What happened to the Belgian Congo?
In 1908, international pressure forced the king to turn the Congo Free State over to the country of Belgium. The newly named “Belgian Congo” remained a colony until the Democratic Republic of Congo gained its independence in 1960.
How bad was the Belgian Congo?
Diseases imported by Arab traders, European colonists and African porters ravaged the Congolese population and “greatly exceeded” the numbers killed by violence. Smallpox, sleeping sickness, amoebic dysentery, venereal diseases (especially syphilis and gonorrhea), and swine influenza were particularly severe.
What is Congo known as today?
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been known in the past as, in chronological order, the Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, the Republic of the Congo-Léopoldville, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Zaire, before returning to its current name the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Did Belgium take over Congo?
Belgium was the obvious European candidate to run the Congo. For two years, it debated the question and held new elections on the issue. Yielding to international pressure, the parliament of Belgium annexed the Congo Free State and took over its administration on November 15, 1908, as the colony of the Belgian Congo.
Why did they cut off hands in the Congo?
To make up for the low production, troops began to use hands as currency – chopping them was a way of punishing workers who did not fulfill their quotas, and, at the same time, served to show that soldiers were doing their part in exerting pressure over the local population to ensure the fulfillment of these quotas.
How many Congolese died under Leopold?
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.
Do Belgians still live in Congo?
5,000 people from Belgium and 5,000 people from Greece currently live in DR Congo.
Does Belgium sell chocolate hands?
In real life, Belgium became the giant terrorizing the Congo and the chocolates have taken on a new meaning. To this day, the city of Antwerp sells hand-shaped chocolates (Antwerpse Handjes) in celebration of Brabo’s heroics and the consequent death of the giant’s reign of terror.
What is the Belgian Congo now known as?
As a possession of Belgium, the Congo Free State became known as the Belgian Congo. After independence in 1960 it was renamed Zaire and is now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Why did the Belgians want the Congo?
However, the Congo was first colonized by the Belgians. Belgium wanted all the natural resources for their country, and King Leopold II wanted land to boost his reputation and wealth. They treated the Africans like an inferior species, and claimed that they were “civilizing” the land.
Why the Belgian king colonized the Congo?
In 1877, the European country Belgium and King Leopold colonized the Democratic Republic of Congo. They colonized Congo because the needed its resources like rubber to manufacture goods. They could also cheaply receive slaves and ivory and sell it at a very high price making a huge profit.
What is the modern name for Belgian Congo?
The Belgian Congo (French: Congo belge, pronounced [kɔ̃ɡo bɛlʒ]; Dutch: Belgisch-Congo) was a Belgian colony in Central Africa from 1908 until independence in 1960. The former colony adopted its present name, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in 1964.
