Today, the region is one of the most politically stable in west africa and continues to overcome the torrid legacies of its past. Nearly half the population of benin is under the age of 15, and one of the major challenges to be addressed is the improvement of the legal and political status of women in benin. The origins and brief history of the ewe people narrated by dr. How did benin grow from tiny villages into a powerful empire. Library of congress federal research division country profile. Apr 09, 2015 benin ad 9000 is now a noneuropean study unit for ks2 on the new curriculum for history. The modern republic of benin, given that name only in 1975, is the successor to one of west africas most interesting and longlasting kingdoms, that of dahomey. It was destroyed in 1897 by the british, who attacked after the edo assaulted an earlier british expedition, which had been told not to enter the city during a religious festival but nonetheless. This tenlesson history unit contains lesson plans, pupil resources and teachers guides. It was founded by the first oba of benin who was the youngest son of the supreme god. According to our traditional history that evolved out of our ritualistic beliefs, this land of edo is the origin of the word. This is a short history of africa excluding egypt, ethiopia and dutch and british south africa, which are the subjects of separate histories. Pdf benin, the western niger delta, and the development of. There is at least one openair market in every town of the country.
During the period from the 11th century to the 16th century, the ewe, the mina, the gun, and various other tribes entered the region. Benin has, in recent history, undergone simultaneous political and economic transformation. In this article i explore how these arts both inform and are enriched by early ife history and the leaders who shaped it. During the th century, the indigenous edo people were run by a group of local chieftains. Benin ad 9000 is now a noneuropean study unit for ks2 on the new curriculum for history. If thats not enough, click over to our collection of world maps and flags. Why we must document benin historical facts, culture esogban. Oct 16, 2017 this free resource is differentiated in six levels for year 3 to year 6. Benin was the seat of one of the great medieval african kingdoms. Benin is bordered by togo to the west, burkina faso and niger to the north, nigeria to the east, and the bight of benin to the south.
It was destroyed in 1897 by the british, who attacked after the edo assaulted an earlier british expedition, which had been told not to enter the city during a religious festival but nonetheless attempted to do so. Bti 2016 benin country report transformation index bti. History early history little is known about the history of n benin. Save benin s history is one of great violence and tragedy, but also of perseverance. Provides comprehensive information on the geography, history, governmental structure, economy, cultural diversity, peoples, religion, and culture of benin provided by publisher includes bibliographical references and index. The first kingdom of benin is believed to have developed in the 12th or th century. Indeed these problems have framed and articulated approaches to both the precolonial edo kingdom and its situation. The culture is eclectic, largely a result of many different ethnic groups in the country, but is. The autonomous port of cotonou is one of the largest in west africa. Learn about the ancient kingdom of benin, where was it a when did it begin. Saburi biobaku director of the yoruba historical research schzme, nigeria the history of the indigenous peoples of west africa is ripe for intensive research. I am hugely grateful to the individuals who helped by. What links here related changes upload file special pages permanent link page.
Our great obas and ancestors enikaro will prevail on the true, loyal and patriotic benin people with benin blood in their veins to vote against. Benin, officially the republic of benin and formerly dahomey, is a country in west africa. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. The history of togo can be traced to archaeological finds which indicate that ancient local tribes were able to produce pottery and process iron.
Pdf ancient african civilizations span the course of several millennia, in time, and a large expanse of lands stretching from the nile valley a c. It was located in presentday southern nigeria, east of the yoruba land and west of the niger river. Benin was ruled by france between 1904 and 1960 and french is still. Facts about benin culture, people, slaves and health care. Benin history, language and culture world travel guide. The three main kingdoms created by the fon were that of allada, founded in the 16th century, it was the most powerful kingdom in ajaland before it fell to the armies of dahomey abomey. In the south, according to oral tradition, a group of aja migrated 12th or th cent. Vodou, the real battle to be won is in the popular arena, where voodoo continues, una. Nearly half the population of benin is under the age of 15, and one of the major challenges to be addressed is the improvement of the legal and political. Evidence from colonial benin leonard wantchekony marko kla snja natalija novta december 19, 2014 abstract using a unique dataset on students from the rst regional schools in colonial benin, we investigate the e ect of education on living standards, occupation and political participation. Check out our country profile, full of essential information about benin s geography, history, government, economy, population, culture, religion and languages. When the supreme god decided to send his children to the world, he gave an option to each of them to choose what to take away. Learn more about the history, geography, and culture of benin in this article. Cotonou international airport provides service to the capitals of the region and to france, as well as the major cities of benin.
