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Leopold II Congo Free State Essay

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Leopold II, Congo Free State 1885-1908. Was the second King of the Belgians, remembered for the founding and exploration of the Congo Free State as a private venture. The Scramble for Africa, was the invasion, occupation, colonization and annexation of African territory by European powers during the period of New Imperialism. Which Belgian also took place when they weren’t a country. What makes up a historical hero their actions are selfless, they care for the safe of others and put their needs above their own, and their actions are always for the greater good. A historical villain’s actions are selfish, they only help themselves and it ends up hurting others, they do whatever they want to get what they need. It’s proven that King Leopold is …show more content…

It has nothing to hind and no secrets and is not beholden to anyone except its founder.” What he says is untrue because he made secrets in the Congo, he forced indigenous people to make rubber, while he sold them to become wealthier. As time went on a man named Edmund Morale looked into the shipping manifest, and discovered that while a great deal of rubber and ivory was coming from the Congo practically nothing was going back. This came to Morale investigating King Leopold’s corrupt regime, from the Congo he would get documents leaked to him by people. Because of this Leopold took drastic measures, he would bribe journalists, to drive US Senators. He would invite people to the Congo and made sure that they got the nicest respect at their stay. This is how far Leopold would go to keep his secret, going against laws, bribery, even the deaths of many lives. Leopold never thought of the slaves as individuals or a real importance to society, only to be put to work and never to be one of them. This is what made King Leopold a historical villain, his actions were selfish all that he wanted was power and wealth, he amputation people for not working or if they got ill he shot them. Leopold destroyed anyone that tried to stop him, everything he did was only for his benefit, making slaves do his work making rubber, bribing journalists to stop Morale from building others against

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