Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): Geography, History, Dictators, Civil War, Conflict Minerals

2. Case Study #2 Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

3. Outline • Geography • History • Dictators • Civil War • Conflict Minerals

4. Geography Brainstorm: What do you think the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) looks like?

5. Geography

6. Geography Second largest country in Africa ¼ the size of the USA

7. Geography Located on the equator Midpoint between the poles Average temperature: 25 ° C

8. Geography • Congo River • Deepest river in the world • 3rd largest river in the world • 9th longest river in the world

9. Geography • Mt. Nyiragongo • Active volcano in the DRC • One of the most active in the world • One of the least studied because of the constant warfare in the region

10. History Before we go into the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo… we need to go back and review the history of globalization…

11. History • Phases of Globalization (Dominant Western Perspective) • Phase One (2,000 BC - 1400): The Spread of Trade • Goods and ideas were spread by caravans, horses, & walking • Rise of Asian power • Land and sea routes are important (i.e. Silk Road) • Phase Two (1400 - 1950): Discovery and Expansion • Helped by advances in shipping • Started with Christopher Columbus sailing to the Caribbean • Rise of European expansion & imperialism • Widespread industrialization with the Industrial Revolution • Phase Three (1950 - present): Widespread Interconnectedness • Includes economic, social, political • Rapid growth of world markets • Instant communications • Rise of China and India as economic powers

12. History During this second phase, the “Age of Discovery,” Europeans started exploring Africa… • Phases of Globalization (Dominant Western Perspective) • Phase One (2,000 BC - 1400): The Spread of Trade • Goods and ideas were spread by caravans, horses, & walking • Rise of Asian power • Land and sea routes are important (i.e. Silk Road) • Phase Two (1400 - 1950): Discovery and Expansion • Helped by advances in shipping • Started with Christopher Columbus sailing to the Caribbean • Rise of European expansion & imperialism • Widespread industrialization with the Industrial Revolution • Phase Three (1950 - present): Widespread Interconnectedness • Includes economic, social, political • Rapid growth of world markets • Instant communications • Rise of China and India as economic powers

13. History ACTIVITY Draw three scenes – one for each of the phases of globalization. Draw the symbols, people, landscapes, and anything else you think you might see/have seen during each of the phases of globalization

14. History The Scramble for Africa During the Age of Discovery, we saw Europeans establish settlements and trade posts along the coast of the African continent but there was little interest in the interior of Africa for many years…. What Changed? Why did people go to the interior?

15. History • The Scramble for Africa • Trade • Increased European demand for raw materials unavailable in Europe, especially copper, cotton, rubber, cocoa, diamonds, and tea • As trade increased, Africa offered cheap materials, limited competition, and abundant raw materials • Industrial Revolution • Industrialisationbrought about rapid advancements in transportation and communication, especially in the forms of steam navigation, railways, and telegraphs • Medical Advances • An effective treatment for malaria enabled vast expanses of the tropics to be accessed by Europeans • Strategic Areas • Gathering strategic military bases and trade route access (often good bargaining items)

16. The Suez Canal The first interior place to be thoroughly explored

17. History The second place to be thoroughly explored… THE CONGO

18. History Exploring the Congo • King Léopold II of Belgium sparked the scramble for Africa • Why? He wanted more resources • Went to Africa and claimed the Congo region • Why? Rich in ivory and rubber – needed rubber for increasing amounts of tires… • Brutal ruler – villages had quotas for production and if they didn’t meet them, they would get their hands cut off • Used Propaganda- did not let knowledge of his atrocities get out and bribed publishers to write positive stories King Leopold II of Belgium

19. Propaganda Things that are used to persuade people to accept a cause or a position by presenting only one side of an argument

20. Congo labourers who failed to meet rubber collection quotas were often punished by having their hands cut off Leopold is rumored to have killed up to 16 million Congolese Indigenous people

21. A father in the Congo looks at the severed hand and foot of his five year old daughter

22. What do you think this cartoon is symbolizing?

23. What do you think this cartoon is trying to say?

24. Do you think Belgium was the ONLY Empire that wanted resources from Africa…?

25. History The Scramble for Africa Was a period of invasion, occupation, colonization and annexation of African territory by European powers between 1881 and World War I in 1914

26. History The Scramble for Africa Berlin Conference (1884-1885): A conference among the world’s imperial powers to split up Africa… no African representatives were given a voice… or territory….

27. History Berlin Conference • Fake Reason: “Humanitarianism“ • Condemnation of the slave trade • Prohibition of the sale of alcoholic beverages and firearms in certain regions • Expressed concern for missionary activities • Real Reason: Establish Rules of Competition • No nation was to stake claims in Africa without notifying other powers of its intentions. • No territory could be formally claimed prior to being effectively occupied. • Real Life • The competitors ignored the rules when convenient