Ghana politics today is structured like many European nations. This includes a head of state who is referred to as the President, and a Parliament which provides a sharing of legislative powers. In the 1980s, this particular system was established in an attempt to prevent another military coup, and to keep Presidents from becoming dictators.
Prior to the colonial rule so common in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, this area was said to be the heart of their Ashanti Empire. Historically, it is said that this empire had as many as half a million troops to its credit, and was a real powerhouse in pre-colonial Africa. This was a very centralized state that conducted wars of expansion.
Primarily fought to collect taxes from neighboring kingdoms and pacify territories under Ashanti rule, these wars also secured trade routes to the interior of Africa. The Ashanti empire was most certainly involved in the slave trade long before the trafficking that took place with European colonialism. They were importers of slaves, however.
The Gold Coast made this area desirable to Europe, as there was a great deal of gold mined from there. Portuguese slave traders were the first Europeans to settle the area, and they established several forts during the thirteenth century. Along with the Portuguese, the Dutch Trading Company also maintained a presence for nearly a century.
With the rise of the industrial age, slave trading slowly became illegal starting in 1806, and finally ending in 1860. At this point, Europeans sought to acquire lands in Africa in order to extract raw materials. In a series of wars against the Ashanti, Europeans were able to acquire many towns along the Gold Coast.
There were as many as four wars between the Ashanti Empire and the British Empire, although many Africans living in British occupied towns supported the Europeans. An agreement in 1875 put an end to a lot of the conflict. It required them to acquiesce the southern coastal towns to Britain, and keep the trade road to Kumasi open.
With the twentieth century, there was less conflict with Europe. New food crops were brought into the area, and coffee became the largest cash crop for the Ghanians. With the end of the second world war, people in this part of Africa were wealthy, well educated, and ready to take over the rule of their own lands.
The later half of the twentieth century saw a rise of centralized totalitarian governments. In 1960 it became a republic, and Nkrumah won the election. He then declared himself president for life, and thus began a period of political and economic turmoil for the people of this region.
The Busia administration was able to overtake Nkrumah, but they did not prove to be any better. Harsh austerity measures were imposed against the people, including those who ran their military. Many foreign businesses and people were evicted from the country. Fed up with the austerity of Ghana politics, a military coup took over the country and maintained power until 1980.
Prior to the colonial rule so common in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, this area was said to be the heart of their Ashanti Empire. Historically, it is said that this empire had as many as half a million troops to its credit, and was a real powerhouse in pre-colonial Africa. This was a very centralized state that conducted wars of expansion.
Primarily fought to collect taxes from neighboring kingdoms and pacify territories under Ashanti rule, these wars also secured trade routes to the interior of Africa. The Ashanti empire was most certainly involved in the slave trade long before the trafficking that took place with European colonialism. They were importers of slaves, however.
The Gold Coast made this area desirable to Europe, as there was a great deal of gold mined from there. Portuguese slave traders were the first Europeans to settle the area, and they established several forts during the thirteenth century. Along with the Portuguese, the Dutch Trading Company also maintained a presence for nearly a century.
With the rise of the industrial age, slave trading slowly became illegal starting in 1806, and finally ending in 1860. At this point, Europeans sought to acquire lands in Africa in order to extract raw materials. In a series of wars against the Ashanti, Europeans were able to acquire many towns along the Gold Coast.
There were as many as four wars between the Ashanti Empire and the British Empire, although many Africans living in British occupied towns supported the Europeans. An agreement in 1875 put an end to a lot of the conflict. It required them to acquiesce the southern coastal towns to Britain, and keep the trade road to Kumasi open.
With the twentieth century, there was less conflict with Europe. New food crops were brought into the area, and coffee became the largest cash crop for the Ghanians. With the end of the second world war, people in this part of Africa were wealthy, well educated, and ready to take over the rule of their own lands.
The later half of the twentieth century saw a rise of centralized totalitarian governments. In 1960 it became a republic, and Nkrumah won the election. He then declared himself president for life, and thus began a period of political and economic turmoil for the people of this region.
The Busia administration was able to overtake Nkrumah, but they did not prove to be any better. Harsh austerity measures were imposed against the people, including those who ran their military. Many foreign businesses and people were evicted from the country. Fed up with the austerity of Ghana politics, a military coup took over the country and maintained power until 1980.
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