Milestones: 1830–1860 - Office of the Historian Milestones: 1830–1860 Founding of Liberia, 1847 The founding of Liberia in the early 1800s was motivated by the domestic politics of slavery and race in the United States as well as by U.S. foreign policy interests. In 1816, a group of white Americans founded the American Colonization Society (ACS) to deal with the “problem” of the growing number of free blacks in the United States by resettling them in Africa. The resulting state of Liberia would become the second (after Haiti) black republic in the world at that time. Joseph Jenkins Roberts, First President of Liberia Prominent Americans such as Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, and John Randolph were among the best known members of ACS. Former President Thomas Jefferson publicly supported the organization’s goals, and President James Madison arranged public funding for the Society. The motives for joining the society were vast as a range of people from abolitionists to slaveholders counted themselves members.

On the other hand, many abolitionists, both black and white, ultimately rejected the notion that it was impossible for the races to integrate and therefore did not support the idea of an African-American colony in Africa. Still, the ACS had powerful support and its colonization project gained momentum. In 1818 the Society sent two representatives to West Africa to find a suitable location for the colony, but they were unable to persuade local tribal leaders to sell any territory. In 1820, 88 free black settlers and 3 society members sailed for Sierra Leone. Before departing they had signed a constitution requiring that an agent of the Society administer the settlement under U.S. laws. They found shelter on Scherbo Island off the west coast of Africa, but many died from malaria. In 1821, a U.S. Navy vessel resumed the search for a place of permanent settlement in what is now Liberia. Once again the local leaders resisted American attempts to purchase land. This time, the Navy officer in charge, Lieutenant Robert Stockton, coerced a local ruler to sell a strip of land to the Society. The Scherbo Island group moved to this new location and other blacks from the United States joined them.

The local tribes continually attacked the new colony and in 1824, the settlers built fortifications for protection. In that same year, the settlement was named Liberia and its capital Monrovia, in honor of President James Monroe who had procured more U.S. Government money for the project. Lieutenant Robert Stockton Other colonization societies sponsored by individual states purchased land and sent settlers to areas nearMonrovia. Africans removed from slave ships by the U.S. Navy after the abolition of the trans-Atlantic slave trade were also put ashore in Liberia. In 1838 most of these settlements, with up to 20,000 people, combined into one organization. The settlers attempted to retain the culture they had brought from the United States and for the most part did not integrate with the native societies. Today, about 5 percent of the population of Liberia is descended from these settlers. The U.S. Government had provided Liberia some financial support, but Washington expected Monrovia to move toward self-sufficiency. Commerce was the first economic sector to grow in the colony. However, French and British traders continually encroached upon Liberian territory.

As it was not a sovereign state, it was hard-pressed to defend its economic interests. The U.S. Government lent some diplomatic support, but Britain and France had territories in West Africa and were better poised to act. As a result, in 1847, Liberia declared independence from the American Colonization Society in order to establish a sovereign state and create its own laws governing commerce. Despite protests by the affected British companies, London was the first to extend recognition to the new republic, signing a treaty of commerce and friendship with Monrovia in 1848. Because of fears of the impact this might have on the issue of slavery in the United States, Washington did not recognize the nation it had played a role in creating. In the meantime, a mass exodus of African-Americans to Liberia never materialized. Though President Abraham Lincoln was open to promoting the idea, several abolitionists in his cabinet opposed it, some for moral considerations and others for the more practical reason of retaining sufficient labor and military forces for the future. The United States finally established diplomatic relations with Liberia in 1862, and continued to maintain strong ties until the 1990s.

LIBERIA: Country Formed By Freed Slaves & Whose Capital Is Named For an American President | Passnownow Quizzes & Fun LIBERIA: Country Formed By Freed Slaves & Whose Capital Is Named For an American President Facebook I take it for granted that you already know some facts about Liberia. Like the one about her capital being Monrovia; that her President is Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and that one of her citizens, George Oppong Weah is the only African footballer to have won the World and European Footballer of the Year Awards. Am I right? Yet, there are some facts about Liberia that you may not know; like how it was formed, why it was formed, and how Monrovia got its name. Let’s dig in! This West African State was established in 1822 by the American Colonisation Society (ACS) as a settlement for freed American slaves. The organisation was founded in 1816, eight years after an American federal law went into effect banning the importation of slaves to the U.S, though domestic slave trading continued and slavery was not abolished in the United States until 1865.

