Why did Belgium colonize Africa? It was established by the Belgian parliament to replace the previous, privately owned Congo Free State, after international outrage over abuses there brought pressure for supervision and accountability.
What countries did Belgium colonize in Africa?
Belgium created two colonies in Africa: the entities now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly the Republic of Zaire) and the Republic of Rwanda, previously Ruanda-Urundi, a former German African colony that was given to Belgium to administer after the defeat of Germany in World War I.
How did the Congo become a Belgian colony?
Colonial rule in the Congo began in the late 19th century. King Leopold II of Belgium, frustrated by his nation's lack of international power and prestige, tried to persuade the Belgian government to support colonial expansion around the then-largely unexplored Congo Basin.
Why did the Europeans colonize Africa?
The Europeans colonized Africa because of the following major reasons. The first one is because of the demand for raw materials. During the 19 th Century, European countries experienced the industrial revolution, and the thriving industrial production required a lot of human, financial as well as natural resources.
Why did the Belgian Empire fail in Africa?
Belgian traders also extended their influence in West Africa but this too fell apart following the Rio Nuñez Incident of 1849 and growing Anglo-French rivalry in the region. By the time Belgium's second king, Leopold II, was crowned, Belgian enthusiasm for colonialism had abated.
Why did Belgium take over Africa?
By the turn of the century, the violence used by Free State officials against indigenous Congolese and a ruthless system of economic exploitation led to intense diplomatic pressure on Belgium to take official control of the country, which it did by creating the Belgian Congo in 1908.
What did Belgium take from Africa?
On February 5, 1885, Belgian King Leopold II established the Congo Free State by brutally seizing the African landmass as his personal possession. Rather than control the Congo as a colony, as other European powers did throughout Africa, Leopold privately owned the region.
Why did the Belgians colonize the Congo?
It was established by the Belgian parliament to replace the previous, privately owned Congo Free State, after international outrage over abuses there brought pressure for supervision and accountability. The official Belgian attitude was paternalism: Africans were to be cared for and trained as if they were children.
What were the Belgian colonies in Africa?
Belgium's African ColoniesTHE CONGO FREE STATE (1885–1908) ... THE CONGO AS A BELGIAN COLONY (1908–1960) ... BELGIAN MANDATE TERRITORIES IN AFRICA. ... THE CONGO FREE STATE. ... BIBLIOGRAPHY.
When did Belgium colonize Africa?
HISTORY OF BELGIUM COLONIZATION OF RWANDA Belgium seized Rwanda and Burundi from Germany in 1916; two years later, after the defeat of Germany in World War I, Ruanda-Urundi was formally given to Belgium as a League of Nations (later United Nations) trust territory.
Why was King Leopold II interested in colonizing Africa?
King Leopold II was the ruler of the Congo Free State, and the King of Belgium. He was interested in the Congo river basin because there were many natural resources such as rubber, minerals, ivory, diamonds, and gold.
How did Belgium Get colonies?
The colony was founded in 1908 following the transfer of sovereignty from the Congo Free State, which was the personal property of Belgium's king, Leopold II. Under the rule of the Congo Free State, which began in 1885, the Congolese people were subjected to widespread atrocities.
What was the impact of colonialism in Congo?
Under Belgian colonialism, Congolese people remained repressed (unable to own land, vote, or travel freely), but the country's government and infrastructure improved. By the Second World War, production and profits had risen to the point where the Congo was Africa's richest colony.
Did Portugal colonize Africa?
In the 1500s, Portugal colonized the present-day west African country of Guinea-Bissau and the two southern African countries of Angola and Mozambique.
How did Belgium take over Rwanda?
In 1919, Belgium inherited the colony as part of a League of Nations mandate, which partitioned German territories after World War I. Belgian colonizers initiated more direct control in Rwanda maintaining an existing political system, which allowed native monarchs to rule over the local populous.
Why did King Leopold want the Congo?
In the early 1890s, Leopold's private African army, the Force Publique (Public Force), drove the powerful Muslim slave traders out of the Congo. 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.
Who colonized South Africa?
The two European countries who occupied the land were the Netherlands (1652-1795 and 1803-1806) and Great Britain (1795-1803 and 1806-1961). Although South Africa became a Union with its own white people government in 1910, the country was still regarded as a colony of Britain till 1961.
