On Feb 5, 1885, Belgian King Leopold Two established the Congo Gratuitous Country past brutally seizing the African landmass as his personal possession. Rather than control the Congo as a colony, every bit other European powers did throughout Africa, Leopold privately owned the region. (Colonizing other peoples, regardless of the justification, is incorrect. The people beingness colonized are robbed of their land, resources, and liberty.) Leopold financed development projects with coin loaned to him from the Belgian government.

The king's stated goal was to bring civilization to the people of the Congo, an enormous region in Central Africa. (Believing one people is more civilized than another is incorrect.) Leopold'due south reign over the Congo Gratis Land, even so, has become infamous for its brutality. The people of the Congo were forced to labor for valued resource, including rubber and ivory, to personally enrich Leopold.

Estimates vary, but nearly half the Congolese population died from punishment and malnutrition. Many more suffered from disease and torture. Amid those who weren't killed, many were punished by having a hand and/or human foot amputated.

The people of the Congo did not suffer these injustices without fighting dorsum. Several rebellions were mercilessly put down nether Leopold's direction.

As the realities and suffering within the Congo Free Country became more widely known, many European people spoke out against these abuses. Demonstrations and protests demanded that Leopold end man rights abuses in the Congo Free State. In 1908, international pressure forced the king to plow the Congo Costless State over to the land of Belgium. The newly named "Belgian Congo" remained a colony until the Democratic Republic of Congo gained its independence in 1960.

amputate

Verb

to surgically remove a limb.

barbarous

Adjective

extreme, harsh, or cruel.

Noun

complex fashion of life that developed as humans began to develop urban settlements.

colony

Substantive

people and land separated by distance or culture from the authorities that controls them.

development

Noun

construction or grooming of country for housing, industry, or agriculture.

disease

Substantive

harmful condition of a body function or organ.

enormous

Describing word

very large.

enrich

Verb

to supply with valuable material.

establish

Verb

to form or officially organize.

finance

Verb

to fund or provide money to an organisation or individual, usually for a specific purpose.

government

Noun

organization or social club of a nation, state, or other political unit.

human rights

Substantive

basic freedoms belonging to every individual, including the rights to social and political expression, spirituality, and opportunity.

independence

Noun

country or situation of existence free.

infamous

Adjective

having a very bad reputation.

malnutrition

Substantive

lack of a balanced diet.

protest

noun, verb

sit-in against a policy or action.

rebellion

Noun

organized resistance to an authority.

Noun

any expanse on Earth with one or more common characteristics. Regions are the basic units of geography.

reign

Verb

to rule equally a monarch.

resource

Substantive

available supply of materials, goods, or services. Resources can be natural or human.

torture

Noun

inflicting hurting to force a victim to provide information.

More Dates in History

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    Editor

    Caryl-Sue, National Geographic Society

    Producer

    Mary Crooks, National Geographic Society

    Last Updated

    March 15, 2021

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