How did europeans get control of the congo and how did they keep their power?

Answer 1

You have three questions about the Congo -- two here and one separately -- and I'll try to answer them separately.

Part One. How did the Europeans get control? It's a long, complicated story, and I can't remember the details. The best source I know of is Pakenham, "The Scramble for Africa," about 700 pages, written 15 years ago.

Unlike other parts of Africa, the Europeans did not come from the sea; rather they came from the interior. The Congo/Zaire river has impassable cataracts that render it unnavigable from the sea. The adventurer Henry Stanley made the first descent after encountering David Livingston in the 1870s. Then Stanley wanted to go back, and sought financing.

The main colonial powers were Britain and France, but Belgium's King Leopold wanted to get in on the act without spending any money. He got some backing from the U.S. and elsewhere, and sponsored Stanley.

Meanwhile, the Frenchman Brazza journeyed that way from French West Africa. It became a race to see who could get there first. In the end, the French established Brazzaville on one side of the river, while the Belgians established Leopoldville and Stanleyville on the other side and upstream.

Part Two. How did the Europeans keep their power? There were one or two big European conferences about dividing up Africa, involving Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, and maybe Portugal. Leopold was in the middle, and the Congo was in the middle, off in a corner separating French and British interests in central Africa. The Congo was set up as Leopold's private preserve, and for the upper reaches, he made strongman Tippu Tip his governor. A lot of ivory was taken out, and rubber too. Arab slavers remained active, so there was a lot of exploitation.

Despite his proclamations, Leopold tried to make the Congo profitable, and this led to corruption and charges that he was brutally exploiting the population. He was being forced to turn his "private property" over to the state, and I think that was done on his deathbed.

That's really a shortcut on a long, complicated, and interesting story. I'll answer the third part of your question elsewhere.

Answer 2

The continent was populated by ignorant savages who warred on each other and sold each other into slavery.

It was easy for a military with technology to waste a rabble with stone-age weapons.

The only thing that's changed in Africa in the past 100 years is now the savages have automatic weapons.

Answer 3

Guns, pure and simple.
Take a break Melissa. There is no other way to say it.

Answer 4

*The continent was populated by ignorant savages who warred on each other and sold each other into slavery.* WTF?? Dude don't even go there.. there's much more behind that and you seem to have no clue and don't you dare call people savages...according to who?? Murderes who extinguished native americans????