Colonialism in the Colonialism in the CongoCongo

Conquest, Conflict, and Conquest, Conflict, and CommerceCommerce

Day OneDay One

Introduction to Africa and Introduction to Africa and the Congothe Congo

Focus on the CongoFocus on the Congo

1.5 million square miles (size of the 1.5 million square miles (size of the US east of the Mississippi)US east of the Mississippi)

Home of most of Africa’s rainforestHome of most of Africa’s rainforest Congo River Basin…home of the Congo River Basin…home of the

3000 mile long Congo River3000 mile long Congo River Huge deposits of gold, diamonds, Huge deposits of gold, diamonds,

copper and manganesecopper and manganese

People of the CongoPeople of the Congo

Pygmies (hunter Pygmies (hunter gatherers)gatherers)

Bantu (knew how Bantu (knew how to smelt iron and to smelt iron and use sophisticated use sophisticated tools)tools)

Nilotes (farmers, Nilotes (farmers, fishers, herders)fishers, herders)

African KingdomsAfrican Kingdoms Large empires or Large empires or

kingdoms developed kingdoms developed by the 15by the 15thth or 16 or 16thth centurycentury

Some of the biggest Some of the biggest kingdoms were the kingdoms were the Luba, the Lunda, and Luba, the Lunda, and the Kongothe Kongo

Trading empires Trading empires traded salt and gold…traded salt and gold…spread cultural and spread cultural and technological ideastechnological ideas

STOP!STOP!

The Congo is rich in The Congo is rich in the culture of its the culture of its peoplepeople

In your groups you will In your groups you will be given some be given some proverbs which reflect proverbs which reflect the Congolese culturethe Congolese culture

Read each proverb Read each proverb and answer the and answer the questions about the questions about the cultureculture

Slave TradingSlave Trading

Portuguese arrive in Portuguese arrive in 1480s to trade with 1480s to trade with the people of the the people of the Congo. They wanted Congo. They wanted gold and copper…but gold and copper…but the Congo did not the Congo did not have enough for themhave enough for them

Instead they built Instead they built sugar cane plantations sugar cane plantations and used African and used African slaves to do the workslaves to do the work

Reaction to Slave TradeReaction to Slave TradeCongo ruler writes to King of Congo ruler writes to King of

Portugal Portugal “ “Sir, Your Highness should know how our Sir, Your Highness should know how our

Kingdom is being lost in so many ways…Kingdom is being lost in so many ways…we cannot reckon how great the damage we cannot reckon how great the damage is, since the mentioned merchants are is, since the mentioned merchants are taking every day our natives, sons of the taking every day our natives, sons of the land and the sons of our noblemen and land and the sons of our noblemen and vassals and our relatives, because the vassals and our relatives, because the thieves and men of bad conscience grab thieves and men of bad conscience grab them wishing to have the things and wares them wishing to have the things and wares of this Kingdom….So great Sir, is the of this Kingdom….So great Sir, is the corruption that our country is being corruption that our country is being completely depopulated, and Your completely depopulated, and Your Highness should not agree with this nor Highness should not agree with this nor accept it.” King Afonso (1526)accept it.” King Afonso (1526)

Slave Trade EndsSlave Trade Ends

Estimates that 1.5 million slaves Estimates that 1.5 million slaves taken from the Congotaken from the Congo

Slave trade dries up after Britain Slave trade dries up after Britain outlaws slave trade in the early outlaws slave trade in the early 1800s1800s

Why did Europeans go to Africa?Why did Europeans go to Africa?

Discuss with the person next to you. Discuss with the person next to you. Try to come up with THREE reasonsTry to come up with THREE reasons

Reason #1Reason #1

European factories were in full European factories were in full production by the late 1800s…they production by the late 1800s…they needed cheap raw materials that needed cheap raw materials that they could find in Africathey could find in Africa

Also……..they could SELL goods to Also……..they could SELL goods to new customers in Africanew customers in Africa

Reason #2Reason #2

Competition between European Competition between European countriescountries

Countries like Great Britain, France, Countries like Great Britain, France, Portugal, Belgium felt that they could Portugal, Belgium felt that they could gain more power by gaining territory gain more power by gaining territory in Africain Africa

Reason #3Reason #3

Christianity and moralsChristianity and morals We can help “civilize” the African We can help “civilize” the African

people by bringing them religion and people by bringing them religion and European cultureEuropean culture

See “White Man’s Burden”See “White Man’s Burden”

White Man’s BurdenWhite Man’s Burden

Take up the white man’s burdenTake up the white man’s burden Send forth the best ye breedSend forth the best ye breed Go bind your sons to exileGo bind your sons to exile To serve your captives’ need;To serve your captives’ need; To wait in heavy harness,To wait in heavy harness, On fluttered folk and wild-On fluttered folk and wild- Your new-caught, sullen peoples,Your new-caught, sullen peoples, Half devil and half child.Half devil and half child. Rudyard KiplingRudyard Kipling

King Leopold and the CongoKing Leopold and the Congo Belgian King wants Belgian King wants

to use the Congo to to use the Congo to build an overseas build an overseas empire and to empire and to secure his position secure his position as a great as a great European leaderEuropean leader

Famously says that Famously says that he wants a “slice of he wants a “slice of this magnificent this magnificent African cake.”African cake.”

