-
-
The Kongo empire expanded in the northern parts of modern-day Angola and territories surrounding the lakes of Kisale and Upemba
-
Portuguese navigator Diogo Cao became the first European to explore the Congo during the age of exloration. Diogo coming to the Congo helped the Portuguese to friend the king of the Congo.
-
European Countries needed cheap labor. The Slave Trade in the Congo began in the late 1500s into the early 1600s. Countries such as the British, Dutch, French and the Portuguese look at the Congo as a key spot for slaves.
-
Stanley was a British explorer who went to the Congo in 1874 and explored the area until 1877. He went back to Britain with info on a possible colony for the British. Britain wasn't interested so stanley took his information to Belgium.
-
When Belgium seeked interest on the Congo, King Leopold of Belguim has Stanley travel from tribe to tribe to sign treates with them to give Leopold rule of the lands.
-
Leopold licensed companies to use the Congolese to work for the rubber plantations to collect sap from the rubber trees. During Leopold's abusive rule led to the death of more than ten million of the Congolese people.
-
In 1908, the Belgian government realize the unfair treatment of the colony to bring in money for the country. The government took the power over the colony away from Leopold. The colony was a huge eighty times larger then the country of Belgium. when Leopold lost the colony it became an official colony of belgium.
-
On June 30th, 1960 the Belgian Congo declares its independence from Belgium. Rioting had been in many places in the congo since 1919. the Congo was under Belgium rule for 52 years from 1908 through 1960
-
The Congolese people were fighting over the power of the country. the country split into two sides which sparked a civil war. Neighboring countries than defend a side based on what they think is right and wrong. Now around the Congo and involved in the was are several countries. This becomes known as Africa's First World War and it lasted until 2003 when peace was declared.