How did Belgium take over Rwanda?
In 1919, Belgium inherited the colony as part of a League of Nations mandate, which partitioned German territories after World War I. Belgian colonizers initiated more direct control in Rwanda maintaining an existing political system, which allowed native monarchs to rule over the local populous.
Who Colonised Belgium?
The French invaded and controlled Belgium, 1794–1814, imposing all their new reforms and incorporating what had been the "Austrian Netherlands" and the Prince-Bishopric of Liege into France. New rulers were sent in by Paris.
What part of Africa did the British colonize?
Britain's colonies in West Africa included Nigeria (1884), Gold Coast (now Ghana, 1874), Sierra Leone (1808), and Gambia (1888).
Who colonized South Africa?
The two European countries who occupied the land were the Netherlands (1652-1795 and 1803-1806) and Great Britain (1795-1803 and 1806-1961). Although South Africa became a Union with its own white people government in 1910, the country was still regarded as a colony of Britain till 1961.
How did Belgian colonial policies affect Africans?
Several Belgian colonial policies sowed the seeds of racial and ethnic rivalries that led to the killings of millions of Africans and also sent millions more into exile from the former Belgian colonies. First, the post-colonial political leaders of Congo and Rwanda continued the Belgian colonial policies. Second, these leaders exacerbated ethnic rivalries and tensions to stay in power. Third, most of the ethnic tensions in these countries are caused by rapid population growth and the fight for scarce resources by the leaders of the various ethnic groups. Fourth, European and American governments and the multinational business and interests have fueled ethnic conflicts in Africa’s former Belgian colonies for their own purposes. For example, Belgian and other foreign interests engineer these conflicts so they can continue to loot the resources of Africa. Finally, the constant interventions of the Belgians in the affairs of their former colonies of Congo and Rwanda have made ethnic and political rivalries worse. In spite of this legacy of the colonial period, political developments in the Congo and Rwanda (peace agreements, new constitutions, and new elections) show that there is a new hope for the former African colonies of Belgium.
What two colonies did Belgium create?
Belgium created two colonies in Africa: the entities now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly the Republic of Zaire) and the Republic of Rwanda, previously Ruanda-Urundi, a former German African colony that was given to Belgium to administer after the defeat of Germany in World War I.
How did independence affect Rwanda?
In Rwanda, independence brought increased ethnic tensions because of the policies of the Belgian colonial administration. There had been vicious cycles of violence beginning in December 1963 when Hutus killed more than 10,000 Tutsis and sent about 150,000 into exile. The worst of the genocide took place in 1994 when nearly a million Rwandan citizens (mostly Tutsis and some moderate Hutus) were massacred. This well-planned genocide started when the Hutu presidents of Rwanda and Burundi were shot down, allegedly by Tutsi rebel soldiers. Hutus went on a rampage, killing Tutsis in their midst with the aim of exterminating them. The killing stopped only when Paul Kagame, with the help of Uganda, led a Tutsi army that drove the Hutu-led military into exile in neighboring Congo.
How long did the Belgians rule over Congo?
The Belgians ruled over Congo from 1909 to 1960, while their rule over Rwanda lasted from 1918 to 1962. In the Congo, the Belgians created an apartheid-like system between the Europeans (Belgians) living in Congo and the Congolese, thereby marginalizing the Congolese in their own society.
What were the changes in the Congo?
The Belgian colonial administration built some schools, railways, roads, plantations, mines, industrial areas, and airports. Despite the modest improvements in the lives of the Congolese, the Belgians created two separate societies in the Congo: the whites and the natives. The whites had all the luxuries, and the native Africans lacked everything. It was an apartheid type of social and political system. All the major decisions concerning the Congo were made in Brussels, and the Congolese were not allowed to participate in the running of their own country.
When did Leopold hand over the Congo?
By 1899 the British vice consul confirmed and further reported the brutality of Leopold’s misrule in Congo. Finally in 1908, Leopold was forced to hand over the Congo Free State, his personal fiefdom, to the Belgian state.
When did Belgium gain independence?
