In precolonial times, the region now called the republic of Congo was dominated by three kingdoms. They were Kongo, Loango and Tio. The Portuguese located the Congo River in 1482 and commerce was carried on with the tribes, especially the slave trade.
The Frenchman Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza signed a treaty with Makoko, ruler of the Bateke people in 1880 thus establishing French control. Beginning in 1897, the concession companies entered the Congo. There were more than forty companies which had exclusive rights to products. They exploited the main resources, natural rubber and ivory. After 1913 the French government regulated the economic activity in the region. Abuse of laborers led to the public outcry against the French colonialists as well as rebellions among the Congolese, but exploitation of the native worker continued until 1930.
In 1960 the Congo proclaimed its independence without leaving the French community. It called itself the Republic of Congo with Fulbert Youlou as the first president. The republics original system of government soon changed. Youlou was overthrown in 1963 by Alphonse Massamba - Debat, founder of the Marxist - Leninist Party, who in 1968 was ousted by a military coup. with Maj. Marien Ngouabi as leader. On March 18, 1977 Ngouabi was assassinated. Col. Joachim Yhombi - Opango, army chief of staff, assumed the presidency. On April 4, 1977 Yhombi - Opango resigned on February 4, 1979 with the failure of another coup. The Congolese Workers Party installed Col. Denis Sassou - Nguesso as president.
In July 1990 the leaders of the ruling party voted to end the one party system. Sassou - NguessoÕs power was diminished in 1991 when political pressure forced him to appoint a prime minister and call a national conference where they rewrote the constitution and renounced Marxism and scheduled the countryÕs first free elections for 1992.
Political and ethnic tensions intensified in 1993 after elections in May and runoffs in June. The oppositions rejection of the results developed into violence. A peace agreement was achieved between the government and the opposition in August, 1994. A four month Civil war (June 5 - October 15, 1997) devastated Brazzaville, the capital. With military aid from Angola, former Marxist dictato Denis Sassou - Nguesso overthrew President Pascal Lissouba, the first democratically elected president.