ACS members included those who wanted an end to slavery, called abolitionists, as well as slave owners who were concerned about the possibility of already-free blacks and emancipated slaves inciting a rebellion among the slaves towards their masters, and hence, wanted them repatriated to Africa, thus conveniently eliminating their influence. In 1847, Liberia became an independent republic, making it the oldest republic in Africa, and the second-oldest sovereign state in Africa, behind Ethiopia. And by this time, some 10,000 free blacks had relocated there. In 1865, when all slaves in the United States were granted their freedom, majority of them chose not to move to Liberia, remaining in America instead. ACS agents were involved in running Liberia until the 1940s, before gradually becoming irrelevant. Today, Liberia, which means Land of the Free and whose motto is The love of liberty brought us here, lists an estimated 5 percent of its population as descendants of freed slaves. Its capital, Monrovia, is named for the fifth U.S. president, James Monroe, who served in the White House from 1817 to 1825 and was a supporter of the ACS.

James Monroe had firsthand experience with slavery. In addition to a lengthy career in public service— as a U.S. Senator, Foreign Minister to France and the United Kingdom, and U.S. Secretary of State— he was a Virginia plantation owner and had slaves throughout his life. Monroe thought it ought to be ended gradually, seeing how he profited from the shameful practice! He felt the problem could eventually be solved through the repatriation of freed slaves, which explains the reason behind his membership of the ACS. Now, the next time you hear Monrovia, you will likewise remember James Monroe, for whom it was named! American Colonization Society The American Colonization Society The American Colonization Society was established in 1816 by Robert Finley as an attempt to satisfy two groups in America. Ironically, these groups were on opposite ends of the spectrum involving slavery in the early 1800's. One group consisted of philanthropists, clergy and abolitionist who wanted to free African slaves and their descendants and provide them with the opportunity to return to Africa. The other group was the slave owners who feared free people of color and wanted to expel them from America.

Both the these groups felt that free blacks would be unable to assimilate into the white society of this country. John Randolph, one famous slave owner called free blacks "promoters of mischief." At this time, about 2 million Negroes live in America of which 200,000 were free persons of color. Henry Clay, a southern congressman and sympathizer of the plight of free blacks, believed that because of "unconquerable prejudice resulting from their color, they never could amalgamate with the free whites of this country." On December 21, 1816, a group of exclusively white upper-class males including James Monroe, Bushrod Washington, Andrew Jackson, Francis Scott Key, and Daniel Webster met at the Davis hotel in Washington D.C. with Henry Clay presiding over the meeting. They met one week later and adopted a constitution. During the next three years, the society raised money by selling membership using the certificate shown here. The Society's members relentlessly pressured Congress and the President for support.

In 1819, they received $100,000 from Congress and in January 1820 the first ship, the Elizabeth, sail from New York headed for West Africa with three white ACS agents and 88 emigrants. The ship arrive first at Freetown, Sierra Leone then sailed south to what is now the Northern coast of Liberia and made an effort to establish a settlement. All three whites and 22 of the emigrants died within three weeks from yellow fever. The remainders returned to Sierra Leone and waited from another ship. The Nautilus sail twice in 1821 and established a settlement at Mesurado Bay on an island they named Perseverance. It was difficult for the early settlers, made of mostly free-born blacks, who were not born into slavery, but were denied the full rights of American citizenship. The native Africans resisted the expansion of the settlers resulting in many armed conflicts. Nevertheless, in the next decade 2,638 African-Americans migrated to the area. Also, the colony entered an agreement with the U.S. Government to accept freed slaves captured from slave ships. During the next 20 years the colony continued to grow and establish economic stability.