Belgium itself had gained independence in 1831 when it broke away from the Netherlands and became a new nation. The second king of Belgium, Leopold II, was a very ambitious man who wanted to personally enrich himself and enhance his country’s prestige by annexing and colonizing lands in Africa.
Why did Belgium colonize Europe?
Many European countries wanted to colonize distant parts of the world in order to exploit the resources and "civilize" the inhabitants of these less-developed countries.
What was Belgium's legacy?
The Legacy of Belgium's 19th and 20th Century African Colonies. Belgium is a small country in northwest Europe that joined Europe's race for colonies in the late 19th century. Many European countries wanted to colonize distant parts of the world in order to exploit the resources and "civilize" the inhabitants of these less-developed countries.
Why did the Belgians believe that the Tutsi ethnic group in Rwanda was racially superior to?
The Belgians believed that the Tutsi ethnic group in Rwanda was racially superior to the Hutu ethnic group because the Tutsis had more "European" features. After many years of segregation, the tension erupted into the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which 850,000 people died.
What did Leopold promise to the Congo?
The Congo Free State, 1885-1908. Leopold promised that he would develop his private property to improve the lives of the native Africans. He quickly disregarded all of his Berlin Conference guidelines and began to economically exploit the region's land and inhabitants.
How many people are in the Congo today?
Millions are now refugees. Today, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the third largest country by area in Africa and has approximately 70 million citizens. Its capital is Kinshasa, formerly named Leopoldville.
Which country was once colonized by the Germans?
The current countries of Rwanda and Burundi were once colonized by the Germans, who named the region Ruanda-Urundi. After Germany's defeat in World War I, however, Ruanda-Urundi was made a protectorate of Belgium. Belgium also exploited the land and people of Ruanda-Urundi, the Belgian Congo's neighbor to the east.
When did Burundi and Rwanda gain independence?
However, by the 1960s, Ruanda-Urundi also began to demand independence, and Belgium ended its colonial empire when Rwanda and Burundi were granted independence in 1962.
How many colonies did Belgium control?
Belgium controlled 3 colonies and 3 concessions during its history, the Belgian Congo (modern DRC) from 1908 to 1960, and Ruanda-Urundi (Rwanda and Burundi) from 1922 to 1962. It also had a small concession in China and was a co-administrator of the Tangier International Zone in Morocco .
When did Belgium gain independence?
Belgium, a constitutional monarchy, received its independence in 1830 after a revolution against the Dutch government of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. By the time Belgian independence was universally recognized in 1839, most European powers already had colonies and protectorates outside Europe and had begun to form spheres of influence .
What was the racial segregation in the Congo?
The Congo had a high degree of racial segregation. The large numbers of white immigrants who moved to the Congo after the end of World War II came from across the social spectrum, but were always treated as superior to blacks. Belgian colonial officials in Léopoldville, 1938.
What was the Belgian rule in the Congo?
Belgian rule in the Congo was based on the "colonial trinity" ( trinité coloniale) of state, missionary and private company interests. The privileging of Belgian commercial interests meant that large amounts of capital flowed into the Congo and that individual regions became specialised.
What did successive governments view colonial expansion as?
Successive governments viewed colonial expansion as economically and politically risky and fundamentally unrewarding, and believed that informal empire, continuing Belgium's booming industrial trade in South America and Russia, was much more promising.
What happened to Belgian traders in 1849?
Belgian traders also extended their influence in West Africa but this too fell apart following the Rio Nuñez Incident of 1849 and growing Anglo-French rivalry in the region. By the time Belgium's second king, Leopold II, was crowned, Belgian enthusiasm for colonialism had abated.
When did the Belgian government stop claiming Hankou?
The Belgian claim was never formally recognised and the proposal was dropped in 1908 .
What was the main motivation for colonizing Africa?
A large motivator behind African colonization was the desire to spread Christianity throughout the world. Much like what occurred in North and South America, European colonizers brought the Christian faith to Africa through missionaries.
What was the geography of Africa before European colonization?
Prior to the wave of European colonization, the geography of Africa was generally misunderstood. Much like the adventurers who had traveled to Asia and North America, many European explorers set out to determine the physical makeup of the African continent.
What is the ideology behind imperialism?
