Linda Logan History 371

Critical Thinking Exercise # 2:

European Conquest and
Colonization of Africa
October 21, 2014

King Leopolds Ghost:

A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa
Self-government is our right, a thing born in us at birth; a
thing no more to be doled out to us or withheld from us by another
people than the right to life itself-than the right to feel the sun or
smell the flowers, or to love our kind.Where men must beg with
bated breath for leave to subsist in their own land, to think their
own thoughts, to sing their own songs, to garner the fruits of their
own labors.surely then it is braver, a saner and a truer thing to be
a rebelthen tamely to accept it as the natural lot of men (1).
These words were spoken by Sir Rodger Casement moments before he
was put to death after he was tried and found guilty of treason against the
British Government in 1916. It is hard for me to remember if I have ever
read anything so compelling, as compassionate or as beautiful, as I have this
quote. Stated almost a century ago its relevance and resonance speaks
volumes to us today in regards to the continuous civil and human rights
violations that still exists and which continue to permeate the world and
specifically Africa today. Violations, so depraved of human decency, are
enacted solely based on greed for land, natural resources and power, and
which are condoned by an imperialist ideology that one culture, race or
group of people is inherently superior than all others, therefore making them

entitled to appropriate and control all of the land, its wealth and its
indigenous people for its own gain.
For the most part, the beginning of the 19th century brought huge
expansion in European invention and innovation in industry enabling them to
mass produce products with a higher degree of efficiency and sophistication.
But what they didnt have was an endless supply of the necessary raw
materials which could only be found in the southern hemispheres of the
world. With the invention of the steam engine, Europe would lead the way in
establishing trade and commerce within the interior regions of these
naturally rich continents and was directly used as the template for strategy
used to colonize Africa. Another invention that solidified Europes rise as a
global power and another major tool in the colonization of Africa was the
mass production of weapons that were more lethal but were much cheaper
to produce. Also, the discovery of Quinine and other medicines needed to
combat the effects of tropical diseases such as Malaria and Yellow Fever,
enabled Europeans to survive the long journey and extended stays necessary
to travel, conduct business and eventually settle in these southern regions,
proved another useful tool in the complete colonization of Africa within less
than a thirty year span.
Once the Europeans had established a firm presence within the Indian
Ocean trade route and along the Western coast of Africa with established
trading posts, they had a firsthand opportunity to study the life habits and
political structure of the indigenous population. What they chose to believe

was that Africans and people of color were inferior because of the lack (or so
it seemed) of a formalized governmental structure. What they didnt realize
is that because of the harsh and unforgiving climate, the indigenous way of
life was based on the navigation and cultivation of the land. The earth
dictated to them how they should live. Under the guise of establishing free
trade and commerce routes within the interior of Central Africa, and acting at
the behest of King Leopold, Henry Morton Stanley obtained treaties, written
in legalese which Africans did not understand, granting them total ownership
of the land, its resources and the services of her people in exchange for a
few pieces of cloth, old military uniforms and a few bottles of gin. By any
means, this was not fair or free trade and the Europeans were well aware of
this. However, African leaders and European traders had ulterior motives.
Most African leaders were vain and prideful and were easily flattered and
cajoled by European traders, they were plied with useless gifts that only
enhanced the personage of the King and nothing more. Other leaders were
only interested in obtaining weaponry so they could conquer neighboring
groups if need be, but did not perceive the white man as a direct threat. But
for all Africans, the idea of a treaty of friendship between clans or villages
was familiar; however, the idea of signing over ones land to someone on the
other side of the ocean was inconceivable (2). As time went on, however,
Europeans were effective in portraying themselves as non-threatening and
began to initialize their real plan of attack, another tactical strategy that
proved effective in colonization Africa. No longer satisfied with the pretense

or the unequal trade agreement with Africans for the natural resources
needed to supply the industrial revolution continuing across the Atlantic,
they wanted the whole of Africa for the unexpressed use as an unlimited
source of raw materials, forced labor and, as an exotic playground of sorts for
the very wealthy and privileged European society. As a colonial power,
Europeans saw this as a representation of global powermore land
equaled more wealth. For their expressed use however, they claimed that
the colonization of Africa was for the continents own good, by establishing
free trade, and introducing organized religion and education to the savages
would indeed bring light into their otherwise dark world. This is the
propaganda used by King Leopold II, as he sought to become a colonial
power unto himself. The Berlin Conference of 1884-1945 provided King
Leopold the opportunity to legitimize his personal claim to the Congo, by
introducing the treaties between Central African leaders and the Congo
International Association (controlled by Leopold) and on the strength of them
was able to claim sovereignty over a new entity he called the Congo Free
State (3). The difference between Belgium and the other unknowing
European colonizers (whose only interest during the conference was to
divide the rest of the continent among themselves and could have cared less
about Belgium and their do-good attitude) was that the Congo Free
State, its land, resources and subjects did not belong or adhere to the
Belgium State and furthermore, was not a democratically free state, but

