World History



Decolonization and Development

Ghana Research Guide

Directions: Read the following information about Ghana’s fight for independence and the development of its political, social, and economic systems after independence. With your expert group, conduct research and analyze documents to complete the Decolonization Graphic Organizer for Ghana. Next, you will teach another group about decolonization and development in Ghana and learn about the same in India, Israel, and Egypt to complete the graphic organizer. Your teacher may assign you to do additional research on the decolonization and development of Ghana.

Background

The Empire of Ghana was a medieval West African Empire that collapsed before the 1100s CE. No nation called Ghana existed for hundreds of years after that collapse as the region was controlled first by the Mali and then Songhai empires. When the Portuguese first arrived, they set up trading forts near the coast. After the Portuguese were banned from trading there, the Dutch and British set up trading posts around the area called the Gold Coast.

Analyze the map below to learn about the significance of West Africa in world trade. Use the questions below to guide your analysis.

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Source: This image from is in the public domain.

1. What do you notice about the details of the map?

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2. What do you think is the significance of the names used along the coast?

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3. Why do you think other nations might want control of this region?

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By the 1870s, the British controlled much of the trade in and out of the Gold Coast. The Dutch sold their last fort to the British in 1872, and by 1900, the native Africa empires in the area had been defeated, making the British dominant in the area. By the end of World War II in 1945, the economy of Ghana was very prosperous and local Ghanaians were starting to organize political parties to gain more local control.

Research

Directions: Now that you have learned the history behind the nation of Ghana, it is your turn to find information to learn about the impact of colonization and decolonization on the development of Ghana.

Your research must answer the research question: How did colonization and decolonization impact development of the political, social, and economic systems of Ghana?

To help you organize your research, the history has been divided into three time periods in the development of Ghana: Independence, Immediately after Independence, and Towards the 21st Century.

Use the guiding questions, resources for research, and documents provided to conduct your research and complete the Decolonization Graphic Organizer.

Your teacher may provide additional directions as to how you will answer the research question for Ghana. Remember to use evidence from your research and the documents to provide evidence for your response to the research question.

Research Question: How did colonization and decolonization impact development of the political, social, and economic systems of Ghana?

Time Period 1: Independence

Guiding Questions

1. What role did non-violent protests play in achieving independence?

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2. What role did Kwame Nkrumah play in achieving independence?

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3. What were the key elements of Kwame Nkrumah's independence speech?

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Resources for Research

1. A Country Study: Ghana from the Library of Congress

2. U.S. Department of State - Background on Ghana

3. CIA - The World Factbook: Ghana

4. Freedom House - Country Report: Ghana

Document 1: Kwame Nkrumah Declares Independence

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Source: This image from is in the public domain.

Document 2: Independence Speech by Kwame Nkrumah on March 6, 1957

At long last, the battle has ended! And thus, Ghana, your beloved country is free forever!

 

And yet again, I want to take the opportunity to thank the people for this country; the youth, the farmers, the women who have so nobly fought and won the battle.

 

Also, I want to thank the valiant ex-service men who have so cooperated with me in this mighty task of freeing our country from foreign rule and imperialism.

 

And, as I pointed out... from now on, today, we must change our attitudes and our minds. We must realize that from now on we are no longer a colonial but free and independent people.

 

But also, as I pointed out, that also entails hard work. That new Africa is ready to figt his own battles and show that after all the black man is capable of managing his own affairs.

 

We are going to demonstrate to the world, to the other nations, hat we are prepared to lay our foundation - our own African personality.

 

As I said to the Assembly a few minutes ago, I made a point that we are going t create our own Africa personality and identity. It is the only way we can show the world that we are ready for our own battles.  ...

We have won the battle and again rededicate ourselves ... OUR INDEPENDENCE IS MEANINGLESS UNLESS IT IS LINKED UP WITH THE TOTAL LIBERATION OF AFRICA.  ...

 

Ghana is free forever! And here I will ask the band to play the Ghana National Anthem.

