King Leopold’s GhostKing Leopold’s Ghost

Book By: Adam HochschildPresentation By: Mackenzie Heman

Book By: Adam HochschildPresentation By: Mackenzie Heman

King Leopold II King Leopold II

• Early Life:– Not interested in school– Age 10: began military training (by 20, made Major General)

– Appearance: awkward, thin, big nose– Cold family atmosphere > problems with his family life later on

– Personality: shrewd, sly, sneaky– Disappointed at Belgium's size > interest in gaining property else where, and trade obsessed

– Became king in 1865

• Early Life:– Not interested in school– Age 10: began military training (by 20, made Major General)

– Appearance: awkward, thin, big nose– Cold family atmosphere > problems with his family life later on

– Personality: shrewd, sly, sneaky– Disappointed at Belgium's size > interest in gaining property else where, and trade obsessed

– Became king in 1865

King Leopold II (Continued)

King Leopold II (Continued)

• Family Life:– Age 18: married Archduchess Marie-Henrietta (age 16) of Austro-Hungaria• Loathed each other; opposites

– Children:• Only son died in 1869 (pneumonia); left no heir• Three daughters: Louise, Stephanie, & Clementine

– Wouldn’t have any more kids; refused to speak to them after they broke up their marriages; didn’t put in Will

• Remarried after Marie’s death to Caroline (age 16) at 65– Loved money, clothes, and luxury (all provided by Leopold)

• Family Life:– Age 18: married Archduchess Marie-Henrietta (age 16) of Austro-Hungaria• Loathed each other; opposites

– Children:• Only son died in 1869 (pneumonia); left no heir• Three daughters: Louise, Stephanie, & Clementine

– Wouldn’t have any more kids; refused to speak to them after they broke up their marriages; didn’t put in Will

• Remarried after Marie’s death to Caroline (age 16) at 65– Loved money, clothes, and luxury (all provided by Leopold)

Henry Morton StanleyHenry Morton Stanley• Explorer of Africa

– First person to follow the Congo River• Found no single government force in Central Africa, and no military threat to a foreign regime

• King Leopold flattered into a 5 year contract to map out Africa & secure his new colony– Plan: set up base at the Congo’s mouth, set up a road around the rapids to the interior, eventually build a railway• Road would allow steamboat parts to be transported for later use and would allow trading stations to be made

– Harsh leader- had no problems issuing awful punishments to the African workers

• Explorer of Africa– First person to follow the Congo River

• Found no single government force in Central Africa, and no military threat to a foreign regime

• King Leopold flattered into a 5 year contract to map out Africa & secure his new colony– Plan: set up base at the Congo’s mouth, set up a road around the rapids to the interior, eventually build a railway• Road would allow steamboat parts to be transported for later use and would allow trading stations to be made

– Harsh leader- had no problems issuing awful punishments to the African workers

Henry Shelton SanfordHenry Shelton Sanford

• Leopold’s connection to the U.S president and the United States– Praise the King and what he wanted to do in Africa•Said treaties with native chiefs were legitimate, would get ride of Arab slave traders

• Helped recruit Stanley for Leopold

• Leopold’s connection to the U.S president and the United States– Praise the King and what he wanted to do in Africa•Said treaties with native chiefs were legitimate, would get ride of Arab slave traders

• Helped recruit Stanley for Leopold

Purchasing the CongoPurchasing the Congo• 1876: Geographical Conference

– Established his image as a philanthropist & advanced African Ambitions

– Wanted to open African interior to abolish slave trade Wanted Ivory and Rubber (later on)

• United States Help:-could transfer all there black americans to the U.S

• April 1884: The United States recognized Leopold’s claim/ International African Societies claim to Congo (1st)

• Berlin Conference: got France & England to recognize

• May 1885: Congo Free State

• 1876: Geographical Conference– Established his image as a philanthropist & advanced African Ambitions

– Wanted to open African interior to abolish slave trade Wanted Ivory and Rubber (later on)

• United States Help:-could transfer all there black americans to the U.S

• April 1884: The United States recognized Leopold’s claim/ International African Societies claim to Congo (1st)

• Berlin Conference: got France & England to recognize

• May 1885: Congo Free State

Congolese Govt.Congolese Govt.• Capital: Boma

– Contained a Catholic church, hospitals & a military base

• Government administer directly from Europe (real headquarters = in Brussels)

• In Congo:– 3-4 Belgian administrators who reported to Leopold (one man rule over the Congo)

– Lower Level: whites in charge of districts

• Revenue = trade for rubber and ivory– Used black porters and slaves to gather (not paid)

• Capital: Boma– Contained a Catholic church, hospitals & a military base

• Government administer directly from Europe (real headquarters = in Brussels)

• In Congo:– 3-4 Belgian administrators who reported to Leopold (one man rule over the Congo)

– Lower Level: whites in charge of districts

• Revenue = trade for rubber and ivory– Used black porters and slaves to gather (not paid)

Military Control Over CongoMilitary Control Over Congo• Controlled by the Force Publique• Punished Africans for :

– Race (thought to be lazy & like animals– Because everyone was doing it– If African workers didn’t meet gathering requirements

• Punishment Tools– Chicotte: a whip of hippo hide cut into long, sharp-edged tips (applied to back)• 25 lashes- unconsciousness 100+ lashes- fatal

– Mutilation• Cut of right hands of workers who didn’t gather enough, trophies, or to be able to count them as dead (got $ for)

• Controlled by the Force Publique• Punished Africans for :

