History of Ghana | How Old is Ghana?

When Did People First Start To Live in Ghana?

It is unclear just how long people have been living in the area known today as Ghana, but it is widely believed that people have been living in the region since the time of the Bronze age, which date back to about 2,000 BC. At the same time, it is difficult to confirm this because these people largely persisted based on fishing in the lagoons and rivers. As a result, they have not left behind a lot of traces. Furthermore, there is some evidence that shows that the area in central Ghana, north of the forest zone, could have been inhabited as long as 3,000 or 4,000 years ago.

When Did Ghana Start To Expand as an Empire?

While the Middle Ages were happening in Europe, the people living in Ghana were positioning themselves as a major empire. At the time, the empire included not only Ghana but Western Sudan as well. As a result, the history blends together. In fact, Ghana was the title given to the king of the areas. While a written history does not necessarily continue constantly during this time, there is evidence that the people living in Ghana accumulated a tremendous amount of wealth and had a significant amount of gold. They had a lot of opulence, and they had tremendous influence over the events that took place in Africa. Ghana would eventually succumb to attacks int he 11th century, and its influence waned significantly until the Europeans came and colonized the areas.

Which European Power Controlled Ghana?

Eventually, the European powers would arrive and take control of Africa, carving it up like a cake. Unfortunately, Ghana was not immune to this, and Ghana was controlled by the British for a few hundred years. It was administered as a part of the Gold Coast of the British Empire, and it did see a lot of economic and social development during this time; however, the people of Ghana would suffer greatly. At the end of World War II, the USA would be in control of the Allied powers, and it was pushing its European allies to give up control of their colonial possessions in an effort to win the Cold War. This led to Ghana getting its independence.

When Did Ghana Gain Its Independence?

In 1957, the UK formally relinquished Ghana and gave the area its independence. Unfortunately, Ghana, like many other African countries given their independence, is a mix of cultures, and not everyone likes each other. This has led to a tremendous amount of violence in the country, with governments rising and falling all the time. In addition, there is the major issue of corruption in the government. Dissent is often crushed, tax protests take place, and there are a lot of people who are wondering what the future holds for Africa, with Ghana included. While Ghana has gotten better during the past few decades, it is still in the process of developing.