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814 BCE
Carthage is found as a Phoenician State in modern day Tunisia
The Phoenician state was an ancient civilization that was made of independent-city states. All of the states were along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Which is now Syria. They were known as a great maritime people, mostly because on their ships were heads of horses in honor of their god of the sea, yamm, the brother of mot, who is the god of death. The island city of Tyre and Sidon were the most powerful cities in Phoenicia. They also traded with other powerful cities. -
500 BCE
Carthage builds powerful navy. Its harbor is the largest and most famous
Carthage was very famous for their seafaring skills and how good they built their ships. They protected an empire and that empire stretched from Sicily all the way to the coast of Africa. Their nary was so good, that they got targeted more than any other navy would. Carthage would also be challenged and replaced by the romans. The romans navy were as powerful as their land army, in which were very powerful. Before the romans replaced Carthage, they took over a few nearby Phoenician cities. -
146 BCE
Carthage is destroyed by the Romans in the Third Punic War
The Carthaginian Empire was one of the most influential empires, with influence spreading throughout Northwest Africa and some of Iberia. The Romans eventually rose to power and already had a few wars with Carthage. The Romans annexed some of their land and took siege of Carthage. The fall of Carthage in 146 BC during the Third Punic War which left about 62,000 Carthaginians dead and 50,000 enslaved. After the fall of Carthage, Rome became the global superpower. -
1400
Europeans infiltrated West/Northwest African coastline
Africans organized their societies around the family unit, and gold supply often dictated which society held the most power—until the start of the Atlantic slave trade. Europeans invade West African coastline, and disrupting African social fabric to be sold into slavery. New sugar and tobacco plantations in the Americas and Caribbean heightened the demand for enslaved people, ultimately forcing a total of 12.5 million Africans across the Atlantic and into slavery. -
1503
Spain brought first African captives to the Americas
From the middle of the 15th century, Africa entered into a unique relationship with Europe that led to the devastation and depopulation of Africa, but contributed to the wealth and development of Europe. Before the mid-15th century, the trade in human beings in Africa. The transatlantic slave trade began during the 15th century. In 1503, the Spanish took the first captives from Europe to America. By 1518 they were directly shipped from Africa to America. -
Muhammad ‘Ali sent educational missions to Europe to learn engraving.
Muhammad ‘Ali initiates a series of military, economic, and administrative reforms, relying on the expertise of French and Italian advisors. These reforms are followed by legal and educational transformations under Isma‘il Pasha, better known as Khedive Isma‘il. In 1894, the Institut de Carthage organizes the first Salon Tunisien in Tunis. In the next century, Libya, too, will fall into European hands. French involvement in Tunisian affairs increases as Tunisia modernizes. -
The opening to the Suez canal opened up trade in Europe
The opening of the Suez Canal and French expansion into North Africa and makes trade routes through Morocco obsolete.Sultan Hasan ibn Muhammad (r. 1873–94) introduces military, administrative, and infrastructural reforms, but these prove unsuccessful due to strong opposition by religious and political elites, thus paving the way for French colonization between 1899 and 1912.Moroccan presence at the world’s fairs is modest. Morocco preserves its own distinct Berber tradition. -
Morocco and Tunisia gain independence after international pressure towards France
After WWII, major nationalist movements took place all over Africa, encouraging them to gain independence. President Franklin Roosevelt even encouraged the Sultan of Morocco to fight for independence against France. After many attacks on the French, with intense international pressure on France, Morocco became an independent country on March 2, 1956. Just weeks later, Tunisia would gain independence from France through the Neo Destour Party on March 20, 1956. -
Algerian war ends French control of Algeria
Algeria would gain independence after Morocco and Tunisia, and they did this process through war. The Algerian war started on November 1, 1954 and raged on until their independence on March 19, 1962. This war was not an ordinary war. The Algerian war included guerilla warfare, maquis fighting, and the use of torture. The United Nations eventually recognized the right for independence for Algeria, and the war ended in signing the Evian Accords between the French and Algerian parties. -
Western Sahara decolonized in 1975, disputed territory ever since
Western Sahara was also controlled by Europeans, this time by Spain. Spain has had control of this territory since the 1880s, and Western Sahara was finally decolonized in 1975. This didn’t end the fighting though, and the territory is still disputed. Moroccans and the self proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic are fighting for the territory to this day. The United Nations have officially listed this territory as part of the non-self governing territories.
