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The Scramble for Africa

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Congo Free State

King Leopold II Appealed to Belgium Govt. to secure the Congo region for

the country

No So I will own it myself

Hired Henry Stanley (American) to gain as many treaties aspossible 450 in total securing the region for his company

Simultaneously French explorer Pierre De Brazza wasscrambling for rights in the region (beginning of scramble)

Reason To open to civilization the only part of the globe it has yet to penetrateIt

is, I dare to say, a crusade worthy of this century of progressI [am] by noway motivated by selfish designs

King Leopold II

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Berlin Conference1884-1885

Resulting from Leopold and Brazzasscramble and the fear of Europeanconflict, Otto Van Bismarck called for a

conference to divvy up the continentamong the European Nations Stanley and a few of Leopolds cronies

were there to manipulate the other

countries assuring that the Congo wouldnot be claimed.

Who was not present?

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1. What percentage of Africa was colonized by 1914?

2. Which two countries claimed the most territory

1913 AfricanColonization

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King Leopold Congo Free

State Decree of 1885

All unsettled land belongs to thestate

Only small fields next to the peopleshomes could remain theirs

Early Troubles

Little money to manage Needed money for RR and

Administration Difficult to get it from investors

Resistance from local groups. Tippu Tipp and other slave raiding

groups resented restrictions 1888 Force Publique military

formed by Leopold

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Manipulation=Profit

Leopold, under the guise of abolition, got 17countries together to discuss the abolition ofthe slave trade He suggested that import and export duties on

slaves would help end the trafficking. What did it really do?

New decree shortly after stating any productssold by Africans must be sold to the state sinceall the unoccupied land belongs to the state.

Furthermore, the state had the ability to establishprices for these goods which, in turn, determinedthe income of the inhabitants of the Congo.

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You Owe Me!!!

Taxes were placed on villages for the buildingof the RR

OhNo Money Than Labor will work Rubber was collected by agents at trading posts

Agents received commission on the rubber collected Results- A push for more rubber

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Results of the Rubber Trade

50% decrease in Congospopulation

Executions

Deaths due to resistancebattles

Separation of Husbandsfrom Wives

Famine due to lack of landand time

Fleeing to neighboring

countries

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Brutal Policies

If not enough rubber was brought tothe agents

Wives held hostage

Hands cut off

Executed

Flogged (sometimes to death)

Ammunition had to be accounted for so bodyparts proved execution

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Eyes Open

Britain heard of some of the atrocitiesand did nothing (feared power shift ifLeopold sided with French)

Most still believed Congo was aCivilizing Mission George Washington Williams speaks out

Ex- Competition to shoot the man in the boat

Worked to expose but Leopold spread rumorsto discredit him

He dies of disease

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Finally

Missionaries take off where Williamsended

Many were bystanders

A few spoke out and

Aborigines Protection Society created

Urged Britain to investigate

E.D. Morel

80% of supplies heading to Congo=Military=Notfor trade

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Congos More Recent Problems