Rubber extraction and concession economies in the Congo Free State (1885–1908)

1. Berlin Conference sets Congo Basin trade rules

   Feb 26, 1885Labels: Berlin Conference, Congo Basin

   • Britannica
   • German FO

2. Congo Free State name publicly announced

   Aug 1, 1885Labels: Congo Free, Leopold II

   • Berlin Conf
   • Congo Free State

3. Force Publique created to enforce state control

   Nov 17, 1885Labels: Force Publique, Leopold II

   • Force publique
   • Force Publique

4. Secret decree reserves rubber and ivory for state

   Sep 21, 1891Labels: Secret Decree, Domaine Priv

   • US State Hist

5. ABIR founded as major rubber concession company

   Jan 1, 1892Labels: ABIR, Antwerp

   • AfricaMuseum
   • ABIR FR

6. Société Anversoise receives Mongala rubber concession

   Jan 1, 1892Labels: Soci t, Mongala

   • Anversoise EN
   • Anversoise FR

7. State partitions territory into zones for exploitation

   Oct 30, 1892Labels: Territorial Zones, Congo Free

   • US State Hist

8. Domaine Privé formalizes state’s exclusive rubber rights

   Dec 5, 1892Labels: Domaine Priv, State Administration

   • US State Hist

9. Crown Domain created as Leopold’s private rubber zone

   Mar 8, 1896Labels: Crown Domain, Leopold II

   • US State Hist
   • Congo Free State

10. ABIR reorganized as Abir Congo Company

    Jan 1, 1898Labels: Abir Congo, Congo Free

    • Abir Congo Co
    • AfricaMuseum

11. Matadi–Léopoldville railway completed for export flow

    Mar 1, 1898Labels: Matadi L, Infrastructure

    • Matadi Kinshasa
    • CCFC

12. Casement Report documents coercion and abuse

    Jan 1, 1904Labels: Casement Report, Roger Casement

    • Casement Report

13. Congo Reform Association launches international campaign

    Jan 1, 1904Labels: Congo Reform, E D

    • CRA

14. International Commission of Inquiry begins investigations

    Jul 23, 1904Labels: International Commission, Boma

    • Catholic Ency

15. Concession system starts to unwind as rubber declines

    Jan 1, 1906Labels: Concession Decline, Lulonga Company

    • Lulonga Co
    • Anversoise EN

16. Treaty of Cession sets annexation terms with Belgium

    Nov 28, 1907Labels: Treaty of, Belgium

    • AJIL PDF
    • US State Hist

17. Belgian Parliament approves Colonial Charter for takeover

    Oct 18, 1908Labels: Belgian Parliament, Colonial Charter

    • Colonial Charter
    • Belgian Congo

18. Belgium annexes Congo Free State, ending concession era

    Nov 15, 1908Labels: Belgian Annexation, Belgian Congo

    • Colonial Charter
    • Congo Free State