How was the Belgian Congo ruled?
On February 5, 1885, Belgian King Leopold II established the Congo Free State by brutally seizing the African landmass as his personal possession. Rather than control the Congo as a colony, as other European powers did throughout Africa, Leopold privately owned the region.
How was Congo treated under Belgium?
Granted to King Leopold II of Belgium, the Congo was a “personal” concession for the King, rather than a colony. The King, not the Belgian government, effectively owned and controlled the Congo. Leopold administered the Congo in a notoriously brutal manner, using it to augment his own personal wealth.
How did the Congo gain independence from Belgium?
In 1885, the Force Publique was set up, a colonial army with white officers and black soldiers. In 1886, Leopold made Camille Jansen the first Belgian governor-general of Congo. After an uprising by the Congolese people, Belgium surrendered and this led to the independence of the Congo in 1960.
How long did Belgium rule the Congo?
Belgian Congo, French Congo Belge, former colony (coextensive with the present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo) in Africa, ruled by Belgium from 1908 until 1960.
How did Belgium benefit from the Congo?
From 1885-1908 Belgium used The Congo Free State for its rubber resources and land area. By extracting all the rubber from the Congo and selling in on the international market, Belgium was able to keep the wealth in Belgium. Leopold used the rubber money to develop Belgium.
Why were hands cut off in the Congo?
Disease, famine and violence combined to reduce the birth-rate while excess deaths rose. The severing of workers’ hands achieved particular international notoriety. These were sometimes cut off by Force Publique soldiers who were made to account for every shot they fired by bringing back the hands of their victims.
Was there slavery in Belgium?
Recasting Belgium’s national narrative. Generations of Belgian schoolchildren were told of Leopold’s “civilising” mission – a humanitarian king who abolished slavery, built roads and schools and introduced Christianity and democracy to Congo.
Where did Congolese slaves go?
Coming, at least, from the current Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congolese were imported to places such as Louisiana and South Carolina. They were most likely bought in Cabinda. Congolese voluntary migration to the U.S. began in the 1960s for educational reasons.
Was the Congo Free State a genocide?
And although all the European colonial powers decimated the areas of the African continent they had control over, the genocide carried out in King Leopold’s name is usually pointed to as the most devastating. …