TIMELINE
· The Tekrur Empire (4th century to in between the 12th and 14th centuries CE)
“The fourth century most likely gave rise to the first centralized state in Senegambia, the Tekrur kingdom, located in the Senegal River Valley in Northern Senegal and Southern Mauritania in the area known as Futa Toro. This river valley became the point of immigration as well as the site of emigration from whence kingdoms and populations spread into the southern areas of Senegambia. This era witnessed the rise of inter-regional commerce taking place on a larger scale along what became known as the as the Trans-Saharan trade route.” (Exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu, 2015) · The Ghana Empire ( 4th century – 13th century CE) “The oldest known state group in West Africa was the Ghana Empire founded in the 8th century CE by the Soninke ethnic group. The empire stretched from the northwestern tip of the Niger River to the Senegal River Valley. Its political and economic power was based on its ability to control the Trans-Saharan trade.” (Exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu, 2015) · The Mali Empire (11th to 15th century) “This empire developed into one of the largest empires in the history of Africa and, was in the 14th century, one of the largest empires in the world. It stretched from the Atlantic Ocean encircling Senegal in the west all the way to Lake Chad to the south-east, a distance of some 1,800 miles.3 In the mid-12th century the Ghana Empire crumbled and it and the Tekrur kingdom were taken over by the Mali Empire. The Mandika speaking people, who are part of the largest ethnic group in West Africa, the Mande, controlled the empire. Due to the empire’s size, it established an extensive trading network from the Niger River to the Gambia River, consequently connecting the Sahel to the Atlantic. By the mid-fourteenth century, however, the influence of Mali decreased due to its weakened state after a crisis. This political decline facilitated the creation of the Jolof Confederation which brought together all of the previously independent Wolof states of the region. The Mali Empire struggled into the 15th century due to competition from smaller neighboring states for control of the profitable salt and gold commercial routes.” (Exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu, 2015) · The Wolof Empire (12th – 15th century CE) “The states of the Jolof Empire split beginning around 1520, and by the mid-sixteenth century the empire had completely collapsed (The buurba Jolof (the leader of Jolof). However, did remain a key political figure until the late nineteenth century. After the fall of the Jolof Empire, Kajoor rose to be the most powerful state of the Wolof primarily due to its favorable trade location along the Atlantic coast. The empire regrouped as a Wolof state located from the southern Senegal to the Dakar region and the Seerers in the region of Saluum. Much of the fragmentation of the empire occurred due to changing economic reliance on Atlantic trade.” (Exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu, 2015) |
West African Empires
France colonized Senegal for 177 years.
Senegal gained independence from their European colonial power
Leopold Senghor first President of Senegal
Senegal was apart of Senegambia for 8 year before the union was mutually separated
Government Building in Dakar
|
· The Lebou Tribe (18th century)
The Lebou people obtained there independence from the Wolof empire in 1790. They had already settled in the Cape Verde Peninsula sometime in the 11th century.
· 1659: French found St. Louis at the mouth of the Senegal River and it became a key slave-trading port.
· 1756: Colonialism Begins AND Seven Years’ War Starts
The Portuguese begin using Senegal River for Trade routes: Increase in the export of slaves, ivory, and gum Arabic.
And
The Seven Years’ War started. It was a battle between the French and the British. British wanted to conquer Senegal since they had other nations nearby that they have conquered.
· 1763: The British took over the French posts in Senegal and formed a colony called the Senegambia, which ended the Seven Years’ War.
· 1783: The French regain it is holding after the defeat in the Seven Years’ War. It took them almost 20 years to gain it back.
· 1800’s: France extended its influence (agriculture, language, etc) and had gained all of Senegal’s territory.
· 1854-1865: Captain Louis Faidherbe Governor Of Senegal
French general and colonial administrator. Originally transferred to Senegal as sub-director of Engineers in 1854. Aimed to improve fortifications along the Senegal River to end African control of acacia gum trade. Critics of his work said that he made military moves without authority from the country of France's direction to do so.
· 1880: Timbuktu, Mali Empire
The city of Timbuktu, later part of Mali, became part of the French colony of Upper Senegal.
· 1896: Senegal becomes part of French west Africa
The French colonize Senegal. After the French won a war
· 1960, June: Senegal becomes independent and becomes a part of the Mali Federation
· 1960, August: Senegal pulls out of Mali Federation and becomes separate republic.
Leopold Senghor first President of Senegal. Also a poet and cultural theorist, Senghor was the first African member of the "Academie francaise" Founder of the "Sengalese Democratic Bloc," which was a political party founded in 1948 after the French section of the Workers' International. Senghor is also the author of the Senegalese National Anthem.
· 1963: First Constitution Drawn Up
This new constitution strengthened the powers of the president.
· 1981: Senegambia
Senegal and neighboring Gambia agreed to form confederation. Senegambia dissolved after the development of the Mauritania-Senegal Border War.
· 1989: Senegambian Confederation was disabled by the Senegalese political power since it wasn’t working. It was mainly because Senegal and Gambia were two different countries, so each had its own way, and so they decided to break it off.
· 2001: The new Senegalese government made a new constitution, which made the presidential term short and gave president power to dissolve parliament and such. The government signed peace with the separatist rebels in Casamance.
