History of Senegal - SpeedyLook encyclopedia

The Histoire of Senegal is divided into many periods since prehistory, the period précoloniale, colonization then the contemporary era.

Prehistory

Current Senegal would have known a rather old settlement, considered very former to the Christian era. The double-side ones out of almond characteristics of the lower Paléolithique were discovered in the Presqu'île of Cape Verde, as well as other more elaborate objects out of stone (hatchets, scrapers) in the area of Rufisque and at the edge of the rivers of Eastern Senegal.

With the Neolithic , the tools diversifies and the Céramique makes its appearance. The excavations carried out in the coastal regions put at the day of the remainders of kitchen which testify to an important population to fishermen and tradesmen (backwater of Khant in the delta, mouth of the Saloum). The metallurgy develops at the time Protohistorique (thousand-year-old Ier front J. - C.), where one also finds tombs in form of Tumulus. In the center of the country, overflowing on current the Gambia, one finds a whole of circles megalithic, covering a sector of 100 km out of 250 km. One finds this type of alignment in north is Central African Republic.

Kingdoms

The oral tradition allots the vestiges of l´ age of iron to the Sérères. The settlements were gradually consolidated to lead to the creation of local kingdoms. The first known kingdom is formed at the 7th century century, it s´agit of the Tekrour, vassal of the Ghana. As from the 12th century, the Arabs come from North will spread l´ Islam, but also to launch out in the Traite négrière. They will bring l´écriture, the horse and the wheel. Tekrour converts with l´islam after the fall of its suzerain Animiste. It will be the d´origine place Toucouleurs. The Moors are born from the interbreeding between Arabic, Berber and certain Noirs people.

The empires mandingues and the kingdom of the Djolof gathering the Ouolofs are founded during the 13th century and 14th century. Small principalities in the south of the River Senegal - (Waalo, Cayor, Baol, Sine - Saloum) - fall then under l´influence from Ouolofs. It should be noted that these populations did not know the private property and did not seek to delimit nor to supervise their borders.

Colonization

Several European nations arrived in the area as from the 15th century. The Portuguese accosted in 1444 on the peninsula of Cape Verde and with Gorée, then started to establish counters starting from 1500. Senegal quickly became a great center of trade of the slaves, initially locally, then towards Americas as from the 17th century. L´arrivée of Europeans will precipitate l autonomy of the small principalities under l´emprise ouolof.

The Great Britain and the Holland also attended the area - Holland took the island of Gorée in 1627 - until the France settles there, melting Saint-Louis in 1659, city which will become first capital of Senegal and later capital of the AOF (French Western Africa). France took the island of Gorée in Holland in 1677. While Europeans are in competition, the capture of the slaves stimulates the conflicts between African ethnos groups.

Islam, the religion now dominant in Senegal (more than 90% of the population), was introduced for the first time at the 11th century. The last Senegalese people converted with Islam were Wolof, between 1670 and 1770.
In 1850, Oumar Tall, chief of the brotherhood Tidjane, founded an Islamic empire which extended from Tombouctou in Senegal. It was beaten by France in 1864, but Wolof took the party of Tall in a conflict which lasted thirty years.

Louis Leon César Faidherbe, governor of Senegal of 1854 with 1861 and of 1863 with 1865, provided the foundations of future the French Western Africa (AOF). Respectful from the indigenous habits, it very extended the French influence beyond the Senegal, worked to develop the local economy and was the creator of the port of Dakar.
July 21st, 1857, creation of the first body of Senegalese Riflemen by the governor Faidherbe.

France obtained the control of most of Western Africa to the Conférence of Berlin of 1884 - 1885. The Gambia was allotted to Great Britain.

Walk towards independence

In 1902, Dakar became the capital of the French Western Africa, one of the colony S Frenchwomen.

In September 1940 an attempt at unloading of the Alliés - known under the name of Battle of Dakar - failed.

Transition towards the democracy

In December 1962, the Prime Minister Mamadou Dia tried a coup d'etat which was prevented without bloodshed. Dia was arrested and imprisoned, then a new adopted constitution, which reinforced the capacity of the president. Towards the end of its career, Senghor undertook an opening controlled with the multi-party system. It was withdrawn from the policy in 1981 and resigned in favor of its appointed successor, Abdou Diouf.

Senegal and the Gambia were linked in 1982 to form the confederation of Sénégambie, but this confederation theoretical and was only been application forever. It was finally dissolved in 1989.

See too

Political of Senegal

Media

JELLYFISH CD-ROM on the history of Senegal of 1455 to our days

Random links:

Hundred Kingdoms | Maggiora | Nilsiä | -1327 | Tournament of New Haven 2007 - simple ladies