was totally owned outright and solely by King Leopold for his own personal
use and financial enrichment.
The African resistance to the European invasion and colonization of
their homeland depended largely on where it took place. British conquest of
the Gold Coast of Africa grew gradually out of their commercial interests;
they had been deeply involved in trade within this region of Africa for
centuries before it was incorporated into the British Empire. Another
difference is that they had to take control of this region from the Asante, a
larger, highly organized imperial state. However, the colonization of the
Congo was a different encounter. Leopold had no prior commercial interests
within Central Africa, there existed no organized or military state to resist
invasion, as the states or Chiefdoms were very small in size and often
nomadic as they moved from one area to another as needed for grazing
cattle. However, not all attempts of colonization by Europeans were
successful in Africa. Ethiopia remains one of the African states that continued
free of colonization thanks to the efforts, foresight and vision of three
extraordinary men, Tewodros II, Menelik II, and Haile Selassie. During his
reign, Tewodros II, after his armys defeat by the Egyptians, worked diligently
to acquire modern weapons and military training and acquired the
equipment and technicians needed to make his own artillery. He united
Ethiopia under his leadership. Menelik, during his tenure as King, became
allied with the Italians and the French through trade and purchasing firearms,
and when his territory came under attack by the Italians, this leader was able

use his friendship, economic and political influence with other European
powers to gain support in creating an army of 100,000 men, equipped with
repeating rifles obtained from the French (5). In East Africa, Mkwawa the
leader of the Hehe defeated the Germans (who were using machine guns) in
defense of their city Iringa, using only spears and fighting from house to
house. After four years, and the sacrifice of many of his countrymen to allow
him time to escape German patrols, he was captured and rather than
surrender, he shot himself and another companion (6)..courage in the face
of overwhelming odds. In the Congo Free State, as the terror of the Rubber
Regime spread across the region, resistance took the form of a Live Free or
Die attitude by those who fled without food or water to other areas leaving
their homes and all their possessions behind. Others resisted by trying to
escape but failing, only to be whipped, mutilated or beaten to death.
As I sit here and reflect on all of the reading and writing I have done so
far on this topic of conquest and colonization, I still find myself drawn to the
question of Why? And my conclusion, now more than ever, is based on
empirical evidence that history does and will repeat itself.
From the beginning of time until now and until the end of time as we know it,
there will always be a conqueror and a conquered. The thirst for control over
land, natural resources, wealth and power will always place one group, or in
the case of colonization, more than one group, of people over another.
America fought for her independence from the tyranny of British colonization
and won in 1776. Fast forward to 2008, 224 years later, George W. Bush left

office after serving 8 years, as the leader of most powerful nation EVER in
the history of the world, and under his leadership, America was violated by
the very men sworn to protect her from all known enemies foreign or
domestic. Like Leopold, Bush used his wealth, political connections, military
power and Seal of the Presidency, to rape this country of her financial
stability for his personal gain and for that of his friends, with no regard for
her people..and because of the duplicitous nature of his presidency it
probably will take years before political scientists are able to totally unravel
his tangled web of lies. I use this example, because it reminds me of what I
read in King Leopolds Ghost, Those who are conquered always want
to imitate the conqueror in his main characteristics-in his clothing,
his crafts and in his distinctive traits and customs (7).
The actors and the stage my change, but the script never does

Works Cited:

1. Hochschild, Adam. King Leopolds Ghost: a Story of Greed, Terror

and Heroism in Colonial Africa: First Mariner Books, 1999, Pg. 286.
2. Hochschild, Adam. King Leopolds Ghost: a Story of Greed, Terror
and Heroism in Colonial Africa: First Mariner Books, 1999, Pg.
3. Hochschild, Adam. King Leopolds Ghost: a Story of Greed, Terror
and Heroism in Colonial Africa: First Mariner Books, 1999, Pg. 72.
4. Gilbert, Erik and Reynolds, Jonathan, T. Africa in World History: From
Prehistory To The Present, Pearson, Third Edition 2012, Pg. 276.
5. Gilbert, Erik and Reynolds, Jonathan, T. Africa in World History: From
Prehistory To The Present, Pearson, Third Edition 2012, Pg. 283.
6. Gilbert, Erik and Reynolds, Jonathan, T. Africa in World History: From
Prehistory To The Present, Pearson, Third Edition 2012, Pg. 281.
7. Hochschild, Adam. King Leopolds Ghost: a Story of Greed, Terror
and Heroism in Colonial Africa: First Mariner Books, 1999, Pg. 304.
8.