A key ideology behind imperialism, which in turn informs colonialism , is the idea of racial superiority or cultural superiority. Again, much like the ideals behind the colonialism of the Americas, many European colonizers thought that they were doing a favor to those living on the African continent by introducing to them the European way of life , even if it came at the cost of destroying established societies.
What is the act of colonization?
Colonialism is the act by which a country or state exerts control and domination over another country or state. During a period lasting from 1881 to 1914 in what was known as the Scramble for Africa, several European nations took control ...
What countries were competing for power in Africa?
At the time of the Scramble for Africa, major world powers like Great Britain, France, and Spain were competing for power on the European stage. The amount of land that each country owned was considered to be a great indicator of power, with every state wanting to do better than their neighbor.
Is poverty a lasting effect of colonialism?
It has been argued that the poverty that is still experienced today in many African countries is a lasting effect of colonialism. The fact that many countries in Africa still experience high levels of poverty today, often despite the country’s natural riches, is used as proof by many that the colonialization of Africa did more harm than good.
What was the Belgian attitude towards Africans?
The official Belgian attitude was paternalism: Africans were to be cared for and trained as if they were children. They had no role in legislation, but traditional rulers were used as agents to collect taxes and recruit labour; uncooperative rulers were deposed.
What were the major investments in the Belgian Congo after World War I?
Private European and American corporations invested heavily in the Belgian Congo after World War I. Large plantations (growing cotton, oil palms, coffee, cacao, and rubber) and livestock farms were developed.
Why was the Congo Free State established?
It was established by the Belgian parliament to replace the previous, privately owned Congo Free State, after international outrage over abuses there brought pressure for supervision and accountability. The official Belgian attitude was paternalism: Africans were to be cared for and trained as if they were children.
What country portrayed Congo as an idyllic land of parent-child relationships between Europeans and Africans?
In the late 1950s, when France and the United Kingdom worked with their colonies to prepare for independence, Belgium still portrayed the Congo as an idyllic land of parent-child relationships between Europeans and Africans. Historical map of the Belgian Congo (1908–60).
How did Africans work in the mines?
Africans worked the mines and plantations as indentured labourers on four- to seven-year contracts, in accordance with a law passed in Belgium in 1922. Roads, railroads, electric stations, and public buildings were constructed by forced labour. African resistance challenged the colonial regime from the beginning.
When did the Congo National Movement start?
The first nationwide Congolese political party, the Congo National Movement, was launched in 1958 by Patrice Lumumba and other Congolese leaders. In January 1959, riots broke out in Leopoldville (now Kinshasa) after a rally was held calling for the independence of the Congo.
When did the Congo become independent?
The Congo became an independent republic on June 30, 1960. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy McKenna, Senior Editor.
Why were white people kept out of South Africa?
Ordinary White commoners were kept out by Belgium because they feared an “underclass of n*iggerified Whites” would give locals the wrong idea. Whites who were let in were usually connected to large conglomerates (mining, some farming) or the Catholic Church.
What was the Berlin West Africa Conference?
In 1884-1885, the Berlin West Africa Conference effectively divided up the African continent amongst the Great Powers of Europe. Attended by the colonial powers of Great Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, and Belgium, among others, the Conference created artificial state boundaries as well as a colonial system that was in effect for the next sixty years.
What did Leopold II do to the Congo?
After some years, Leopold II, after with great Belgian businessmen equipped the Congo with Transportation infrastructure (Ports, Railways, roads) schools, medical centers , etc and also mines of copper, gold, diamonds, cobalt, etc…gave the country to Belgium.
What was the problem with Congo's freedom?
The problem with Congo's freedom is that it came at the worst possible time in the 20th century to allow the country to develop any strong institutions and become truly independent. This is what the world looked like in 1960:
Who owned the Congo in the 1900s?
In the early 1900’s The Congo was granted to King Leopold II of Belgium. The country was a “personal” concession for the King, rather than a colony. The King, not the Belgian government, effectively owned and controlled the Congo. Leopo
Who investigated the Congo?
In 1903–4 Roger Casement investigated the atrocities in the Congo and published a report, which was toned down by the British government.
Was the Congo an apartheid state?
No. The people of Congo would have never chosen such an arrangement. The prosperity of Congo in the 60's was superficial and very similar to the prosperity of South Africa: it only benefited the minority white ruling class and Congo was an apartheid state.
