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Democratic Republic of Congo

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Democratic Republic of Congo
Through the late 1800 's to present date, Imperialism has reigned through this century. Countries from Europe have gone through Africa and Asia to obtain territory and spheres of influence. Empires use their territory to gaining resources and to set up trading posts. Even America took over territory over China and the Philippines. Although the main reasons for gain the land are for economy boosts and free trade, many countries abused their powers. They cheat the natives with one sided treaties or order them around, most of the time turning them into slaves. King Leopold II was probably the first one to abuse this power. He did it to the Congolese in what is now called Democratic Republic of the Congo. King Leopold of Belgian ordered Henry Stanley to go search around Africa to find rich, resource abundant land. He found a vast region of land in the middle-west part of Africa. Lord Stanley made treaties with the natives that gave King Leopold personal title of Belgian Congo. ("Congo, Democratic Republic of the." Paragraph 2) Soon the Belgian Congo would fall into depression as the Belgians would turn the natives into labor slaves. Belgian Congo is land rich of rubber and Leopold wanted it. "Leopold accumulated a vast personal fortune from ivory and rubber through Congolese slave labor; 10 million people are estimated to have died from forced labor, starvation, and outright extermination during Leopold 's colonial rule." ~ "Congo, Democratic Republic of the." Paragraph 3. Even after Congo broke free from Belgium in 1960, they faced army mutiny and withdrawal of Katanga, a mineral abundant province. ("Country Profile: Democratic Republic of Congo." Overview, Paragraph 3.) DR Congo is one of the most mineral rich countries in the world, but it is still national turmoil over rebellions and the ongoing war with other African nations. Imperialism in this corrupted country has left it in ruins and as of right now, it 's stuck in the middle of a civil war. Although there


Cited: "Congo, Democratic Republic of the." Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th edition. 2005. "Congo, Democratic Republic of the." 2005. Pearson Education, Inc. 28, Apr. 2005 http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0198161.html "Country Profile: Democratic Republic of Congo." 16, Feb. 2005. BBC MMV. 28, Apr Dummett, Mark. "King Leopold 's legacy of DR Congo violence." 24, Feb. 2004. BBC MMV "Hochschild, Adam." King Leopold 's Ghost. Mariner Books. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998. Stolk, Martin. "Heart of Darkness." 15 Jun. 2000. Cairo Times. 3 May 2005.
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