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1492
European merchant Columbus explores America.
During the Golden Age of exploration, Europe sails south and misses china and the Silk Road terrible and finds America -
1500
Europeans began to trade for slaves in Africa
When the Europeans learn they can trade with the Africans, they began to trade for slaves and trade them to America and take them back to Europe. -
1510
The Europeans learn about the cultures of Africa, and trade with them
When the Europeans went to America they accidentally found Africa, because of this they learn that they can trade with them, and learn about their culture. -
1550
Fighting breaks out in Africa
Africans began to fight each other over slavery which makes it easier for Europe to take the slaves. -
Colonization begins
Europe begins to colonize Africa, starting with Egypt and the Suez canal. -
Nearly all of Africa is colonized
By 1900 everything had been colonized, except for Ethiopia which was not colonized. -
Belgium Congo
Belgium’s Congo was by far treated the worst out of all of the colonized country’s. The Congo people were forced to work for an unfair pay, and if there was any effort to over throw the government, one of your limbs would be cut off. -
South Africa is granted independence
In 1910 South Africa earned independence from the UK. -
Pan-Africanism is introduced
Pan-Africanism is introduced. Pan-Africanism is the idea that all blacks should be united. This idea was introduced by an African named Kramer Nkrumah. -
Fighting for independence
When the Africans saw what was happening during WWII, they started to rebel agents their colonizers. -
Apartheid is created in South Africa
Afrikaners (white South Africans) pass a apartheid law. An apartheid is where black and white people were separated. Under apartheid black South Africans were forced to live work, were ever the white people told them to. -
Sudan gained independence from the UK in 1956
After WWII Great Britain could not hold on to the places it colonized, as a result they just pulled out of those places. -
Civil war starts in Sudan
The Muslim Arabs live in the northern part of Sudan, and non-Arabs who are mainly Christians live in southern Sudan. This causes civil war. -
Ghana gains independence
In 1957 Ghana gains independence. -
Kenya’s first leader
Joao Kenyatta was the first independent leader, and ended the struggle for freedom in Kenya -
Nigeria gains independence
After a long struggle against the British the Nigerians gain their independence. -
Congo becomes independent
When Congo gains independence from Belgium, their government isn’t stable, so Joseph Mobutu seizes power and was a cruel and harsh ruler -
Civil war breaks out in Rwanda
There are two ethnic groups in Rwanda, the leaders called Tutsi (the minority) and the majority group who was not in charge. This caused civil war. -
Rwanda gains independence
The winner of the civil war was the Hutu people who broke off of the country. -
Kenya gains independence
After a 40 year fight, Kenya gains independence from Great Britain. -
Nelson Mandela arrested
Nelson Mandela was a part of the ANC, and protested apartheid. Mandela was thrown in jail, and given a life sentence for his protesting of apartheid. -
The Igbo people declare themselves independent
In 1976 the Igbo people attempted to declare themselves Independent from Nigeria. When they did this it caused a civil war in which over one million people died, and Igbo agreed to remain part of Nigeria. -
Steven Biko murdered in police custody
When Steven Biko was murdered in police custody, it was noticed by a famous singer named Peter Gabriel. Peter wrote a song about the wrongness of apartheid called “Biko”. -
2nd civil war begins in Sudan
This civil war was fought because they are different ethnic groups, and different religions -
Fighting over water in Sudan
In west Sudan, an area called Darfur there was a series water shortage. This forced the black farmers to fight with Arab herders for water. The only catch is that the government backed the Arab herders, so they had a distinct advantage over the farmers. -
F.W. De Klerk elected president
F.W. De Klerk was elected president of South Africa in 1989 -
The end of apartheid in South Africa
In 1990 F.W. de Klerk came to the realization that apartheid could not work for very much longer, so he announced the end of apartheid, and released Nelson Mandela from jail. -
Mandela and Klerk win Nobel Peace Prize
In 1993 Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk were awarded the Nobel Peace prize for their efforts for peace, and their efforts to end apartheid In South Africa. -
First democratic elections are held in South Africa
At the end of F.W. De Klerk’s reign as leader of South Africa, they have their first democratic election in which, Nelson Mandela is elected president of South Africa. -
Peace comes to Rwanda
The Tutsi people eventually come back into power and restore peace -
Arab spring begins
The Arab spring was a movement where people attempted to take over their current government. -
Democratic election comes to Tunisia
President Ben Ali of Tunisia resigned and created a democratic government. Similar successes occurred in Algeria and Morocco.