The photographs below were published in a pamphlet written by Mark Twain entitled King Leopold’s Soliloquy published in 1905 that criticized the Belgian King’s rule of the Congo Free State. The Belgian government ran numerous rubber collection/production areas in the rainforest and on plantations where Congolese Africans were enslaved and forced to collect rubber. They suffered amputations for not gathering enough rubber. In developing your answer to Part II, be sure to keep these explanations in mind: Identify—means to put a name to or to name. Define—means to explain features of a thing or concept so that it can be understood. Argue—means to provide a series of statements that provide evidence and reasons to support a conclusion.

Question

The photographs below were published in a pamphlet written by Mark Twain entitled King Leopold’s Soliloquy published in 1905 that criticized the Belgian King’s rule of the Congo Free State. The Belgian government ran numerous rubber collection/production areas in the rainforest and on plantations where Congolese Africans were enslaved and forced to collect rubber. They suffered amputations for not gathering enough rubber. In developing your answer to Part II, be sure to keep these explanations in mind: Identify—means to put a name to or to name. Define—means to explain features of a thing or concept so that it can be understood. Argue—means to provide a series of statements that provide evidence and reasons to support a conclusion.

Answer 1

Part II: Analysis of the Photographs

Photograph 1:

- Identify: The photograph shows a group of Congolese Africans tied up with their hands bound behind their backs.
- Define: This image depicts the enslaved state of the Congolese people under King Leopold's rule. They were forcibly captured and bound, stripped of their freedom and dignity.
- Argue: This photograph provides evidence of the inhumane treatment and enslavement of Congolese Africans in the rubber collection areas. It supports the argument that the Belgian government forced the local population into labor through brutal means, depriving them of their basic rights.

Photograph 2:

- Identify: The photograph portrays a Congolese man with amputated hands and feet standing next to a soldier.
- Define: This image illustrates the brutal consequences imposed on Congolese Africans who failed to meet the rubber collection quotas. Amputations were inflicted as a punishment and a means of control.
- Argue: This photograph serves as evidence of the extreme violence and punishment endured by the Congolese people under King Leopold's rule. It highlights the physical mutilation imposed on those who could not fulfill the rubber quotas, further emphasizing the oppressive and ruthless nature of the Belgium-controlled Congo Free State.

Overall Argument:

These photographs, published in Mark Twain's pamphlet, capture the undeniable cruelty and dehumanization inflicted upon the Congolese Africans during King Leopold's rule. They provide a visual representation of the suffering endured by the local population, showcasing the enslaved conditions, as well as the severe punishments for failing to meet rubber collection quotas. These images corroborate the arguments made against King Leopold's oppressive regime and the Belgian government's exploitative practices in the Congo Free State.