Why are some countries so poor?

We will use the example of the Democratic Republic of Congo using a BBC from Dan Snow

Task 1: In your own words describe the location of the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo)

LO: what is Congo like?

Task 2: use these images to describe Congo

Congo Facts

Population 75,507,308 (July 2013 est.) Area 2,344,858 sq km (11th largest in the world) Capital City: Kinshasa Literacy Rate: 66.8% Life Expectancy 56 (200th in the world out of 223) Infant Mortality Rate 74.87 (12th highest in the

world) GNP per capita $400 (2012 est.) makes it basically

the poorest country in the world Task 3: Use these facts to describe Congo

Task 4: What happened to the Kingdom of Kongo?

Use the following facts 1485 – first Europeans reach

the Kingdom of Kongo 4 Million slaves taken from

Kongo

Video clip 1: Slavery

Portuguese traders bow before the King of Kongo

Who was the first European to cross Africa? Who was the Belgian King who took control

of Congo? What natural product made the King of

Belgian a lot of money? How did the colonialists collect this product? What would happen to people who refused

to work? How many Congolese died during the

colonial years?

Clip 2: ColonialismTask 5

Task 6: Copy and complete In the early 20th century c__________ was

found in the Congo. It was mined and sent out of the country. In WW1 it was used to make ______. Later in WW2 the u_______ from this country was used in the making of the ________ bomb.

This money meant that living conditions in Congo ___________ .

Clip3: Mining

Although there were no laws separating blacks from whites, like in America at the time, people were segregated. For example the city centres where for whites only.

Clip 4:Belgian Congo

The Belgian authorities, like other European countries believed that they were doing good deeds in the Congo, but most Congolese wanted freedom.

Task 7: If you were from the Congo in the 1950s-would you want independence or stay as a colony?

Task 8How many Congolese were: Senior administrators (out of 5000)? University graduates? Lawyers, doctors, army officers or engineers?

Why might this be a problem if the country became independent?

Prepared?

Belgian Congo was made independent on June 30th 1960. The new Prime Minister, Patrice Lumumba, made a passionate speech.

for 80 years ….we have known harassing work, exacted in exchange for salaries which did not permit us to eat enough to drive away hunger, or to clothe ourselves, or to house ourselves decently

We have seen our lands seized in the name of allegedly legal laws, which in fact recognized only that might is right.

We have seen that in the towns there were magnificent houses for the whites and crumbling shanties for the Blacks; that a Black was not admitted in the motion-picture houses, in the restaurants, in the stores of the Europeans

Who will ever forget the massacres where so many of our brothers perished, the cells into which those who refused to submit to a regime of oppression and exploitation were thrown?

Clip 5:Independence

Together, we are going to establish social justice and make sure everyone has just remuneration for his labour.

We are going to do away with all discrimination of every variety and assure for each and all the position to which human dignity, work and dedication entitles him.

We are going to rule not by the peace of guns and bayonets but by a peace of the heart and the will.

..we are going to make of the Congo the centre of the sun’s radiance for all of Africa.

Lumumba’s Speech

Politics soon caused the situation to fall apart The Congolese soldiers rebelled against the officers who were

still Belgian. Katanga province declared itself independent with the support of

other countries Most of the Belgians left Lumumba asked the Russians for support-this upset the

Americans. With the help of the CIA and MI6, army leader Joseph Mobutu

took control and Lumumba was killed. He renamed the country Zaire.

Task 9: Why was Lumumba killed?

Clip 6:Congo crisis

Task 10: Describe Mobuto Palace

Task 11: How could he afford to make this?

Clip 7: Mobutu

Task 12: Copy and complete Since 1997 there has been a series of wars in the

Congo. Up to __ million have died. Many died from disease and m_______________. Due to the war up to __ million people had to move. Many women have been attacked and ____ % raped. The war also means that children do not go to _______. The government finds it difficult to stop armed groups. The __ is also trying to stop the fighting.

Clip 8: Great War of Africa

Congo stamps

Congo Stamps 2

Congo Stamps 3

Congo Stamps 4

The Congo has a lot of mineral wealth and the power of the River Congo.

If the politics and war could be sorted-it could really develop.

We have seen slavery, colonialism, corruption and war combine to make Congo poor. Trade is also important.

Task 13: Why is Congo so poor?

Conclusion