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Current issue dated
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The Gambia´s History
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It appears that in the Gambia the civilization began
approximately 10,000 years ago. Rock paintings and tools indicate
that it must have been a highly cultured civilization of farmers and
hunters. This is also suggested by the famous stone circles on the
north coast of the Gambia River, the meaning of which have not been
discovered yet. In West Africa, there were farming villages and towns
as early as the first century. At that time even iron smelting techniques
were used. Larger settlements were founded starting in the second
century. During the following centuries, trade between the north and
the south of the Sahara increased.
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10th/11th centuries |
In the 10th and 11th centuries,
The Gambia was part of the Ghanian empire.
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13th century |
At the beginning of the 13th
century,The Gambia was headed by the Mandinka tribe. The Mali empire
of 1235 was expanded to the current area of The Gambia.
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1455 |
In 1455, the explorer Alvis
de Ca da Mosto, tempted by alleged gold findings, arrived in The Gambia.
He and his men built trading posts for precious metals. Located on
the route to India, The Gambia was geographically well situated so
the trading posts played an important role. By the way, the name Gambia
derives from the Spanish word cambio meaning exchange.
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1618 |
In 1618, Portugal sold its trading
rights to Great Britain, which used The Gambia mainly for the slave
trade from that time on. Until 1810, about two million slaves were
taken to the New World. Apart from the English, the French also settled
in this area. A fight for supremacy in the slave trade broke out,
in which the Portuguese, French, British, Dutch and Germans were involved.
Fort James lost its strategic importance due to the construction of
new military posts in Barra and Bathurst (today's Banjul) at the mouth
of the Gambia River, which were more suitable for the surveillance
of shipping. However, Fort James still served as a collecting point,
where slave traders brought their slaves.
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1765 |
The English gain possession
of Senegal and the Gambia.
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1776 |
The Senegalese town of St.
Louis was taken over by the French.
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1783 |
Because of the Treaty of Paris, signed in that year, England has
to back down, but receives today's Banjul and the passable part
of the Gambia River.
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1807 |
British parliament abolishes
slavery. The French do not follow suit until 1848.
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1820 |
Great Britain declares the Gambia
to be a British protectorate und governs the area from Sierra Leone.
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1829 |
Having abolished slavery, Great Britain looks for new sources of
income. Peanuts begin to be cultivated and traded. (The harvested
peanuts were crushed and pressed into oil, which was sent to Europe
for processing.) Thanks to the trade, the Gambia River becomes one
of the most important rivers in West Africa.
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1888 |
The Gambia becomes a separate colony with its current borders.
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1901 |
The Gambia
becomes a British crown colony.
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Feb.
18, 1965 |
The Gambia
achieves complete independence as a member of the British Commonwealth.
Nevertheless, the English queen Elizabeth II officially remains head
of state.
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Apr.
24, 1970 |
After a referendum, the Gambia becomes a republic, led by President
Dawda Kairaba Jawara.
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1971 |
The dalasi becomes the official
currency of the Gambia.
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1973 |
The Gambia's
capital of Bathurst is renamed Banjul as a result of africanisation.
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1976 |
The Gambia's first opposition
party, the People's Progressive Party (PPP), is officially recognised.
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1981 |
The Gambia and Senegal found the Senegambia Confederation. The
head of the organization becomes the Senegalese president Abdou
Diouf, and Jawara becomes vice president. The Gambia withdraws from
the confederation in 1989 .
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July
22, 1994 |
After
a putsch led by former Lieutenant Yahyah Jammeh, the Provisional Ruling
Military Council of Patriotic Forces (PRCPF) becomes the provisional
government under the leadership of Jammeh.
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September
26, 1996 |
A presidential election takes place and Jammah wins the election.
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January
16, 1997 |
Inkrafttreten
einer neuen Verfassung. Yahyah Jammeh wird dadurch auch Regierungschef.
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October
18, 2001 |
Jammah
is re-elected in new presidential elections.
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Jan. 17, 2002
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Parliamentary
elections take place even though the most important opposition party,
the United Democratic Party (UDP), boycotts them.
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History
