Author Archives: Waroch Tangbampensountorn

During the sixteenth century, European power expanded its colonization to America and Africa. The arrival of European resulted in demographic and biological changes, disturbance of politics, new trade, religions, and technologies. Though the European colonized both continents, Africa was more affected by the European and America was more transformed by the European.

The intention for European sailed to Africa is to trade; they trade human being or slave, which later became the most profitable item to trade. This results in the death of million Africans. There are three main slave trades: Trans-Saharan slave trade, East African slave trade, and Trans Atlantic slave trade. These trade caused million of African to lose their life. The European’s interest in African increased in the late 18^th century.

Nevertheless, Great Britain abolished the African slave trade in 1807. The abolition of slave trade resulted in the change in trade and it ruined the economy. This turned into a chaos, which opened the way for European trading companies and adventurers to increase their authority.

European powers were so powerful that in the late 18^th century, only Liberia and Ethiopia were the only African states that were not colonized by the European. The two main European colonial systems in Africa were Britain and France. Britain used “Indirect Rule” to control its colony. Indirect Rule is the rule that ruled through traditional tribal authorities. It is believed to be the most effective method to govern and collect most revenue possible. Moreover, British appointees who were more cooperative to the colonial regime would replace any traditional leader who was not acceptable to the colonial power. The other rule is “Direct Rule”, which was used by the French. This rule established administrative units that cut across traditional boundaries, and it also established an African elite who would accept French standards and then became associated with French rulers in the work of governing colonies. Additionally, all locally born residents had the right of French citizenship.

In the colonization time, lands were taken away from African who had occupied the land for countless generations, railroads and ports were built to transport minerals and agricultural products to oversea market, and African became more involved in the world economy. The map of Africa in today world was also created by Europeans power. The humiliation of colonialism ended after World War II; each African country start to gain its independence.

On the other side of the Atlantic, several permanent European settlements were established along the North America’s Atlantic coast. European colonists found that they could easily exploit resources such as silver and fur, they could also profit from the agricultural goods such as tobacco from American soil. These European colonists also waged wars against the American Indians and occupied their lands.

After the British established the town, they bought the slaves from Africa to work in their plantation. The colonists gained profit by trading fur and tobacco with the European. Later on, these colonists felt that it is unfair for them to get taxed from the British parliament with no representatives. This resulted in protest against the British and war.

The American declared its independence on July 4^th, 1776, which resulted in the revolutionary war between the 13 colonies and the British. This war ended with the American gained independence and the lost of British colony.

There are some differences and similarities of colonization in Africa and in America. First, there were slave trades in Africa colony, but not in America. Instead, the colonists in America bought slaves from Africa to work in their plantation. Second, the British ruled them both. Lastly, the colonists in America fought for their independence from the British and they gained their independent much earlier than the African countries did.

There is not much evidence and information about the primary inhabitant of Cote d’Ivoire. Though, the first recorded is discovered in the history of North African Traders who traveled across Sahara to trade mainly salt, gold, and slave. It is recorded that Cote d’Ivoire was part of several Sudanic Empires: Ghana Empire, Mali Empire, and Songhai Empire. Moreover, these empires adopted Islam from the Arab traders; as a result, Islam was spread to Cote d’Ivoire.

Ghana Empire is located north of contemporary Cote d’Ivoire. It gained power and wealth from gold; moreover, it introduced the use of camel, which helped the empire to be able to transport gold in larger quantity. It had capital city named “Kumbi Saleh”, and it located at the edge of the Sahara. This city immediately became the most lively and significant southern end of Sahara trade route; furthermore, this city contributed to the empire wealth by taxation. Later on, this Empire declined due to many reasons: the king lost his trade authority and drought happened, which caused the land to lose its ability to do agriculture on. After the decline, many other empires targeted Ghana Empire for its gold; in the end, Ghana Empire was absorbed by Mali Empire of Sudiata.

Mali Empire acquired northwest corner of Cote d’Ivoire, and it deeply influenced the culture of West Africa by spreading its language and laws. This empire was founded by sultan Sundiata in the 13^th Century. Though, the most famous ruler of this empire is Mansa Musa, who ruled from about 1312 to 1332; during his reign, he doubled Mali Empire’s territory. He was also known for his journey to Mecca, in which he brought 60,000 people, 200 camels, and gold with him. Like Ghana Empire, Mali became the important trading center of Western Africa. Other than that it was the trade center, it was also the center of wealth, culture, and education. For that reason, many libraries and universities were built, and it became the meeting place of poets, scholars, and artists. Then, Mansa Musa conquered the neighboring kingdom, Songhai Empire; but after his death, Mali Empire started to fell apart and Songhai Empire regained its independent.

After Songhai Empire regained its capital, Sonni Ali, the new leader of Songhai Empire, conquered many neighboring empire, including Mali Empire. He was the greatest military leader of Songhai Empire; he gained more than 1,400,000 square kilometers of land for Songhai Empire. He also controlled important trade route, which brought so much wealth to the empire. Despite his greatness, Sonni Ali was as a intolerant tyrant in many African record after he caused harm to the city of Timbuktu. Sonni Ali later was overthrown by Askia the Great. Askia the Great reorganized the conquered territory and expanded it even more. However, Songhai Empire fall, and was divided into warring kingdoms.

There is not much information about the Empires that were associated with Cote d’Ivoire. Some historians believe that the reason that there are not many evidences because they are not well preserved in the country’s humid climate. Some believe that the evidences were displaced. The history of Cote d’Ivoire remains a mystery and it requires historians and archeologists to study Cote d’Ivoire in a deeper level.