African Independence By: Hailee Newlon

Colonialism The Europeans colonized Africa for its natural resources to build factories, which were everywhere in Europe back then. In 1780, about 80,000 African Slaves were being shipped across the Atlantic each year. As many as 20% of slaves died during the crossing Captured Africans were stamped with a hot iron to identify them as slaves Olaudah Equiano was a slave who bought his freedom. Across the Atlantic, slaves were stacked on filthy shelves. By the 1600s Portugese would trade guns and other goods for slaves Men and women all across Africa fought against the new European rule. By now, almost all of Africa was ruled by Europeans. However, the rulers did not view Africans as equals. By this time, the Africans had to learn to accept themselves and their religion.

Nationalism Nationalism began to grow in Africa in 1897, when Mankayi Sontanga put his dream in a song called “Bless, O Lord, Our Land of Africa.” By this time Africans were gradually accepting themselves as individuals. The Africans took such pride, that in 1912 Africans formed a political party called the “South African Native National Congress” (SANNC) Their job was to gain the right to vote. In 1920 Africans formed a movement based on Pan-Africanism, the belief that all Africans should work together to gain their rights and freedoms In the 1930s and 1940s a major boost came for the African Independence when World War II started During WW11 Britain, France, and the US formed a group called the Allies Some 80 years after it was founded the SANNC achieved its goal to earn indepence

Independence African Nations became independent when women in Martius in 1965 held up signs asking for independence from Britain. There was an independence ceremony in 1963 WWII did not only inspire Africans to earn their freedom, it also ended colonialism in Africa Public opinion began to turn against the idea of colonialism British leader Harold Macmillian realized Britain would not be able to keep ots African Colonies. In the Gold Coast Colony, Kwame Nkrumah organized protests in the British rule in the early 1950s The French people in Algeria thought of it more than just their colony. The thought of it as a part of France. The new leaders in Africa had spent many years working for its Independence, but the colonial powers rarely allowed experience in the government Independence was only the first step toward peace in the African colonies. Some countries have suffered through major Civil Wars since independence.