Until the late 19th century, one of the major powers in west africa was the kingdom of. A short history of benin 3rd edition by jacob egharevba. Benin administrative level 02 boundaries the dataset represents the country, departments and communes boundaries of benin. Each worksheet requires children to fill in missing dates of major events during the kingdom of benin. The inhabitants of benin spoke a group of closely related languages known as. Benin was a french colony from the late 19th century until 1960. Lets learn more about it with these 43 important facts. We are not announcing a reopening date at this time and will provide updates on a regular and asneeded basis. Beninthe esogban of benin kingdom, chief david edebiri, has stressed the need for proper documentation of benin history and culture so that people he. Within nigeria, slavery was widespread and bore social implications that are still evident. Little is known about the history of togo before the late fifteenth century, when portuguese explorers arrived, although there are signs of ewe settlement for several centuries before their arrival.
Owing to the welcome given to the first edition in the vernacular of the short history, i have endeavoured in this english version to meet the needs of foreigners who do not understand the benin language, but are anxious to know its history. However, by the 15th century, a single ruler, known as the oba, had asserted control. The bariba and fula in the northeast arrived from mali in the 16th century. Baquaqua, 1854, full text in documenting the american south university of north carolina at chapel hill library peoples from senegambia, benin and the gold coast, in the abolition of the slave trade. Includes index introduces the history, geography, people, culture, and government of benin, a small agricultural country on the west coast of africa. List of books and articles about benin history online.
Pdf of all the west african societies, the kingdom of benin is the one. Permission is granted to copy, distribute andor modify this document under the terms of the gnu free documentation license, version 1. An oba, or king, and his court have, from around 0 c. Files are available under licenses specified on their. Benin administrative level 02 boundaries humanitarian data. The culture is eclectic, largely a result of many different ethnic groups in the countr. Benin planning and resource pack ks2 teaching resources. The forgotten story, from the schomburg center for research in black culture nypl timeline of art history. James phillips, a british official in the niger coast protectorate, led an unarmed expedition to benin city in january 1897 to enforce trade agreements and a ban on reported human sacrifice.
The highest point is mont sokbaro at 658 m 2,159 ft. Benin, slave accounts of life in africa before capture. The inevitable starting point is their traditional accounts. French colonial rule and subsequent close ties with france have left a deep impact on all aspects of cultural life, especially among the educated segments of the population and in the southern cities.
Though benin has a long history with slavery, slaves in the region were treated very well. Publication date 2006 topics benin juvenile literature. The kingdom of benin, also known as the benin kingdom, was a precolonial kingdom in what. When the supreme god decided to send his children to the world, he gave an option to. Save benins history is one of great violence and tragedy, but also of perseverance. Benin, t he we stern niger delta, and the development of the atlantic world even more seemingly compelling is the recent support given to this point of oral tradition by osarhieme benson osadolor. The history of benin is a succession of several kingdoms, it was the seat of dahomey, one of the great medieval african kingdoms. Benin is named after the body of water on which it lies the bight of benin. One of the most mysterious episodes of benin history, namely the establishment of the socalled 1st. Benin administrative level 02 boundaries humanitarian. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled gnu free documentation license. Program overview care started working in benin in 1999 and today is recognized for its education, genderbased violence, and microfinance interventions.
Vetting and live service provision by information technology outreach services itos with funding from usaid. Hubert maga was elected as the first president of benin. The country measures about 325 km 202 mi at its widest point. Both of these are different from the use of the word voodoo by. The kingdom of benin s capital was edo, now known as benin city in edo state. Benin simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Culture of benin history, people, clothing, women, beliefs.