Berlin ConferenceBerlin Conference

Representatives of Representatives of 14 nations came 14 nations came together to decide together to decide the fate of Africathe fate of Africa

No Africans No Africans represented!!!represented!!!

Bismarck says Bismarck says purpose is purpose is “Commerce, “Commerce, Christianity, and Christianity, and Civilization”Civilization”

Results of Berlin ConferenceResults of Berlin Conference

Allowed the Allowed the partition of Africapartition of Africa

Only Liberia and Only Liberia and Ethiopia not owned Ethiopia not owned by Europeansby Europeans

African tribes African tribes divided amongst divided amongst many many countries….no countries….no respect for their respect for their boundaries.boundaries.

Berlin Conference of Berlin Conference of 18851885

What was the purpose of the Berlin Conference? What was the purpose of the Berlin Conference? What was the effect?What was the effect?

Leopold gets the Congo!Leopold gets the Congo!

Leopold agreed to Leopold agreed to make the Congo a make the Congo a Free Trade Zone and Free Trade Zone and to create an to create an environment where environment where missionaries and missionaries and businessmen would businessmen would help to “civilize” help to “civilize” Central AfricaCentral Africa

Instead…Leopold used Instead…Leopold used the Congo for his own the Congo for his own personal wealthpersonal wealth

STOP!STOP!

Map Analysis Map Analysis Working in pairs…look at the map of Working in pairs…look at the map of

European Powers in Africa (1884) European Powers in Africa (1884) and European Powers in Africa and European Powers in Africa (1914)(1914)

Answer the questions (1-13)Answer the questions (1-13)

Day TwoDay Two

Work on Part II Study Work on Part II Study GuideGuide

Read Part II Study GuideRead Part II Study Guide

Answer questions 1-13Answer questions 1-13 You may work together on this!You may work together on this! If you do not finish….it is homework!If you do not finish….it is homework!

Day ThreeDay Three

Discuss Study Guide Part IIDiscuss Study Guide Part II

Let’s discuss this study guide!Let’s discuss this study guide!

Quotes from the Congo peopleQuotes from the Congo people

““I ran away with two old people, but I ran away with two old people, but they were caught and killed and the they were caught and killed and the soldiers made me carry the baskets soldiers made me carry the baskets holding their cut-off hands. They holding their cut-off hands. They killed my little sister, threw her in a killed my little sister, threw her in a house, and set it on fire.”house, and set it on fire.”

A Congolese refugeA Congolese refuge

More primary sourcesMore primary sources

““Two Belgian Army officers saw, from the Two Belgian Army officers saw, from the deck of their steamer, a native in a deck of their steamer, a native in a canoe….The officers made a wager that canoe….The officers made a wager that they could hit the native with their rifles. they could hit the native with their rifles. Three shots were fired and the native fell Three shots were fired and the native fell dead, pierced through the head, and the dead, pierced through the head, and the trade canoe was transformed into a trade canoe was transformed into a funeral barge and floated down the river.”funeral barge and floated down the river.”

from George Washington from George Washington Williams’ letter to King LeopoldWilliams’ letter to King Leopold

More primary sourcesMore primary sources

““If the rubber the Congolese collect does If the rubber the Congolese collect does not reach the required amount, the sentries not reach the required amount, the sentries attack them, kill some, and bring the attack them, kill some, and bring the severed hands to the District severed hands to the District Commissioner. One sentry said “The Commissioner. One sentry said “The Commissioner has promised us if we have Commissioner has promised us if we have plenty of hands, he will shorten our service. plenty of hands, he will shorten our service. The hands were often smoked to preserve The hands were often smoked to preserve them till shown to the District them till shown to the District Commissioner.”Commissioner.”

Edvarg Sjoblom, Swedish Edvarg Sjoblom, Swedish missionarymissionary

Pictures of AtrocitiesPictures of Atrocities

As you look at these pictures of the As you look at these pictures of the Congolese people, ask yourself how Congolese people, ask yourself how this could have happened? Why this could have happened? Why didn’t someone stop this?didn’t someone stop this?

What should be done????What should be done????

Many people in Britain were outraged Many people in Britain were outraged at what had happened to the people at what had happened to the people of the Congoof the Congo

They spoke out at a place called They spoke out at a place called “Speaker’s Corner” in Hyde Park“Speaker’s Corner” in Hyde Park

You will be assigned a role as a You will be assigned a role as a person of that time period or as a person of that time period or as a member of the pressmember of the press

What you need to do!What you need to do!

