Summary Of King Leopold's Ghost

Adam Hochschild’s riveting novel, King Leopold’s Ghost, delves the exploitation of the Congo Free State by King Leopold II of Belgium, as well as, the ample atrocities committed during the time period between 1885 and 1908. European interest I the African continent can be traced back to as early as the late 1400s, when an European explorer sailed the west coast and discovered the Congo River. The industrial Revolution sparked Europeans’ keen interest to explore Africa. Diamonds, gold, ivory, and rubber would be the sources of wealth for the Europeans. “Underlying much of Europe’s excitement was the hope that Africa would be a source of raw materials to feed the Industrial Revolution, just as the search for raw materials- slaves- for the colonial