Events tagged with "rubber trade"

Historical Events tagged with "rubber trade"

Turns out history loves a label—battles, breakthroughs, and the occasional disaster, all neatly tagged for your browsing pleasure. Because sometimes you just need every weird invention in one place.

Politics & Government

Congo Free State Established by Leopold II

July 1st, 1885 139 years ago

King Leopold II of Belgium declared the Congo Free State, effectively making it a personal possession rather than a colonial territory of Belgium. This announcement at the Berlin Conference integrated his interests in the Congo River basin into a recognized international state. The area was targeted for its vast resources, including rubber and ivory, which created significant economic ambitions but led to the exploitation of the local populations.