Democratic Republic Of Congo Essay

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The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a country in Sub Saharan Africa, that was colonized by Belgium. Historians believe that Pygmies were the first people to live in the DRC. West Bantu people started a migration movement, following the major rivers and moving south. Moving south allows the Bantu people to be closer to the rainforest and have more access to food and water. As the Bantu people migrated to other places throughout the region they also, started to develop a new language around 900 BCE. The Bantus started creating large states with a complex government system inside of the DRC. As DRC was developing their country by getting a government system in place and learning more about their land, they met people from Portugal. Portuguese navigators got …show more content…

In secret, Leopold II the king of Belgium started claiming DRC’s land as his own in the late 1870s. Leopold II was forced to colonize countries in secret because the Belgium people disapproved colonization. Leopold II signed treaties with several African countries which alleged Leopold to have complete power over their countries. Due to the threat of peace in Europe because of the rapid colonization of Africa, the major world powers talked at the Berlin Conference. Leopold II officially announced that he claimed the Congo Basin. After Leopold II took power in the DRC, five million to eight million Africans died in 1885. Leopold II made strict discrimination laws which restricted the education of Congolese people. The restriction on education forces Congol people to do simpler, low paying jobs. Leopold II wanted to use DRC’s rubber production to buy at a low price and use for the military. The US, British, and Belgium people caught Leopold II using harsh methods to obtain the rubber. Due to Leopold’s harsh treatment of the Congolian people, the control of DRC shifted to the Belgium

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