congo (p. 16).
ReferencesGoogle. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.wunrn.com/news/2007/10_07/10_15_07/101507_congo_files/image001.jpg&imgrefurl=http://newsblog2you.wordpress.com/category/american-politics/page/3/&usg=__4IW21uhI7GzKpik2LtKjfooi-Yg=&h=300&w=600&sz=47&hl=en&start=21&sig2=wX_7wWUafhO-SUsZUn1BWA&zoom=1&tbnid=q5z1wDIJSZIkxM:&tbnh=83&tbnw=166&ei=pending&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmodern%2Bdemocratic%2Brepublic%2Bof%2Bcongo%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26biw%3D1276%26bih%3D578%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C437&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=915&vpy=146&dur=4797&hovh=159&hovw=318&tx=264&ty=104&oei=mtNjTZnJM4Oclgen26XXCw&page=2&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:21&biw=1276&bih=578History. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://online.culturegrams.com/world/accessible_report.php?cid=37International Human Development Indicators. (n.d.). Congo [Fact Sheet]. Retrieved March 11, 2011, from International Human Development Indicators website: http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/COG.htmlInternational Human Development Indicators. (n.d.). International Human Development Indicators - Belgium [Facet sheet]. Retrieved February 21, 2011, from International Human Development Indicators website: http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/BEL.html
References
Kate Holt. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.kateholt.com/galleries/editorial/democratic-republic-of-congo-iiMap of Democratic Republic of Congo. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/africa/democratic-republic-of-congo/National Flag of Belgium. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.worldflags101.com/b/belgium-flag.aspxNo Place to Be. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.noplacetobe.com/travelblog/easy-riding-dalat-to-saigon-pt-2/PbWorks. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://honorsglobalstudies.pbworks.com/f/The+Belgian+Congo%5B1%5D%5B1%5D.pptxStrange but True People. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.themanyfacesofspaces.com/MFS-StrangeButTrue-People7.html