When looking at colonial maps of Africa
most of the continent was divided between the European powers the only exceptions being the
Ethiopians who essentially fought off colonialization and one other on the opposite side of the continent
Liberia
However, this nation is a remnant of pre-colonial times
It was the attempt of African colonization by the United States of America
The American Colonization Society was set up in December of
1816 by just elected President James Monroe
future President Andrew Jackson
politician Henry Clay among others the main goal was an
establishment of a colony in Africa for free black Americans to go to
some of the founding members
Viewed this as vital towards protecting slave property while others and a good portion of the public
Supporters were abolished Ness and never had much support in the deep south
the organization raised around
$50,000 in donation and membership fees from sympathizers during its first ten years
when its biggest early source of income was the US government itself were in
1819 Congress authorized a payment of
$100,000 to the ACS in
1920 the ACS sent is first colonists to West Africa
consisting of 91 people
88 blacks and three whites on board a ship called the Elizabeth
They initially base themselves in the British colony of Sierra Leone before searching the coast for a place to establish their own
settlement where more than a quarter of the colonists died of yellow fever within three weeks an
Asian of the ACS arranged to purchase an area of land called Cape Moo's urato from La Jolla people for the sum of
$300 in
January of 1822 the first settlers arrived at the settlement the initial encounter
settlement the servants but in
1824 they renamed it Monrovia in honor of President James Monroe who was a supporter of the ACS the
settlement had its problems
Including several conflicts with the local inhabitants who resisted the expansion of the colony
but they did manage to thrive which was aided by the
immigration of over 2,500 African Americans over the next 20 years
The success of Monrovia inspired the creation of several more American colonies in the region such as the Maryland
Colonization Society in 1831 funded by the state taxpayers
Maryland appropriated
$260,000 to be spent over 26 years to support the MSC s
laws were also passed discriminating against free persons of color and Maryland in order to pressure them to emigrate in
February of
1834 the
MSC s establishes own colony in West Africa at Cape Palmas 400 kilometers to the south east of Monrovia is
capitalist named Harper City after former US senator from Maryland
The colony itself was named the Republic of Maryland the states of Louisiana and Mississippi
Also create their own settlement in Liberia at the mouth of the Sanyo River
the movement was openly backed by the wealthy planters of the region as a way to reduce the number of
african-americans in their states
however, only around
900 Africa there are even New York and Pennsylvanian societies who set up the colony of Port Chris on in
1832 he was destroyed by the local basa people but
Refounded three years later apasa Cove the supporters of this effort
included many
Evangelical Christians and Quakers and their motive was to spread the gospel to Africa
by planting a Protestant settlement in the region the US government had sponsored this colonization effort financially and
swore ships and Marines offered their protection to the colonies when needed but otherwise
It took a hands-off approach and left their administration to the societies
Crucially, the settlements also had British Goodwell the main concern of the UK government in West Africa in this era
was stamping out the slave trade and the appearance of a Free Republic of X slaves in the region was a boost to the
abolitionist cause
the colonists were almost all African Americans, but they brought within the English language Protestant religion and
euro-american laws customs and attitudes to the natives who lived in West Africa in
1838 the ACS colony of Monrovia United with the Quaker colony at basa Cove to form the Common Wealth of Liberia
its population was
2,250 with 20 churches and 10 schools a
system of government was organized under the ACA back in the United States and they appointed a governor with
executive and judicial powers and a veto over legislation
But the colonists themselves would elect a legislative body Thomas Bucknam, which was brother of a future US president
Was the first governor?
after his death in 1841 the
ACS appointed a local resident Joseph Roberts who became the first black head of government in
Liberia the colony of Mississippi and Africa agreed to join Liberian
1842
however, the Maryland one was unwilling and would remain separate until
1857 in
1846 the ACS urged liberia to declare its independence
Which did the following year on July the 26?
There were two reasons for this first the ACS was nearing bankruptcy the initial donation from the US government was long gone
And Congress was unwilling to advance more funds
While a colonization movement had never been as popular with the public as its founders had hoped so donations were insufficient
second British merchants were complaining to their own government about attempts by the
ACS to restrict or tax their trade with local African tribes along the coast
It was believed that Liberia declared itself an independent sovereign state
It would be in a stronger position to resist British pressure to allow free trade
Liberia thus become an independent nation in
1847
This didn't stop the ACS from continue its goal though and even during the American Civil War
They sent roughly 200 to Africa, but the nation had a bit more to worry about at the time
However, the nation remained part of the USS fear of influence with a treaty under which the US government
Agreed to provide advice and assistance as required
American troops intervened in Liberia at least five times in the 19th and 20th centuries to prop up the colonial Liberian government
against indigenous African resistance
Liberia's currency from independence to 1907 was a Liberian dollar which was peaked the US dollar
following the collapse of the economy in 1907
The country was threatened with the takeover by its creditors
But the united states preserved its independence following this in the start of the First World War
The United States started to take a more hands-off approach
Towards its former colony and while the history of Liberia continues on even to this day with many
Important events occurring within the nation that will be a topic for another time