The force cowrie for an emerging benin fcbe, a coalition of parties, closely linked to president yayi, won a plurality of the seats in the national assembly, providing the president with considerable influence over the legislative agenda. It is between the equator and the tropic of cancer. Revised for 2016, this book contains essential historical information and activities on kingdom of benin study of non european society which contrasts with british history. Click on a datetime to view the file as it appeared at that time. Various tribes moved into the country from all sides the ewe from benin, and the mina and the guin from ghana. While being very poor, benin is also one of the most politically stable countries in the west africa. Some of the history of these countries, however, is naturally mentioned in this history of the rest of africa but is kept to the minimum needed to make the rest comprehensible. Apr 12, 2018 beninthe esogban of benin kingdom, chief david edebiri, has stressed the need for proper documentation of benin history and culture so that people he described as mischievous, would not distort.
All smithsonian museums and smithsonian libraries locations continue to be closed to support the effort to contain the spread of covid19. From the 17th to the 19th century, the main political entities in the area were the kingdom of dahomey, along with the citystate of portonovo, and a large area with many different nations to the north. The history of the kingdom of benin from african historical. The yoruba people of the southeast spread westwards from nigeria during the 12th century, while the fon and aja people in the southwest originally came from togo. Benin is also home to fulani herders who move their livestock over long distances in search of grass. The kingdom of benin, also known as the benin kingdom, was a precolonial kingdom in what is now southern nigeria. Despite the british abuse of bini culture and marginalization of bini history, the spendour of edo civilization continues to this day to astound and exite the world. More than 40 different ethnic groups have settled in benin throughout its history.
It is not to be confused with benin, the postcolonial nation state. Three years after the coup that brought major kerekou to power, the name was changed to the peoples republic of benin, reflecting the marxistleninist ideology of the new government. Pdf benin, the western niger delta, and the development. Benin city was the principal city of the edo bini kingdom of benin flourished th19th century. Queen mother pendant mask iyoba edo peoples benin plaques at the british museum.
Benin artifacts are among the most exquisite and coveted in worlds history and the kingdom of benin ramains famous for its sophistication in social engineering and organization. Ife arts and the history of this important southwestern nigerian center, key aspects of this code can now be discerned. Later, allada became the capital of great ardra, a state whose kings ruled with the consent of the elders of the people. These sheets were prepared during 201415 to support schools in preparing to teach new and unfamiliar units of history. While the country has, all in all, made progress in consolidating its. Over the centuries, benin had years of greatness and suffered times of turmoil, but a single event divides ancient from modern benin. Why we must document benin historical facts, culture. The benin kingdom th 19th centuries as a megacommunity. The benin kingdom was one of the oldest and most highly developed states in the coastal hinterland of west africa, formed around the. Infoplease has everything you need to know about benin. This free resource is differentiated in six levels for year 3 to year 6. Pdf contesting the history of benin kingdom researchgate. Ks2 kingdom of benin timeline worksheets teaching resources. Benins history is one of great violence and tragedy, but also of perseverance.
Kinship in the admiralty islands from the anthropological papers of the american museum of natural history. Before 1975, the republic of benin was known as dahomey, its french colonial name. Kobla dotse published in 2011 xxxx publications disclaimer the material we present here is provided to you mainly for educational and information purposes only. The city is connected to parakou in the north by the beninniger railway. Wealthy businessman and political novice patrice talon was elected to a fiveyear presidential term in 2016 on a cleangovernment platform. The kingdom of benins capital was edo, now known as benin city in edo state.
The kingdom of benin, home of the edospeaking peoples, is located in the tropical rain forest region of what is now nigeria. Each ethnic group also has its own centuriesold tradition, which itself often mixes with the french influence. Benin held legislative elections on march 31, 2007, for the 83 seats in the national assembly. The article provides an anthropological analysis of the socio political system of the benin kingdom from coming to power of the. How do we know about periods of history without primary written sources. While the country has, all in all, made progress in consolidating its political transformation and is.
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