Read your character’s biographyRead your character’s biography Complete the worksheet “Preparing Complete the worksheet “Preparing

for the Afternoon…Concerned for the Afternoon…Concerned Members of the Public”Members of the Public”

Prepare a 60 second speech to make Prepare a 60 second speech to make at Hyde Park Corner tomorrowat Hyde Park Corner tomorrow

If you don’t finish this now….it is If you don’t finish this now….it is HOMEWORKHOMEWORK

Day FourDay Four

Today we will be having our Hyde Park Today we will be having our Hyde Park CornerCorner

You will each make a 60 second speech You will each make a 60 second speech about your feelings regarding the situation about your feelings regarding the situation in the Congoin the Congo

Introduce your character before you beginIntroduce your character before you begin Audience you should write down a few key Audience you should write down a few key

ideas from the speakers…you will be ideas from the speakers…you will be asking questions once they are finished!asking questions once they are finished!

Speaker’s CornerSpeaker’s Corner

ClosureClosure

Pretend that you have been watching Pretend that you have been watching Speaker’s Corner Speaker’s Corner

Write a letter to your mom or dad Write a letter to your mom or dad (from your character’s perspective) (from your character’s perspective) explaining what you have seenexplaining what you have seen

Be sure to include your opinion about Be sure to include your opinion about the situation in the Congothe situation in the Congo

1 to 2 paragraphs1 to 2 paragraphs

Day FiveDay Five

The British Parliament has decided to The British Parliament has decided to get involved in the issue of the get involved in the issue of the CongoCongo

Let’s read “June 9, 1904: The Let’s read “June 9, 1904: The Moment of Decision” out loud so we Moment of Decision” out loud so we can see what is going oncan see what is going on

Assigning you to a GroupAssigning you to a Group

You will be assigned to a group with You will be assigned to a group with either Option One, Option Two, or either Option One, Option Two, or Option Three…each option is a Option Three…each option is a different response that the British different response that the British Government can make to address Government can make to address this problemthis problem

There will be TWO groups for each There will be TWO groups for each optionoption

What you must doWhat you must do

READ your optionREAD your option Each person in the group is Each person in the group is

assigned a different role:assigned a different role:

a.a. Group directorGroup director

b.b. Foreign Policy SpecialistForeign Policy Specialist

c.c. Economy SpecialistEconomy Specialist

d.d. Human Rights SpecialistHuman Rights Specialist

What you must doWhat you must do

Your group must explain your option Your group must explain your option to the rest of the classto the rest of the class

Using FIVE bullet points….summarize Using FIVE bullet points….summarize your option on the poster paperyour option on the poster paper

Then….in 2 minutes or less…explain Then….in 2 minutes or less…explain to the rest of the class why your to the rest of the class why your Option is the best course for the Option is the best course for the British government to takeBritish government to take

Each group presentsEach group presents

Listen to each group’s presentationListen to each group’s presentation At the conclusion of ALL the At the conclusion of ALL the

presentations we will vote as to presentations we will vote as to which course of action the British which course of action the British government should takegovernment should take

ClosureClosure

Why did you vote the way you did?Why did you vote the way you did?

What really happened after the What really happened after the debate?debate?

Britain suggested to the Congo that Britain suggested to the Congo that an independent commission be an independent commission be appointed to investigateappointed to investigate

Commission revealed atrocities…Commission revealed atrocities…there was outrage in Britain and the there was outrage in Britain and the USUS

The Belgian government took over The Belgian government took over the Congo and began reformsthe Congo and began reforms

What really happened?What really happened?

From 1911 to 1960 the Belgians operated From 1911 to 1960 the Belgians operated a “model colony.”a “model colony.”

The Belgians began to give power back to The Belgians began to give power back to local chiefs…although many were deadlocal chiefs…although many were dead

They brought medicine and basic They brought medicine and basic education to the Congo….although African education to the Congo….although African stories/culture were often ignored….as stories/culture were often ignored….as was the story of the millions who had been was the story of the millions who had been killedkilled

What really happened?What really happened?

Farmland was given back to the people…Farmland was given back to the people…but corporations controlled precious but corporations controlled precious natural resources like copper, diamonds, natural resources like copper, diamonds, and goldand gold

Congolese people working for Belgian Congolese people working for Belgian corporations were paid little moneycorporations were paid little money

Congolese natives were not allowed to eat Congolese natives were not allowed to eat in white restaurants, stay in white hotels, in white restaurants, stay in white hotels, or be treated in white hospitalsor be treated in white hospitals

IndependenceIndependence

The Belgian Congo did not become The Belgian Congo did not become officially independent from Belgium officially independent from Belgium until 1960until 1960