1 / 12

The Congo Revision

The Congo Revision. Imperialism. A policy or belief in the creation of an empire by acquiring colonies B y military campaigns By economic domination By cultural domination. New Imperialism. Stanley negotiated 450 treaties during exploration of the Congo 1879-84

torgny
Télécharger la présentation

The Congo Revision

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Congo Revision

  2. Imperialism • A policy or belief in the creation of an empire by acquiring colonies • By military campaigns • By economic domination • By cultural domination

  3. New Imperialism • Stanley negotiated 450 treaties during exploration of the Congo 1879-84 • Gave Leopold trading and land rights • The use of trade to win control/influence over an undeveloped region

  4. The scramble for Africa • Late 19th C - most of the world divided between European imperial powers • The only uncolonised region – unexplored Africa • 1884-85 Berlin Conference – • Great Power rivalry

  5. Berlin Act 1885 • Commerce – free trade • Christianity – missionaries protected • Civilization – end slavery • Aim – avoid conflict between European powers • Granted Leopold right to Central Africa – one million square kilometers • He created the Congo Free State

  6. So what gave Belgium power? • The Force Publique– a native army of less 16,000 natives, around 400 Belgian officers • Superior weapons • Congolese tribes disunited • Kidnapping and hostage taking • Greed – bribed some chiefs

  7. What motivated King Leopold? • Profits from rubber • Racial superiority – “white man’s burden” • 1890s – new technology – the pneumatic tyre (a Scotsman, Dunlop, invented the rubber tyre for his son’s bicycle) • Labor needed to harvest wild rubber plants in the Congo • Congolese are “taxed” – with labor

  8. What was the impact on the Congo? • Force Publiqueterrorised Congolese tribes • Rebellion – many refuse to harvest rubber vine forests • Hostages taken to force men to work • Rebels killed or mutilated

  9. Short Term Consequences • E D Morel’s campaign (CRA) damages King Leopold’s international reputation • Casement Report provides credible and damning support for Congo Reform Association claims • 1908 Leopold forced by public pressure to sell Congo to Belgian government

  10. Long term consequences • Loss of local religions and customs • Schools and churches spread Christianity and European idea • Most of the population speak French • The borders devised by the Berlin Conference paid little heed to tribal borders • Few industries – just exploitation of natural resources • Congo is a mix of tribes competing for resources – one reason for civil war in 1990s

  11. Comparison with China • Europeans had superior weaponry • Berlin Conference and Treaty of Tianjin gave protection for missionaries • Co-operation between European powers (Berlin Conference, Opium Wars, Boxer Rebellion) • Economic motivation – free trade, access to new raw materials, role of opium/rubber • Cultural destruction – threats to local religion and identity

  12. Contrast with Japan • Civil war in both countries – but the Japanese were ethnically homogeneous and united under one Emperor • Congo – many tribes and chiefs. No unified army • Japanese controlled changes to their society – revolution from above • Belgians controlled change in Congo

More Related