Congo Free

State-1885
By: Gillian, Hunter, and Jolyon
Introduction
In this presentation we will be talking about the political, social, and economic
effects that the Congo Free State 1885 had on citizens of the Congo and those
from Belgium, such as the exploitation of resources, political manipulation, and
the segregation of people.
Politics of the Congo Free State
The politics of the Congo Free State were mainly run by King Leopold the II of
Belgium. The rule of these politics relied on fear and intimidation and this is how
Leopold held Belgium for so long.
Political Effects - Hunter
King Leopold II ruled the Congo as an absolute monarchy in 1885
Originally, before he ruled the Congo, Belgium had no interest in expansion
He wanted Belgium to join the European Empires
The Belgian government passed the expansion into his hands...
Political Expansion - H.M
Leopold convinced the European powers to give him a large part of the
Congo at the Berlin West Africa Conference
This is due to his establishment of the Committee for Studies of the Upper Congo
Leopold then christianized the Congolese
It was a vanity first but, when the need for rubber palm oil, and ivory arose it
turned into a slave plantation
Brutal methods of control
In 1890 arab slave traders died in the state
Rebellions started in 1891 when Leopolds troops shot Msiri
The only form of transport, being the river, until the creation of railroad in
1898
Political Savagery - H.M
The slave state that Leopold had created was relatable to Hitlers lebensraum
Around 12 million were said to be killed making Leopold one of the top ten
mass murderers ever in History
The Belgians had to take over the Congo to stop the horror
Social Congo Free State- Jolly
Social Life - Congo
-Leopold became notorious for his treatment of the congolese

-Forced labour was used to gather wild rubber, palm oil, and ivory

-Beatings and lashings were used to force villages to meet their rubber gathering quotas

-The population of the entire state is said to have declined from some 20 million to 8 million

-The truth about Leopolds brutal regime eventually spread

-Indignation among people in Britain and other parts of Europe grew

-In 1908 the Congo Free State was abolished and replaced by the Belgian Congo, a colony controlled by
the Belgian parliament
Economic Effects
-Gillian
Congo Economy
What was the rubber used for?
Importance of Rubber
What was the profit used for?
Conclusion
To conclude, it is evident that the 1885 Congo Free State had devastating political,
social, and economic effects on those living in the Congo, however was extremely
beneficiary for those living in Belgium.
Works Cited
Hunter
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"Belgium's Heart of Darkness." Belgium's Heart of Darkness | History Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2017.
<http://www.historytoday.com/tim-stanley/belgiums-heart-darkness>.
"Congo Free State." Encyclopdia Britannica. Encyclopdia Britannica, inc., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2017.
<https://www.britannica.com/place/Congo-Free-State>.
Jolly
Gillian

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Green, Adam. "Interactive Map - Chinese Dams in Africa." Beyondbrics. N.p., 23 May 2013. Web. 17 Apr. 2017. <http://blogs.ft.com/beyond-brics/category/sub-saharan-africa/congo/>.
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McKinley, Kiernan. "Washington State University." Fall 2014 After Imperialism The Economy of the Congo Comments. N.p., 29 Aug. 2014. Web. 10 Apr. 2017.
<https://history105.libraries.wsu.edu/fall2014/2014/08/29/the-age-of-imperialism/>.
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The End!
Thanks for listening!