Since the establishment of the colony, the ACS employed white agents to govern the colony. In 1842, Joseph Jenkins Roberts became the first non-white governor of Liberia. In 1847, the legislature of Liberia declared itself an independent state, with J.J. Roberts elected as its first President. The society in Liberia developed into three segments: The settlers with European-African lineage; freed slaves from slave ships and the West Indies; and indigenous native people. These groups would have a profound affect on the history of Liberia. ^ Equatorial Palm Oil : About Liberia About Liberia Location, demographics and climate The Republic of Liberia is located on the coast of west Africa and is bordered by Sierra Leone (west), Guinea (north) and Cote d’Ivoire (east). The country is home to around 3.7 million people and covers an area of just over 111,000 square kilometers (43,000 square miles). Liberia has a hot equatorial climate with significant rainfall between May and October. English is the official language although there are also around thirty other indigenous languages spoken in the country.

Origins Liberia is one of two modern sub-Saharan African countries that does not have its origins in the European colonisation of the continent (the other being Ethiopia). After 1820 the country was populated by freed slaves from America with the help of the American Colonisation Society. This led to the founding of the country in 1847. Monrovia, the capital, is named after James Monroe, the fifth American President, who was a prominent supporter of the process. Development of the country (1847 - 1980) The colonists subsequently dominated the political and economic processes of the country for well over a century. Between 1877 and 1978 the country had a one party system. This was despite the colonists (or Americo-Liberians) comprising a relatively small proportion (under 5%) of the total population. This factor led to periodic episodes of civil unrest over the following decades although the country was largely peaceful and stable throughout the period. After World War Two the country’s economy grew significantly and exports of rubber, iron and timber grew sharply.

However dissatisfaction amongst the indigenous population grew in 1979 and eventually led to a bloody military led coup d’etat which overthrew the government in April 1980 (the main opposition party had been banned a month earlier). Two civil wars, political and economic instability (1980 - 2003) Over two decades of political and economic instability followed including two violent civil wars (between 1989 and 1996 and again between 1999 and 2003). This episode devastated the country’s economy, led to around a quarter of a million deaths and displaced around a million people into refugee camps in neighbouring countries. The country was internationally regarded as a pariah state during the period which Charles Taylor was President (1997 to 2003) because of its associations with “blood diamonds”, illegal timber exports and human rights abuses. Following his resignation in August 2003 a peace agreement was signed ending the second civil war. Democracy and increasing stability (2003 onwards) An interim government was put in place in October 2003 that was supported by the United Nations.

The Presidential election which followed in October 2005 is regarded as being one of the fairest in Liberian history. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former World Bank employee and Liberian finance minister, won by a clear majority of the vote and became Africa’s first democratically elected female head of state in January 2006. She was re-elected in November 2011 in another election that was the subject of international scrutiny and was declared to be fair and transparent. In the same year she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The current Liberian system of government is modeled on the American system. It is a constitutional republic and a representative democracy. It has three branches of government; executive led by the President, legislative made up of the two parliamentary houses (Senate and House of Representatives) and judicial (Supreme Court and lower courts). Economy Liberia’s economy and much of the country’s infrastructure was largely destroyed during the two civil wars and as a result of related matters during the twenty three years of civil unrest that ended with Charles Taylor’s resignation in 2003. The country is, however, still one of the poorest in the world with high levels of unemployment.

Renewed political stability, particularly since the election of the current President in 2005, has led to significant reductions in the levels of national debt. The government is involved in numerous initiatives aimed at addressing the considerable economic issues it inherited. Significant levels of foreign investment into the country, particularly focused on rubber, iron ore and palm oil, has assisted it with this activity. A number of multinational corporations are participating in the process including BHP Billiton, Sime Darby, ArcelorMittal, Firestone and Golden Veroleum. The country has also commenced exploration for offshore oil. Participants in this process include Tullow Oil, Repsol and Chevron. Further information More information about the government of Liberia can be found at the President’s website . This also contains links to other government ministry websites. Useful Links How American slavery led to the birth of Liberia: in 1820, a private American group established Liberia as a colony for freed U.S. slaves. But it was troubled from the start. - Free Online Library How American slavery led to the birth of Liberia: in 1820, a private American group established Liberia as a colony for freed U.S. slaves. But it was troubled from the start.