 

Reshaping Ghana's destiny, I am depending on the millions of the country, and the chiefs and the people, to help me to reshape the destiny of this country. We are prepared to pick it up and make it a nation that will be respected by every nation in the world.

 

We know we're going to have difficult beginnings, but again, I am relying on your support.... I am relying upon your hard work.

 

Seeing you in this... It doesn't matter how far my eyes go, I can see that you are here in your millions. And my last warning to you is that you are to stand firm behind us so that we can prove to the world that when the African is given a chance, he can show the world that he is somebody!

 

We have awakened. We will not sleep anymore. Today, from now one, there is a new African in the world!

Source: This document from ghana50_independence_speech.shtml is in the public domain.

Research Question: How did colonization and decolonization impact development of the political, social, and economic systems of Ghana?

Time Period 2: Immediately Following Independence

Guiding Questions

1. What type of government was established by Kwame Nkrumah after independence?

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2. What freedoms and rights were guaranteed to the people?

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3. Why did the economy suffer after independence?

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4. How did other countries see Ghana's struggle?

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5. Why was Kwame Nkrumah overthrown in 1966?

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Resources for Research

1. A Country Study: Ghana from the Library of Congress

2. U.S. Department of State - Background on Ghana

3. CIA - The World Factbook: Ghana

4. Freedom House - Country Report: Ghana

Document 1: Kwame Nkrumah and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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Source: This image from is in the public domain

Document 2: Kwame Nkrumah's Famous Saying

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Source: This image from is in the public domain.

Document 3: Kwame Nkrumah's Tomb

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Source: This image from is in the public domain.

Research Question: How did colonization and decolonization impact development of the political, social, and economic systems of Ghana?

Time Period 3: Towards the 21st Century

Guiding Questions

1. How did the military intervene in Ghanaian politics after Kwame Nkrumah?

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2. Why did Ghana finally transition to a democracy in the 1990s?

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3. What rights are guaranteed to the people?

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4. What accomplishments and struggles does Ghana face in the 21st century?

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5. How does Ghana's GDP compare with Kenya and Egypt?

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Resources for Research

1. A Country Study: Ghana from the Library of Congress

2. U.S. Department of State - Background on Ghana

3. CIA - The World Factbook: Ghana

4. Freedom House - Country Report: Ghana

5. CIA - The World Factbook: Kenya

6. CIA - The World Factbook: Egypt

Document 1: Excerpt from the Constitution of Ghana

12 1) The fundamental human rights and freedoms enshrined in this Chapter shall be respected and upheld by the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary and all other organs of government and its agencies and, were applicable t them, by all natural and legal persons in Ghana, and shall be enforceable by the Courts as provided for in this Constitution.

(2) Every person in Ghana, whatever his race, place of origin, political opinion, colour, religion, creed or gender shall be entitled to the fundamental human rights and freedoms of the individual contained in this Chapter but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for the public interest.

13 (1) No person shall be deprived of his life intentionally except in the exercise of the execution of a sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence under the laws of Ghana of which he has been convicted.

(2) A person shall not be held to have deprived another person of his life in contravention of clause (1) of this article if that other person dies as the result of a lawful act of war or if that other person dies as the result of the use of force to such an extent as is reasonably justifiable in the particular circumstances-

(a) for the defence of any person from violence or for the defense of property; or

(b) in order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained; or

(c) for the purposes of suppressing a riot, insurrection or mutiny; or

(d) in order to prevent the commission of a crime by that person.

Source: This document from and_freedoms.html is in the public domain.

Document 2: Flag of Ghana

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Source: This image from is released into the public domain by the copyright holder.

Document 3: 50th Anniversary of Ghana's Independence

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Source: This image from is licensed with Creative Commons Attribution. Attribution: Niyyie.

Answer the following question based on your review of your answers to the guiding questions and the evidence from the research resources and documents provided.

Research Question: How did colonization and decolonization impact development of the political, social, and economic systems of Ghana?

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