History of Belgian Colonization
- Belgium itself had gained independence in 1831 when it broke away from the Netherlands and became a new nation. The second king of Belgium, Leopold II, was a very ambitious man who wanted to personally enrich himself and enhance his country’s prestige by annexing and colonizing lands in Africa. In 1865 he succeeded his father, Leopold I, to the Bel...
The Administration of Congo by The Belgians
- The takeover of the administration by the Belgian government brought some improvements in the lives of the Congolese peoples, who had suffered untold hardships under Leopold II and his private militia. There were slight improvements in the everyday economic and social life of the Congolese that were comparable to conditions in other European colonies in Africa. The Belgia…
History of Belgium Colonization of Rwanda
- Belgium’s other colony, Rwanda, was an independent monarchy until the Germans annexed it in 1899 and made it part of German East Africa. Belgium seized Rwanda and Burundi from Germany in 1916; two years later, after the defeat of Germany in World War I, Ruanda-Urundi was formally given to Belgium as a League of Nations (later United Nations) trust territory.
Race and Ethnicity in Precolonial African Belgian Colonies
- In precolonial Congo, established monarchies and kingdoms maintained order. The most notable of these empires was the Kingdom of Kongo, which was founded in the fourteenth century and centered around present-day western Congo and northern Angola. Other notable empires included the Luba empire, founded in the sixteenth century and centered around Lakes Kisale and Upemb…
Race and Ethnicity in Precolonial Rwanda
- Before the European incursion into Rwanda and the Belgian colonization, Rwanda was united under the central leadership of an absolute Tutsi monarchy. The people, although classified as Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa, essentially spoke the same language. They also shared the same culture, ate the same or similar foods, and practiced the same religion. Precolonial Rwanda under the m…
Ethnic Relations During The Belgian Colonial Administration
- The Belgians ruled over Congo from 1909 to 1960, while their rule over Rwanda lasted from 1918 to 1962. In the Congo, the Belgians created an apartheid-like system between the Europeans (Belgians) living in Congo and the Congolese, thereby marginalizing the Congolese in their own society. Among the Congolese, the Belgians used the strategy of divide and rule. They favored c…
Ethnic and Political Conflicts in Postcolonial Belgian Colonies in Africa
- In the Congo, political instability started as soon as the Congolese gained their independence from the Belgians in 1960. Congo is a multiethnic country with about two hundred ethnic groups. Most of the ethnic groups speak languages of the widespread Bantu family: Kongo, Mongo, Luba, Bwaka, Kwango, Lulua, Luanda, and Kasai. There are also Nilotic-speaking peoples near Sudan a…
Bibliography
- Cawthorne, Nigel. 2004. Tyrants: History’s 100 Most Evil Despots and Dictators. New York: Barnes and Nobles. Davidson, Basil. 1972. Africa: History of a Continent, rev. ed. New York: Macmillan. ———. 1992. The Black Man’s Burden: Africa and the Curse of the Nation-State. New York: Times Books. Ekwe-Ekwe, Herbert. 2006. Biafra Revisited. Dakar, Senegal: African Renaissance. Forres…
Exploration of and Claims to The Congo River Basin
The Congo Free State, 1885-1908
Belgian Congo, 1908-1960
Independence For The Democratic Republic of The Congo
- By the 1950s, many African countries embraced anti-colonialism, nationalism, equality, and opportunity under the Pan-Africanismmovement. The Congolese, who by then had some rights such as owning property and voting in elections, began to demand independence. Belgium wanted to grant independence over a thirty-year span, but under pressure from the U...
Ruanda-Urundi
Legacy of Colonialism in Rwanda-Burundi
Past and Future of Belgian Colonialism
Overview
Background in the early 19th century
Belgium, a constitutional monarchy, gained its independence in 1830 from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. By the time this was universally recognized in 1839, most European powers already had colonies and protectorates outside Europe and had begun to form spheres of influence.
During the 1840s and 50s, King Leopold I tentatively supported several proposals to acquire territories overseas. In 1843, he signed a contract with Ladd & Co. to colonize the Kingdom of Ha…
The Congo
Ruanda-Urundi
Minor possessions
See also
Bibliography
External links