The first successful exploration of the Congo was by journalist Henry Morton Stanley, between 1874 and 1877. Upon his return to Europe, Stanley petitioned the British government to colonize the region, but he was refused. However, King Leopold II of Belgium hired Stanley to return to the Congo to set up trading stations and establish relations with the native chiefs. In 1876 he hosted a meeting of world explorers, saying he wanted to develop central Africa for European …showed first 75 words of 1955 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1955 total…colonial rule. Perhaps if the Congo had been colonized in a proper fashion, and it later transformed into a self-striving country, Africa would have become more developed from influence of the Congo. As that did not happen, the best way to sum up the atrocities that happened in the Congo under the reign of King Leopold is a quote from Joseph Conrad "The violent scramble for loot that ever disfigured the history of human conscience."