– Race (thought to be lazy & like animals– Because everyone was doing it– If African workers didn’t meet gathering requirements

• Punishment Tools– Chicotte: a whip of hippo hide cut into long, sharp-edged tips (applied to back)• 25 lashes- unconsciousness 100+ lashes- fatal

– Mutilation• Cut of right hands of workers who didn’t gather enough, trophies, or to be able to count them as dead (got $ for)

George Washington WilliamsGeorge Washington Williams• Black American who wanted to place black Americans back in Africa

• At first, dazzled by Leopold, once in the Congo however, horrified

• Express outrage in the Open Letter:– Stanley= tricking African’s for land & he’s a tyrant

– Govt.= very cruel to prisoners– Making African women concubines– White officers were killing natives for sport– Enslaving natives, against agreement

• Started awareness of Leopold’s terrible regime

• Black American who wanted to place black Americans back in Africa

• At first, dazzled by Leopold, once in the Congo however, horrified

• Express outrage in the Open Letter:– Stanley= tricking African’s for land & he’s a tyrant

– Govt.= very cruel to prisoners– Making African women concubines– White officers were killing natives for sport– Enslaving natives, against agreement

• Started awareness of Leopold’s terrible regime

William SheppardWilliam Sheppard

• 1st Black American missionary in the Congo

• Sent to Congo to establish Presbyterian missionaries with a white superior (Lapsley)

• Well liked by the whites and natives of Congo (trades, and befriends natives)

• 1st outsider to enter the unpenetrated Kuba Kingdom– Highly advanced kingdom

• Stayed in Congo because of popularity

• 1st Black American missionary in the Congo

• Sent to Congo to establish Presbyterian missionaries with a white superior (Lapsley)

• Well liked by the whites and natives of Congo (trades, and befriends natives)

• 1st outsider to enter the unpenetrated Kuba Kingdom– Highly advanced kingdom

• Stayed in Congo because of popularity

The Rubber RegimeThe Rubber Regime

• 1890’s: Congo rubber trade begins– Extremely profitable, got Leopold out of debt

• Labor done by forced natives– Officers invaded village and forced men to gather rubber (held women and child hostages)

– Given quota that HAD TO meet• Hands cut off, family killed, murdered if did not

– Paid with a piece of cloth, sometimes people

• 1890’s: Congo rubber trade begins– Extremely profitable, got Leopold out of debt

• Labor done by forced natives– Officers invaded village and forced men to gather rubber (held women and child hostages)

– Given quota that HAD TO meet• Hands cut off, family killed, murdered if did not

– Paid with a piece of cloth, sometimes people

Rubber Regime EffectsRubber Regime Effects

Population DecreasePopulation Decrease1. Murder:

-for fun, didn’t meet quota, to set an example, if rebelled

2. Starvation, Exhaustion, Exposer-Villagers flee > officers burned villages-Worked to death, died doing their job-Forced to support whites, couldn’t support themselves-Hostage treatment

3. Disease – highest death rate-New diseases from Europe-Malaria, smallpox, sleeping sickness

4. Decreasing birth rates- men sent to work, couldn’t father or take care of kids- Women don’t have kids because they don’t want to be pregnant

when in hiding

1. Murder: -for fun, didn’t meet quota, to set an example, if

rebelled

2. Starvation, Exhaustion, Exposer-Villagers flee > officers burned villages-Worked to death, died doing their job-Forced to support whites, couldn’t support themselves-Hostage treatment

3. Disease – highest death rate-New diseases from Europe-Malaria, smallpox, sleeping sickness

4. Decreasing birth rates- men sent to work, couldn’t father or take care of kids- Women don’t have kids because they don’t want to be pregnant

when in hiding

Edmund Dene MoralEdmund Dene Moral• Congo trader, discovered:

– Arms were sent to Congo on purpose– Somebody was skimming profits form Congo– Africans were not being paid for their work

• Began movements again King Leopold– Publicized documents from natives, Leopold’s cover-ups, Leopold’s gaining of money instead of Belgium

– Started the Congo Reform Association – Roger Casement= inside man, gave info

• Opened the world to the terrors of the Congo

• Congo trader, discovered:– Arms were sent to Congo on purpose– Somebody was skimming profits form Congo– Africans were not being paid for their work

• Began movements again King Leopold– Publicized documents from natives, Leopold’s cover-ups, Leopold’s gaining of money instead of Belgium

– Started the Congo Reform Association – Roger Casement= inside man, gave info

• Opened the world to the terrors of the Congo

Selling The CongoSelling The Congo• Bad publicity about Congo > sells to Belgium– Belgium assumed Congo’s debts (110 million Francs)

– Paid 45.5 million Francs to Leopold for personal projects

– Leopold received 50 million Francs for his “good” deeds

• Nov. 1908: Belgium takes control over Congo– Changes were not dramatic, forced labor remained

• 1960: Congo becomes it’s own nation

• Bad publicity about Congo > sells to Belgium– Belgium assumed Congo’s debts (110 million Francs)

– Paid 45.5 million Francs to Leopold for personal projects

– Leopold received 50 million Francs for his “good” deeds

• Nov. 1908: Belgium takes control over Congo– Changes were not dramatic, forced labor remained

• 1960: Congo becomes it’s own nation

“The Congo State is certainly not a business”

“The native doesn’t like making rubber. He must be compelled to do it.”

“My Goal is ultimately humanitarian. I killed a hundred people..but that allowed five hundred others to live.”

“We must fight them until their absolute submission is obtained, or their complete extermination…”

Yet I cannot say I have subjugated the people…They prefer to die…”