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During the Golden Age of Exploration, Europeans began to sail south around Southern Africa in an attempt to reach the wealth of silks and spices found in India and China. In doing so, they learned more about Africa’s people, cultures, and most importantly, wealth. As a result, Europeans began to trade with the inhabitants South Africa. -
Later on European traders began to sell Africans guns and European goods in exchange for slaves. Those slaves were then transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas to work on plantations. Then the increase in the number of guns available to the people living in Africa caused lots of fighting between different groups which weakened everyone and made it much easier for Europeans to take over. -
Europeans had begun to build trading posts in Africa. -
By the early 1800s, Britain was colonizing or taking over another country for its resources. Europeans knew that Africa had many important trade routes and resources they wanted. Britain began by taking Egypt; which had an important man made canal. Britain, France, Germany, and Portugal all started to take land in Africa. Between them all Britain and France had the most land with Britain taking western central and Southern Africa, and France taking most of West Africa. -
Europe has taken over almost every country in all of Africa except for Ethiopia. -
South Africa was granted independence from Great Britain. And even though whites were a minority they controlled the government and business. -
Kenya starts a political organization to fight for freedom from Great Britain. -
Italy invades Ethiopia -
In the mid 1900s the Africans were inspired by the events of World War 2 and began to rebel seriously against colonization. -
Kwame Nkrumah (from Ghana) introduced the idea of having Pan-Africanism. This was the belief in the unity of all Black Africans in the world. -
A policy of legal separation based on race called Apartheid was made. Black South Africans were forced to live and work where white South Africans wanted. Black South Africans had no say in things and couldn’t marry a white. This later led to revolt. -
Sudan gains its independence from Great Britain -
The people in the south rebelled against the people and government in the north leading to civil wars. Millions died in the fighting. -
Ghana gains its independence. -
After a fierce struggle against the British, Nigeria becomes Independent. -
Belgium Congo becomes independent. -
Rwanda gains its independence after the Hutu and Tutsi people fight brutally against each other. -
After many years Kenya becomes independent. Jomo Kenyatta would become the now independent Kenya’s first leader. -
Even in prison Nelson Mandela continued to protest. -
As a result of the inability to make a stable government Joseph Mobutu seized power and ruled uninterrupted for 32 years. After seizing power he renamed the country Zaire and ruled with corruption and violence. -
When Igbo renames themselves Biafra and tries to gain independence they spark a civil war. In this war over one million people died before the Igbo agreed to rejoin with Nigeria. -
The people in the south rebelled against the people and government in the north leading to civil wars. Millions died in the fighting. -
F.W. De Klerk is elected president. -
Apartheid is ended and Nelson Mandela is released from prison. -
De Klerk and Mandela were awarded the Nobel Prize for their work ending apartheid. -
Nelson Mandela was elected president after the first open elections in South Africa. -
Before Rwanda gains its independence the Hutu took control of the country. The Hutu began to engage in genocide against the Tutsi and the Tutsi eventually regained power and restored peace. Between 800,000 to 1 million Tutsi were murdered. Some Hutu escaped into the Democratic Republic of Congo where both groups continue to fight. -
The people of Tunisia begin to agitate for a. More democratic government. This movement was called the Arab Spring. Protesters used social media to spread their messages against the corrupt government, high prices, and human rights abuses. -
Southern Sudan’s independence is recognized by Sudan -
President Ben Ali resigns and a democratic government is elected. Similar victories occurred in Morocco and Algeria. -
When Muammar Qaddafi refused to step down war broke out. Qaddafi was captured and killed, and a new government was elected.