What happened in the Congo from 1885 1908?

From 1885–1908, millions of Congolese died as a consequence of exploitation and disease. In some areas, the population declined dramatically; it has been estimated that sleeping sickness and smallpox killed nearly half the population in the areas surrounding the lower Congo River.

Were there slaves in the Congo Free State?

The Congo Free State evolved from a vanity possession into a slave plantation. Leopold’s hell operated by an insane logic. Villages were set quotas of rubber and the gendarmerie were sent in to collect it – a process that was sped up by looting, arson and rape.

What was King Leopold’s real goal for the Congo Free State?

While Leopold portrayed this as a great humanitarian act, his real purpose was to gain control of the upper Congo River and to acquire more workers.

Was the Congo Free State successful?

The Congo Free State operated as a separate nation from Belgium, in a personal union with its King, privately controlled by Leopold II, although he never personally visited the state. The boldest estimates state that the forced labour system led directly and indirectly to the deaths of 50 percent of the population.

Who exposed the Congo Free State?

Leopold II
Although Leopold II established Belgium as a colonial power in Africa, he is best known for the widespread atrocities that were carried out under his rule, as a result of which as many as 10 million people died in the Congo Free State.

What happened in the Congo Free State?

On February 5, 1885, Belgian King Leopold II established the Congo Free State by brutally seizing the African landmass as his personal possession. The people of the Congo were forced to labor for valued resources, including rubber and ivory, to personally enrich Leopold.

What does the author mean when he says the Congo Free State has a command economy?

What does the author mean when he says the Congo Free State had a “command economy”? The Congolese people had to do and produce whatever Leopold II commanded. The Congolese were an inferior race who needed harsh treatment to learn how to work.