NationMaster - Encyclopedia: History of The Gambia

The Gambia was once part of the Ghana and the Songhai Empires. The first written accounts of the religion come from records of Arab traders in the 9th and 10th centuries AD. Arab traders established the trans-Saharan trade route for slaves, gold, and ivory. In the 15th century, the Portuguese took over this trade using maritime routes. At that time, The Gambia was part of the Mali Empire. Range of the Songhai Empire From the early 15th to the late 16th century, the Songhai Empire was one of the largest African empires in history. ... This earthenware dish was made in 9th century Iraq. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. ... The Arabs ((Arabic: Ø¹Ø±Ø¨ Ê»arab) are a large ethnic group widespread in the Middle East and North Africa, originating in the Arabian Peninsula of southwest Asia. ... DjennÃ©, founded in 800, an important trading base, now a World Heritage Site Trans-Saharan trade, between Mediterranean countries and West Africa, was an important trade route from the eighth century until the late sixteenth century. ... The Buxton Memorial Fountain, celebrating the emancipation of slaves in the British Empire in 1834, London. ... General Name, Symbol, Number gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 6, d Appearance metallic yellow Atomic mass 196. ... Ivory is a hard, white, opaque substance that is the bulk of the teeth and tusks of animals such as the elephant, hippopotamus, walrus, mammoth, etc. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... The Mali Empire was an Islamic Empire of the Mandinka people in West Africa from the 14th to 17th centuries. ...

In 1588, the claimant to the Portuguese throne, Antonio, Prior of Crato, sold exclusive trade rights on The Gambia River to English merchants; this grant was confirmed by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I. In 1618, King James I granted a charter to a British company for trade with The Gambia and the Gold Coast (now Ghana). Between 1651 and 1661 Gambia was a colony of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. 1588 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... Anthony I of Portugal (Portuguese: AntÃ³nio) (Lisbon, 1531 â€“ Paris, August 26, 1595), known by The Prior of Crato (and, rarely, as The Determined, The Fighter or The Independentist), was a grandson of Manuel I, claimant of the Portuguese throne during the 1580 crisis (struggle for the throne of Portugal... Elizabeth I Queen of England and Ireland Queen of France, nominal title Elizabeth I (September 7, 1533–March 24, 1603) was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from November 17, 1558 until her death. ... Events March 8 - Johannes Kepler discovers the third law of planetary motion (he soon rejects the idea after some initial calculations were made but on May 15 confirms the discovery). ... James VI Charles Stuart of Scots and James I of England and Ireland (Charles James) (19 June 1566â€“27 March 1625) was King of England, King of Scots, and King of Ireland. ... Flag of Gold Coast Gold Coast was a British colony on the Gulf of Guinea in west Africa. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

During the late 17th century and throughout the 18th, England and France struggled continuously for political and commercial supremacy in the regions of the Senegal and Gambia Rivers. The 1783 Treaty of Versailles gave Great Britain possession of The Gambia, but the French retained a tiny enclave at Albreda on the north bank of the river which was ceded to the United Kingdom in 1857. (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 kmÂ² Population - Total (mid-2004) - Density Ranked 1st UK 50. ... Gambia River from space The Gambia River is a major river in Africa, running 1,130 km (700 miles) from the Fouta Djallon plateau in north Guinea to the Atlantic Ocean at the city of Banjul. ... The treaty was an International affair The Treaty of Versailles of 1919 was the peace treaty which officially ended World War I between the Allies and Germany. ... Albreda was a French exclave in The Gambia on the north bank of the Gambia River that was transferred from the French colonial empire to the British empire in 1857. ... 1857 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

As many as 3 million slaves may have been taken from the region during the three centuries that the transatlantic slave trade operated. It is not known how many slaves were taken by Arab traders prior to and simultaneous with the transatlantic slave trade. Most of those taken were sold to Europeans by other Africans; some were prisoners of intertribal wars; some were sold because of unpaid debts, while others were kidnapped. Slaves were initially sent to Europe to work as servants until the market for labor expanded in the West Indies and North America in the 18th century. In 1807, slave trading was abolished throughout the British Empire, and the British tried unsuccessfully to end the slave traffic in The Gambia. They established the military post of Bathurst (now Banjul) in 1816. In the ensuing years, Banjul was at times under the jurisdiction of the British governor general in Sierra Leone. In 1888, The Gambia became a separate colonial entity. The Buxton Memorial Fountain, celebrating the emancipation of slaves in the British Empire in 1834, London. ... // Etymology World map showing Africa (geographically) The name Africa came into Western use through the Romans, who used the name Africa terra â€” land of the Afri (plural, or Afer singular) â€” for the northern part of the continent, as the province of Africa with its capital Carthage, corresponding to modern-day... The Caribbean or the West Indies is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is a continent in the northern hemisphere bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the... 1807 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Bathurst can refer to several cities in English-speaking countries: Bathurst, New Brunswick (Canada) Bathurst, New South Wales (Australia) Bathurst, South Africa, near Grahamstown on the eastern cape. ... Street in Banjul city Banjul is the capital of The Gambia with a population of 34,828 as of 2003. ... 1816 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1888 is a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ...

