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**King Leopold II in The Congo**

King Leopold II of Belgium became interested in the areas of the Congo. In 1879, Leopold hired Henry Stanley to help him gain land there. In 1882, Leopold got agreements from local chiefs of the Congo that gave Belgium control of that land. Publicly, Leopold said that he wanted to “civilize the Africans, because they have been living in an uncivilized state for so long.” Following this idea, missionaries were sent into The Congo. These were Christians who came to convert Africans to Christianity. King Leopold forced men to work and would hold their wives hostage until they met harvesting quotas. He worked the Africans so hard that they had no time to grow their own food to eat. The precise number will never be known but it is estimated that between 1880 and 1920 50% of the Congolese population was killed – nearly 10 million people.

**Cartoon Explanation**

The cartoon titled “Learning to be civilized is hard work” depicts an oppressive scene related to King Leopold II's actions in the Congo. It illustrates a colonial figure resembling King Leopold II sitting confidently, while African individuals are depicted as carrying him on their backs, symbolizing the exploitation and forced labor imposed by Leopold during his rule over the Congo. This stark imagery serves as a critique of colonial brutality under the guise of 'civilizing' missions.

**Exercise: Compare and Contrast**

* Compare and/or contrast King Leopold’s message on the left with the cartoon.
  - [Insert Answer Here]

* Template: In the quote King Leopold is saying [Insert Answer Here]. However, in the image, it shows King Leopold [Insert Answer Here]. This is different or similar (pick one) because [Insert Answer Here].
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Transcribed Image Text:**King Leopold II in The Congo** King Leopold II of Belgium became interested in the areas of the Congo. In 1879, Leopold hired Henry Stanley to help him gain land there. In 1882, Leopold got agreements from local chiefs of the Congo that gave Belgium control of that land. Publicly, Leopold said that he wanted to “civilize the Africans, because they have been living in an uncivilized state for so long.” Following this idea, missionaries were sent into The Congo. These were Christians who came to convert Africans to Christianity. King Leopold forced men to work and would hold their wives hostage until they met harvesting quotas. He worked the Africans so hard that they had no time to grow their own food to eat. The precise number will never be known but it is estimated that between 1880 and 1920 50% of the Congolese population was killed – nearly 10 million people. **Cartoon Explanation** The cartoon titled “Learning to be civilized is hard work” depicts an oppressive scene related to King Leopold II's actions in the Congo. It illustrates a colonial figure resembling King Leopold II sitting confidently, while African individuals are depicted as carrying him on their backs, symbolizing the exploitation and forced labor imposed by Leopold during his rule over the Congo. This stark imagery serves as a critique of colonial brutality under the guise of 'civilizing' missions. **Exercise: Compare and Contrast** * Compare and/or contrast King Leopold’s message on the left with the cartoon. - [Insert Answer Here] * Template: In the quote King Leopold is saying [Insert Answer Here]. However, in the image, it shows King Leopold [Insert Answer Here]. This is different or similar (pick one) because [Insert Answer Here].
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