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Retrieved Jan 19 2017 from On January 25, 1851, Edward Blyden's ship dropped anchor just off the coast of Liberia, For the 19-year-old seminary student, it was the end of a weeks-long sea voyage and a kind of homecoming. To the very continent that Blyden's ancestors had left in chains, he was now returning as a free man. He could hardly contain his excitement as he wrote to a friend: You can easily imagine the delight with which I gazed upon the land of my forefathers--of those mysterious races of men. It is really a beautiful country. ... The land is exceeding prolific--teeming with everything necessary for the subsistence of man. Along with beautiful scenery, Blyden was looking out over one of America's boldest social experiments. Liberia had been founded in 1820 as a colony for freed American slaves. A group called the American Colonization Society had purchased land on Africa's west coast to establish Liberia. Between 1820 and 1865, the society transported at least 12,000 people there.

Shipping free blacks back to Africa seemed a sensible idea to the society's white founders and to some blacks, such as Edward Blyden. But the many controversies and problems that nagged at Liberia kept it from ever becoming the freed slaves' promised land. THE SLAVERY QUESTION By the early 1800s, slavery had died out in the Northern U.S., but it thrived in the South thanks to the region's labor-hungry plantations. Over time some slaves were set free. Others bought their freedom. This growing class of society-free blacks--troubled many slavery supporters, who often subscribed to views similar to Thomas Jefferson's. The third U.S. President and author of the Declaration of Independence believed slavery was a necessary evil that would one day die out. Yet he saw no place for free blacks in U.S. society when that day came. He once wrote that blacks were inferior and that, "when freed, [they are] to be removed beyond the reach of mixture." One answer, for people who agreed with Jefferson, was to send African-Americans to Africa. If the thousands of free blacks already living in the U.S. could be successfully settled there, the thought went, then millions could later follow.

Other whites, more sympathetic to the plight of blacks, thought sending them to Africa would allow them to live in freedom and without prejudice. Against this backdrop, the American Colonization Society, a private group, was founded in 1816. It attracted luminaries including Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, mad Francis Scott Key, as well as clergymen and philanthropists. It won support from slaveholders--such as Jefferson and the fifth U.S. President, James Monroe--and some antislavery activists. WHY LEAVE AMERICA? Some blacks were indeed eager to leave the U.S., but their main motivation was to flee racial hostility. Black abolitionist Martin R. Delany argued for emigration in 1852, saying: In the United States, among the whites, their color is made, by law and custom, the mark of distinction and superiority; while the color of the blacks is a badge of degradation. Still, the idea of colonization angered many blacks and some white abolitionists, like William Lloyd Garrison. They saw it as a way to bolster slavery by getting rid of free blacks--among the few political allies of the slaves.

They also believed sending blacks back to Africa made no more sense than shipping English-Americans back to England. As black abolitionist David Walker wrote in 1829: America is more our country than it is the whites'. We have enriched it with our blood and tears ... and they will drive us from our property and homes, which we have earned with our blood? Nevertheless, the society pushed ahead with its plan. From local tribal chiefs, the group purchased a 36-mile-long strip of land next to present-day Sierra Leone for the equivalent of $300 in trade goods. (Some accounts say the purchase was made through intimidation and threats.) The colony's name was taken from the Latin phrase for "land of the free," and its capital, Monrovia, was named after President Monroe. Hundreds of well-wishers came to see off the ship Elizabeth on January 31, 1820, as it left New York with Liberia's first 86 black colonists and three white agents from the society. DISEASE AND DISSENT Disease soon proved to be the colony's most dangerous foe. All three agents and 22 of the original colonists died of malaria, yellow fever, or other tropical illnesses.

Between 1820 and 1843, disease killed about 22 percent of all new arrivals. Also, tensions quickly arose between the surviving colonists and their leaders. Liberia's early Governors--all white men--were picked by the society and ruled autocratically. After several near rebellions, the society finally appointed Joseph J. Roberts, a free black from Virginia, as Governor in 1841. But the push for self-rule continued, and on July 26, 1847 Liberia proclaimed its independence, becoming the first black-run republic in modern Africa. Roberts was elected its President. Liberia's flag and constitution were modeled on those of the U.S. Unfortunately, instability persisted. Ironically, Liberia's settlers--many of whom had once been in bondage--often discriminated against the native Africans, whom they considered uncivilized. The natives were excluded from voting and kept out of government.