An 1889 agreement with France established the present boundaries, and The Gambia became a British Crown Colony, divided for administrative purposes into the colony (city of Banjul and the surrounding area) and the protectorate (remainder of the territory). The Gambia received its own executive and legislative councils in 1901 and gradually progressed toward self-government. A 1906 ordinance abolished slavery. 1889 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... A United Kingdom overseas territory (formerly known as a dependent territory or earlier as a crown colony) is a territory that is under the sovereignty and formal control of the United Kingdom but is not part of the United Kingdom proper (Great Britain and Northern Ireland). ...

During World War II, Gambian troops fought with the Allies in Burma. Banjul served as an air stop for the U.S. Army Air Corps and a port of call for Allied naval convoys. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt stopped overnight in Banjul en route to and from the Casablanca Conference in 1943, marking the first visit to the African Continent by an American president while in office. World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atom bomb. ... When spelt with a capital A, Allies usually denotes the countries that fought together against the Central Powers in World War I and against the Axis Powers in World War II. For more information, see the related articles: Allies of World War I and Allies of World War II. Other... 1. ... The Casablanca Conference was held at the Anfa Hotel in Casablanca, Morocco, from January 14 to 24, 1943, to plan the European strategy of the Allies during World War II. Present were Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle. ... 1943 is a common year starting on Friday. ...

After World War II, the pace of constitutional reform quickened. Following general elections in 1962, full internal self-government was granted in 1963. The Gambia achieved independence on February 18, 1965, as a constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth. Shortly thereafter, the government proposed changing from a monarchy to a republic with an elected president replacing the British monarch as head of state. The proposal failed to receive the two-thirds majority required to amend the constitution, but the results won widespread attention abroad as testimony to The Gambia's observance of secret balloting, honest elections, and civil rights and liberties. On April 24, 1970, The Gambia became a republic within the Commonwealth, following a second referendum, with Prime Minister Dawda (later Sir Dawda) Kairaba Jawara, as executive President. 1962 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1963 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... February 18 is the 49th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link goes to calendar). ... The Commonwealth of Nations, usually known as The Commonwealth, is an association of independent sovereign states, almost all of which are former territories of the British Empire. ... The President of the Philippines meets with the President of the United States. ... April 24 is the 114th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (115th in leap years). ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara (born May 16, 1924) was the first President of The Gambia (1970 - 1994). ...

Until a military coup in July 1994, The Gambia was led by President Jawara who was re-elected five times. The relative stability of the Jawara era was broken first by a violent coup attempt in 1981. The coup was led by Kukoi Samba Sanyang, who, on two occasions, had unsuccessfully sought election to parliament. After a week of violence which left several hundred dead, Jawara, in London when the attack began, appealed to Senegal for help. Senegalese troops defeated the rebel force. 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In the aftermath of the attempted coup, Senegal and The Gambia signed the 1982 Treaty of Confederation. The result, the Senegambia Confederation, aimed eventually to combine the armed forces of the two nations and to unify economies and currencies. The Gambia withdrew from the confederation in 1989. 1982 (MCMLXXXII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Senegambia was a loose confederation between the small West African country of Senegal and its smaller neighbor The Gambia (which is surrounded by Senegal, except for an outlet to the sea), which existed from February 1, 1982 to September 30, 1989 following an agreement between the two countries signed on... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In July 1994, the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) seized power in a military coup d'etat. The AFPRC deposed the democratically elected government of Sir Dawda Jawara and banned political activity. Lieutenant Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, chairman of the AFPRC, became head of state. Categories: People stubs | 1965 births ...

The AFPRC announced a transition plan for return to democratic civilian government. The Provisional Independent Electoral Commission (PIEC) was established in 1996 to conduct national elections. The transition process included the compilation of a new electoral register, adoption of a new constitution by referendum in August 1996, and presidential and legislative elections in September 1996 and January 1997, respectively. Retired Col. Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh was sworn into office as President of the Republic of The Gambia on November 6, 1996. The PIEC was transformed to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on April 17, 1997. The IEC is responsible for registration of voters and conduct of elections and referenda. 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 6 is the 310th day of the year (311th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 55 days remaining. ... April 17 is the 107th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (108th in leap years). ...

The Gambia recently emerged from its isolation to accept a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council during 1998-99. A session of the Security Council in progress The United Nations Security Council is the most powerful organ of the United Nations. ... 1998(MCMXCVIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) is a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

The IEC conducted a presidential election on October 18, 2001, during which President Jammeh was re-elected for a second 5-year term (2001-06). National Assembly and local government elections are scheduled for January and April 2002, respectively. October 18 is the 291st day of the year (292nd in Leap years). ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2002(MMII) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...