British AfricaThe Gold Coast

Katherine Sasu-Twumasi

The Gold Coast• Western coast of Africa• Volta River region• Gold• Slaves• Resources

Why England Went• The Gold Coast

o Gold, Silver, Ivory

• Slave Tradeo More important after discovery of the New World

• Competitiono Franceo Portugalo Dutch

Competition• French

o Had territory in Africao Togo

• Portugueseo Ivory, gold, and silvero Elmina Castle (modern-day Ghana)—built as protection

• Dutcho Had several fortso Beat Portugalo Dutch West India Company

Slave Trade• Slavery was NOT new

o Prisoners of waro Were not mistreatedo Agricultural society—not like plantations in New World

• Slaves provided by African chiefso Asanteo Fante

• Affected the demographics of the lando 5,000/year (Gold Coast alone)o Many died/were killed

Companies• Royal African Company

o Monopoly

• British African Company of Merchantso Took over monopolyo More efficiento Fortso Trading Ports

• England beat out competition (19th century)o Danish company failedo England in control

Change of Heart• Britain: “Slavery is inhumane”• The slave trade was abolished in 1807

o Crippled the profitability of the African Company of Merchants

• 1821, government took over all forts

The Ashanti Wars• Ashanti had risen to be a major force• 1820s the British extend their influence to interior.

o concerned that the Ashanti were supplying slaves other European nations

• War (1824-1831)

• British underestimated the power of the Ashanti and the extent of their weaponry

• Britain annexed the land 1896

Lasting Effects

• Language influenceo Ghanaian English sounds British

• Religiono Christianity

• Governmento Republic

Ghana• First African country to gain independence—

March 6, 1957

Works Cited• "British Empire: The Map Room: Africa: Gold Coast." British

Empire: The Map Room: Africa: Gold Coast. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 July 2013. <http://www.britishempire.co

.uk/maproom/goldcoast.htm>.• "History Slave Trade." History Slave Trade. N.p., 2013.

Web. 22 July 2013. <http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/history/slave-trade.php>.

• Jones, Jim. "The British in West Africa." The British in West Africa. N.p., 2013. Web. 18 July 2013. http://courses.

wcupa.edu/jones/his312/lectures/brit-occ.htm• . PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 18 July 2013. <http://www.pbs.org/

wgbh/aia/part1/1p269.html>.