DBQ 6 African and Western Imperialism Nicholas Gilman

1. According to his letter, what is happening to King Moshweshewe and his Kingdom? Why does he
want the British to intercede? Why does it seem like they have not done so earlier?

The Boers have descended onto his lands, initially asking permission to live and farm there. King
Moshweshewe allows them to stay with the expectation that they will live as guests under his authority.
This is a result of both a naïveté toward western imperialism and colonization from its limited
knowledge of white societies, and a misplaced trust in the British and their reputation for equitable
justice based on accounts of people and their limited interactions. The Doers begin to make claim to the
land they are staying and further encroaching on the King’s territory. English representatives repeatedly
present the King with treatise and land right maps with a promise that the Queen’s authority will be
exerted over all the white settlers, and thus, justice shall be achieved. His continued misplaced trust and
hope for a non-violent resolution allows him to be manipulated time and again. When violence does
commence, he is now asking the British to come and hold the Doers and the promises of the Queen’s
authority accountable for the turmoil in his lands. His still believes that the justice will be upheld by the
British. (word count 185)

2. Though he opens with polite expressions toward King Leopold II what were some of the abuses
of the native people by the Belgians that George Williams discusses?

Williams begins his complaints of the abuse and exploitation of Congo natives with a detailed
description of the manipulative manner in which his Majesty’s representatives coerced the native chiefs
into signing unfair treatises. This included parlor tricks of technology and slight-of-hand to convince
villagers of the white man’s superhuman physical superiority, control over the sun itself (including the
suggestion that he could have the sun burn down entire villages on command if he desired), and that he
was a spirit that could not be killed. He continues to state that the Belgians have, “sequestered their
land, burned their towns, stolen their property, enslaved their women and children, and committed
other crimes too numerous to mention in detail.” The laborers which are employed in the capital of the
Belgian Government are “transported under circumstances more cruel than cattle in European counties,
eat rice twice a day by the use of their fingers…thirst for water…exposed to the heat and rain…sleep
upon damp and filthy decks…and…many die.” (word count 164)

3. How does Colonel Williams make it clear that it was hypocritical and self-serving for Westerners
to say that they were bringing civilization and peace to Africa?

Williams describes this hypocrisy in great detail through countless accusations of abhorrent and humane
treatment of the native population in Congo, all of which solely would benefit the Belgian government.
He starts by drawing attention to the uncivilized and astounding acts of burying slaves alive in the graves
of dead chiefs, and the beheading of captured warriors in native combat. The clearly uncivilized acts
deserve correction by a government meant to bring civilization and peace to Africa, but no action is
taken. He observed that the Belgian government had composed of nearly 50 posts consisting of
mercenary slave soldiers whose jobs were to raid local villages for food and resources for themselves
and the garrisons of white men. This allowed the government to not be financially responsible for
sustaining the men at these posts, at the expense of the lives and livelihood of native villagers. Again,
against the ideals of civilization and peace Williams details how the Belgian government engaged in
slave trade of all ages and genders, illustrating the incredibly inhumane treatment of the natives.