Final answer:
The Belgians preserved hands in the Congo Free State as a form of punishment for African workers who did not meet rubber collection quotas.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Belgians went to great lengths to preserve hands in the context of the Congo Free State, which was the personal fiefdom of King Leopold of Belgium. In this colony, African workers were forced to meet rubber collection quotas, and failing to do so often resulted in brutal punishments. One of these punishments involved cutting off the hands of the workers.