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>.
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