King Leopold II of Belgium was a manipulative ruler who created injustices in the Congo Free State. Many missionaries and young idealists traveled to Africa for adventure but unexpectedly found themselves amidst a holocaust. Despite the many African rebel leaders’ attempts to stop King Leopold‚ over ten million Congolese people were killed. Henry Morton Stanley was able to acquire the land so easily because there was no established military in place‚ and because he would deceive the indigenous
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Belgium: History‚ The Alliance System‚ And New Imperialism History‚ The Alliance System‚ and New Imperialism The country of Belgium received its name from the Belgae. The Belgae were a Celtic tribe‚ described by Julius Cesar‚ as the Gaul’s most courageous tribe. Like many other peoples‚ they were forced to surrender to Roman legions. The new area was named Gallia Belgica. Rome eventually faded but the name of Belgium
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The Congo was taken over in 1885 by King of Belgium‚ Leopold II . Leopold wanted to conquer the Congo due to him believing overseas colonies were the key to a country’s greatness. Leopold gained control of the Congo by sending explorer Henry Stanley to claim land in the Congo. At the Berlin conference of 1884-1885 they recognized Leopold as the sovereign ruler of the Congo. The country was treated as a brutal business investment by Leopold who was viewed by the world as a noble king. But in reality
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Leopold II as a King-Sovereign of the Congo Free State – a great diplomat‚ businessman or a man who caused a genocide? Mgr. Lucie Tamášová Index Index 1 The beginning of the Congo Free State 3 Desire for colonies 3 Founding of the International African Association 4 Leopold’s Beginnings in Congo with Morton Stanley 5 Stanley in Congo 7 International Association of the Congo and the Berlin Conference 9 Terror and profit in Colonial Congo 12
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Let me tell you how we gained our independence 20 years ago from Belgium in 1960‚ and how it still impacts our lives today. As well as how I‚ Joseph Kasavubu‚ your grandfather helped to liberate our country. Let me start with how we gained our independence in the first place. It all started in the late 1880’s when King Leopold II took personal control of us for his own gains. Of course none of us Congolese were happy when Leopold took control of us‚ especially because he ruthlessly enslaved us
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well-researched work King Leopold’s Ghost‚ Hochschild was able to reconstruct the Belgian takeover of the Congo from an almost omniscient point of view. Through his narration‚ the reader is able to see all of the involved agents of the story (King Leopold‚ Henry Morton Stanley‚ William Sheppard) acting in motion and how the actions of one affected the plans and behaviors of others. Hochschild’s reconstruction reveals King Leopold’s meticulous manipulation of key individuals and entire governments throughout
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Letter from Leopold to Prime Minister Beernaert How does Leopold justify colonization of the Congo? Leopold justifies the colonization of the Congo with the fact that countries have been colonizing in other territories throughout history. He goes back on major empires and names few along with what they did. What economic arguments does he stress? He stresses intellectual‚ capitalist‚ or manual opportunities for all workers. How does he envision the future of Belgium and the Congo? Leopold visions the
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IN THE CONGO In 1876‚ King Leopold II of Belgium began plans for international benevolent committees for the people of the Congo region. Though originally accepted as multi-national‚ scientific‚ and humanitarian propositions‚ they have of late become anything but. Soon after their conception‚ Leopold used these organizations to establish a sphere of influence and eventually Belgian sovereignty in the Congo Basin. The region is rich in ivory and rubber‚ and Leopold made use of those resources and
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The Republic of the Congo began as a Belgian colony in the late 19th century. Belgium’s King Leopold II‚ after becoming increasingly frustrated by Belgium’s lack of international power‚ began to persuade his government to support colonial expansion. His attention was drawn to the area of the Congo River basin following during Sir Henry Morton Stanley’s exploration from 1874–77. King Leopold II organized a geographical conference in Brussels in 1876‚ during which he proposed “establishing an international
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The story of the Democratic Republic of Congo starts off with King Leopold II‚ the King of Belgium from 1865-1909. King Leopold II was extremely interested in making Belgium a world power‚ and did so by imperialism and colonization. In 1885‚ he made possible the formation of the Congo Free State (now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo) (Hochschild). This state was originally created as a way to open up the interior of Africa to European trade‚ specifically for ivory‚ which was extremely valuable
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