1874
Near the beginning
of this year King Leopold II began developing a colony for him to
directly control. This colony was within the Congo region. Leopold
sent Henry Morton Stanley , a journalist, to explore the Congo and
make treaties with the native peoples. These treaties allowed King
Leopold II to take position as the colony’s leader. It also
increased his general power in this area.
This
movement to make colonies gave Leopold rights to exploit people and
resources in the Congo. Leopold coming to power was largely
significant because it showed his greed and soon to be inhuman
treatment of the Congolese people through the fact that he made many
indigenous peoples sign away their land without knowing the
consequences or what was happening.
1884
1960
In 1884 the Berlin
Conference took place to organize the said “Scramble for
Africa”("Imperialism:
The belgian," 2012) and to grant King Leopold II his wish to
rule the Congo. This meant new boundaries were imposed throughout
Africa, dividing it into Europe's colonial domains and eliminating
any governing by people in the Congo.
The Berlin
Conference encouraged Leopold to begin his rein over the Congo,
because he had the permission and help from the rest of Europe. It
also allowed Europeans to lay obvious claims over African land and
diminish indigenous peoples power. The conference was what led up to
the mistreatment and abuse of the Congolese people and resources.
1890
Leopold II
exploited the Congo for its natural rubber, which was becoming a
valuable commodity. ("Belgian congo," 2012) He sent armies
to steal Congolese women and hold them hostage until their husbands
had brought their quota of rubber. They were whipped or killed when
their amount was not met.
This time period
was important because it lead to the realization by many that Leopold
was very cruel and greedy and was not a fit ruler, proven by his
billion dollar profits at the end of his rule. Also, the devastation
was a large piece of the Congo's tragic history.
1908
1908
marked the end of King Leopold II's rule and his powers over the
Congo Free State were relinquished to the government of Belgium. The
colony in the Congo along with a few others were annexed and newly
named Belgian Congo.This movement was brought on by pressures from
humanitarians and other countries due to Leopold's cruelty.
The
change of power to a colonial council significantly improved the
treatment of Congolese people and while there was still some
discrimination, the exploitation of workers generally stopped.
Problems still apparent such as Congo people having no say in
government eventually led up to granted sovereignty for the Congo.
1960
In
1960 the Congolese began to rebel against Prime Minister Lumumba for
the harm he had done in the Congo. The rebellion that started in Thyssville in quickly spread to the rest
of the Congo. ("Belgian congo," 2012) He was later brutally
murdered for his actions, this bad ruling led to the granted
sovereignty of the Congo.
June
30th
1960, was the day the Congolese gained formal independence from
Belgium. (Roberts, 1965) The independence didn’t hold though, it
only set the stage for a deeper struggle to gain economic
independence. The struggle drove a divide between the Congolese, some
wanted complete independence and others wanted to remain a capitalist
society.
