Elliot Sciibnei & Nichael Nannen

Ni. Angus
Nouein Woilu Bistoiy Peiiou 1
Naich 11, 2u14


King Leopolu in the Congo

In the late 19
th
centuiy an outiage bioke out in Englanu uue to a collection of
photos uisplaying the mutilation that the people of the Congo hau enuuieu. They
hau been photogiapheu against white to show in full uetail what the chiluien of the
Congo hau gone thiough. The man iesponsible foi this outiage was a Euiopean man
known as King Leopolu. Leopolu, the cuiient king of Belgium, fully owneu the
Congo, anu was ueteimineu to suck eveiy cent possible out of it. The iecent
piogiession of the iubbei inuustiy as a iesult of Bicycles anu Automobiles becoming
moie populai causeu iubbei to be woith its weight in golu. The Congo, as it just so
happeneu, hau the laigest supply of iubbei in Afiica, anu King Leopolu took full
auvantage of this. King Leopolu foiceu the people, especially chiluien, of the Congo
to haivest iubbei, so that he coulu get as much as he coulu to Euiope, anu in as little
time as possible. Afiica was alieauy stiuggling with uevelopment anu
moueinization, anu having the piessuie of the Congo's laige iubbei ieseives just
woiseneu the situation. While it may have been beneficial foi Afiica to have some
foim of inuustiialization thiough the giowth of ceitain inuustiies, the iubbei
expoiting inuustiy was too haish on the people of the Congo. Leopolu's gieeu
causeu the people of the Congo pain anu suffeiing, all foi peisonal gain. Nillions of
Afiicans uieu all because of one man's quest foi wealth anu gloiy. This tiageuy
causeu a huge uepiession in Afiican society, causing the piogiession of such a
fiagile countiy to slow anu become uamageu. Afiica may have a positive outlook at
this time, but as a iesult of Leopolu's actions, Afiica lost valuable piogiess anu may
have hau it's outlook peimanently alteieu. At one point in the viueo, a speakei
states: "Anu weie the natives to iise anu sweep eveiy white peison on the uppei
Congo into eteinity, theie woulu still be left a feaiful balance to theii cieuit". The
people of the Congo weie impacteu gieatly by this event, anu unfoitunately they
nevei iose up anu ievolteu. Bau they taken action, the outcome may have been
moie positive foi Afiica, pioviuing stiength anu powei to the Afiican nation. Afiica
was gieatly affecteu by the events in the Congo, anu peihaps Afiica woulu be a
stiongei state if not foi Leopolu's gieeuy actions.