The Lebou people obtained there independence from the Wolof empire in 1790. They had already settled in the Cape Verde Peninsula sometime in the 11th century.
· 1659: French found St. Louis at the mouth of the Senegal River and it became a key slave-trading port.
· 1756: Colonialism Begins AND Seven Years’ War Starts
The Portuguese begin using Senegal River for Trade routes: Increase in the export of slaves, ivory, and gum Arabic.
And
The Seven Years’ War started. It was a battle between the French and the British. British wanted to conquer Senegal since they had other nations nearby that they have conquered.
· 1763: The British took over the French posts in Senegal and formed a colony called the Senegambia, which ended the Seven Years’ War.
· 1783: The French regain it is holding after the defeat in the Seven Years’ War. It took them almost 20 years to gain it back.
· 1800’s: France extended its influence (agriculture, language, etc) and had gained all of Senegal’s territory.
· 1854-1865: Captain Louis Faidherbe Governor Of Senegal
French general and colonial administrator. Originally transferred to Senegal as sub-director of Engineers in 1854. Aimed to improve fortifications along the Senegal River to end African control of acacia gum trade. Critics of his work said that he made military moves without authority from the country of France's direction to do so.
· 1880: Timbuktu, Mali Empire
The city of Timbuktu, later part of Mali, became part of the French colony of Upper Senegal.
· 1896: Senegal becomes part of French west Africa
The French colonize Senegal. After the French won a war
· 1960, June: Senegal becomes independent and becomes a part of the Mali Federation
· 1960, August: Senegal pulls out of Mali Federation and becomes separate republic.
Leopold Senghor first President of Senegal. Also a poet and cultural theorist, Senghor was the first African member of the "Academie francaise" Founder of the "Sengalese Democratic Bloc," which was a political party founded in 1948 after the French section of the Workers' International. Senghor is also the author of the Senegalese National Anthem.
· 1963: First Constitution Drawn Up
This new constitution strengthened the powers of the president.
· 1981: Senegambia
Senegal and neighboring Gambia agreed to form confederation. Senegambia dissolved after the development of the Mauritania-Senegal Border War.
· 1989: Senegambian Confederation was disabled by the Senegalese political power since it wasn’t working. It was mainly because Senegal and Gambia were two different countries, so each had its own way, and so they decided to break it off.
· 2001: The new Senegalese government made a new constitution, which made the presidential term short and gave president power to dissolve parliament and such. The government signed peace with the separatist rebels in Casamance.
General History Overview
Before colonization, Senegal was a part of many West African empires. In 1659, the French traveled down and found the island, now named St. Louis at the mouth of the Senegal River. Nearly 100 years later colonization started. The French and British fought a war for 7 years to see who would colonize Senegal. In the end, France won. Over 200 year later Senegal finally got its independence from their European Colonizers. The first constitution was drawn up in 1963, which gave the president more power. In 2001, a new constitution was drawn up that limited the terms the presidents could serve. Since decolonization, Senegal has become a role model for democracy and peaceful country
References
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Exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu,. (2015). Exploring Africa. Retrieved 18 July 2015, from http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/teachers/curriculum/m23/activity2.php
French Flag. (2015). Retrieved from http://sbmerge.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/french-flag.gif
Leopold Sedar Senghor, First President of Senegal. (2015). Retrieved from https://abagond.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/senghor02.jpg?w=500
National Assembly of Senegal, Place de Soweto, Dakar. (2015). Retrieved from http://m2.i.pbase.com/o6/93/329493/1/73280002.0DxetDIm.SenegalNov06049.jpg
Senegal's Independencw. (2015). Retrieved from http://image.slidesharecdn.com/africanflags14-141203040951-conversion-gate02/95/tcxpi-flags-of-africa-2014-12-638.jpg?cb=1417580278
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Africa map, Senegal. (2015). Retrieved from https://albatrossic.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/map_senegal.gif
Exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu,. (2015). Exploring Africa. Retrieved 18 July 2015, from http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/teachers/curriculum/m23/activity2.php
French Flag. (2015). Retrieved from http://sbmerge.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/french-flag.gif
Leopold Sedar Senghor, First President of Senegal. (2015). Retrieved from https://abagond.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/senghor02.jpg?w=500
National Assembly of Senegal, Place de Soweto, Dakar. (2015). Retrieved from http://m2.i.pbase.com/o6/93/329493/1/73280002.0DxetDIm.SenegalNov06049.jpg
Senegal's Independencw. (2015). Retrieved from http://image.slidesharecdn.com/africanflags14-141203040951-conversion-gate02/95/tcxpi-flags-of-africa-2014-12-638.jpg?cb=1417580278
Senegambia. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.zum.de/whkmla/histatlas/westafrica/senegambia1763.gif
Socialstudiessphere.wikispaces.com,. (2015). SocialStudiesSphere - Senegal-Timeline of Decolonization Events-Blk-E. Retrieved 7 August 2015, from https://socialstudiessphere.wikispaces.com/Senegal-Timeline+of+Decolonization+Events-Blk-E
Tiki-toki.com,. (2015). Senegal Timeline. Retrieved 7 August 2015, from http://www.tiki-toki.com/timeline/entry/102897/Senegal-Timeline/#vars!date=1078-10-12_20:31:00!
West African Empires. (2015). Retrieved from http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/teachers/curriculum/m23/history_clip_image004.jpg