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1400
Slavery
In the 1400s, Europeans began to sail south around the continent of Africa so they can take an attempt to reach the wealth of skills and spices found in India and China. They learned more about the people and cultures of Africa. Slavery was a part of the economy of Africa before the arriving Europeans. -
1500
Trade
The Europeans greatly increased the trade in enslaved people in Africa. Beginning in the 1500s European made goods in exchange for slaves. Then the slaves would have been transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas to work on sugar, rice and cotton plantations. The increase in the number of guns available to people living in Africa, caused greater fighting among different groups. -
1500
Selling
They began in the 1500s and began to sell the Africas. As many as 13 million people may have been taken from their homeland. Those slaved were then transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the America’s to work on sugar, rice, and cotton plantations. -
1500
Colonization
Europeans began to build trading posts in Africa in the 1500s and by the early 1800s, they were colonizing or taking over another country. Europeans knew that Africa had lots of resources and important trade routes they wanted to control. France took control of the Suez Canal; a man made waterway. -
Britain
Britain grabbed more land in western central and Southern Africa while France seized most of West Africa. By 1900 Europe had taken over nearly all of Africa. The only country to remain uncolonized was Ethiopia though Italy did invade the country in 1930. -
World War II
In the mid 1900s inspired by the events of World War II Africans began to rebel against colonization. Ghana would gain it’s independence in 1957. The kikuyu people of Kenya began political organization in 1920s to fight for freedom from Great Britain, -
Controll
In 1910 South Africa was granted independence from Great Britain. Though white people were a minority in South Africa, they controlled the government and businesses. -
Territory
A mad made waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. France took control over most of Western North Africa. Spain and Italy did invade the country in 1930. -
Uncolonized
By 1900, Europe had taken over nearly all of Africa. The country to remain uncolonized was Ethiopia though Italy did invade the country in 1930. And Britain grabbed more land in western, central and Southern Africa. -
Afrikaners
I’m 1948, white South Africans known as Afrikaners made apartheid law. Apartheid is a policy of legal separation based on race. -
South Africa
In 1948, a lot of white South Africa known as Afrikaners made apartheid law. Blacks could not marry white people, and they received poor health care. -
Kenya
It took years but Kenya became independent in 1963, Joao Kenyatta would become the newly independent Kenya’s first leader. In 1906 Nigeria became independent after a struggle against the British. -
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela is the best known leader of the African National Congress. He went to school to become a lawyer. In 1964 he was arrested and sentenced to life in prison for his actions. He would not be silenced and continued to protest from prison. -
Independence
Things were not perfect in Africa after independence. Countries that had been colonized were economically devastated. Everything was more difficult than before because the Europeans had drawn country lines without regard to where different ethnic groups were located. As result, in 1965 Joseph Mobutu seized power. The suffering of the people of Congo continued due his corruption and violence. -
Sudan
Sudan gained its independence from Great Britain in 1956. In the south most people were not Arab. In addition, many religions were practiced in the south with Christianity being the most common. After, the people in the south rebelled against northern rule leading to two Colvin wars from 1956 to 1972 and from 1983 to 2005. Millions of people died. -
Nigeria
Many people and just Nigeria in general suffered from violence among its many ethnic groups. Years ago in 1976 the Igbo people tried to declare themselves. They named their country Biafra. Over one million people died before the Igbo agreed to remain part of Nigeria. -
Libya
In Libya, dictator Muammar Qaddafi refused to step down. Instead war broke out. Other countries, including the United States supported the rebels fighting against Qaddafi. The opportunity to establish bases and carry out attacks. -
Religions
Many religions were practiced in the south with Christianity being the most common. The country’s government was in the north. -
De Klerk
De Klerk realized that apartheid could not continue. In 1990, he announced the end of apartheid and released Nelson Mandela from prison. In 1993, Mandela and de Klerk were awarded a prize for their ending apartheid. -
Rwanda
Rwanda is a small country divided between two ethnic groups, the minority Tusi and majority Hutu. The country continued to experience violence until 1994 when Hutu began to engage in genocide against the Tutsi in genocide against the Tutsi people. Between 800,00 to 1 million Tutsi people were murdered. -
Murders
Nearly 300,000 people were forced from their homes and between 100,000 and 400,000 people were murdered. Which is an effort to kill an entire group of people. That’s almost half a million people, that’s crazy. -
Violence
The contry contained to experience violence until 1994 when Hutu began to engage in genocide against the Tutsi people. Between 800,000 to 1 million Tutsi people were murdered. -
Tunisia
In Tunisia, protestors used social media to spread their message against a corrupt government, high prices and humans rights abused. -
Work
In 1993, Mandela and de Klerk were awarded the Noble Peace Prize for their work in ending apartheid. In 1994, South Africa held its first open elections in which Mandela was elected the new president. -
Arab spring
One of the worst outcomes of colonialism was it left countries with weak governments. In 2010, people in Tunisia began to agitate for a more democratic government. In Tunisia, protestors used social media to spread their message against a corrupt. -
South Africans
Under apartheid, black South Africans were forced to live and work where white people. Black South Africans were not allowed to vote so they had no say in the government. -
Egypt
At the beginning of the Arab Spring Egypt was under the leadership of President Hosni Mubarak. Mubarak was a dictator who had controlled Egypt for 30 years. Morsi’s term was short because in 2013, his government was overthrown by the military. -
Morsi
Morsi’s term was short because in 2013, his government was overthrown by the military. Morsi was imprisoned and his political party was banned. The new government gave more power to the police and military in the new constitution. -
Policies
The policies of apartheid led to violent revolts. Black South Africans formed the African National Congress to work for government change, but their leaders were often jailed. One member of the ANC, Steven Biko was arrested and murdered by police. -
Qaddafi
Qaddafi was captured and killed in 2022, and a new government was elected. Unfortunately, not all of the rebel groups supported the new government which has led to further violence as groups fight to control oil rich areas.