Even the country's Declaration of Independence asserted that "we the people of Liberia were originally inhabitants of the United States of North America." These practices frequently led to fighting between the settlers--known as "Americo-Liberians"--and the 16 ethnic African tribes that lived in the region. During the 1800s, this turmoil discouraged prospective immigrants. By the 1890s, even Liberia's most fervent boosters could see that their experiment had largely failed. Edward Blyden, who became a successful writer and speaker, mourned the promise for which his country had once stood. "We are keeping these lands, we say, for our brethren in America," he wrote. "But they are not willing to come...." The "Americo-Liberians" governed until 1980, when a bloody coup by native Africans helped trigger Liberia's current turmoil. But the seeds had been planted from its founding. quick fact LIBERIA comes from the Latin phrase meaning "land of the free" 1847: Liberia became the first Independent black-run country in modern Africa LESSON PLANS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS * Did the American Colonization Society found Liberia for selfish reasons? * Does the U.S.

role in the founding of Liberia mean that today's Americans have a special obligation to help the people of that country? TEACHING OBJECTIVES To help students understand the origins of Liberia, specifically how Americans, eager to rid the U.S. of freed slaves, created the country as a home for them, and how those early settlers dominated the indigenous people. CLASSROOM STRATEGIES CRITICAL THINKING/: Address some of the key elements in the article: * Many whites thought the move would bolster slavery. If freed slaves stayed, might they have disrupted slavery in America? If so, how? (The realization that free blacks could fend for themselves probably did have an effect on the antislavery movement.) * Domination of freed slaves over Africans. What qualities or experiences might the American blacks have had that enabled them to dominate Africans? Why might local tribes have resisted American culture? Why would the American blacks, who had been subjected to an often brutal class system in the United States, then turn around and impose a class system on the native Africans? DEBATE 1: Split the class into two teams.

Direct attention to the observation of black abolitionist David Walker, who said America belonged more to blacks than whites because blacks "enriched it with our blood and tears." Have each side advance arguments supporting and opposing Walker's statement. DEBATE 2: Again, split the class into two teams. Ask them to take sides on this statement: "The U.S. should grant special immigrant status to Liberians who can prove they are ancestors of the original freed slave settlers." CRITICAL THINKING/WRITING: Have students write a brief overview of Liberia, comparing the optimism of Edward Blyden with reality. Students can write a few paragraphs in which they imagine that Blyden is alive again. What would he say about his dreams of Liberia? What might he say to today's Liberians if he could walk among them? WEB WATCH: See Library of Congress illustrations and background on the American Colonization Society at See also the Web Watch entries in lesson three, above. Upfront QUIZ 4 DIRECTIONS: Circle correct letter or fill in the blank. 1. Which of the following organizations established a program to settle freed African-American slaves in Liberia? a African-American Resettlement Society c American Freedom Society d American-African Friendship Society 2.

What is the main reason slavery remained a fixture in the South long after it had faded away in the North? a Southern religious beliefs required slavery's continuance. b Local laws required it. c Slaves were needed to run Southern factories. d Plantations relied heavily on slave labor. 3. President --, author of the Declaration of Independence, was a prominent promoter of the movement to send free blacks to Liberia. 4. The capital city of Liberia was named for President --, a prominent supporter of the movement to send free blacks to Africa. 5. The main reason that freed slaves agreed to go to Liberia was to a learn about the culture of their ancestors. b flee racial hostility in the U.S. c pursue the wealth they believed existed in Liberia's natural resources. d prepare the way for the millions of African-Americans who had agreed to settle in Liberia. 6. Settlers in Liberia encountered two major problems--diseases and a land unsuitable for farming. b squabbles with European settlers over property rights. c bad relations with native Africans living in the area. d a cut in promised funding from the United States. 7. Liberia's earliest Governors were a appointed by the President of the United States. b elected by the African-American immigrants.

c a mix of natives and African-American settlers. d whites who accompanied the settlers to Liberia. ANSWER KEY 1. (b) American Colonization Society 2. (d) Plantations relied on slave labor. 3. Thomas Jefferson 5. (b) flee racial hostility in the U.S. 6. (c) bad relations with native Africans living in the area. 7. (d) whites who accompanied the settlers to Liberia. COPYRIGHT 2003 Scholastic, Inc. No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder. Copyright 2003, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company. Article Details Liberia - Africa Review Liberia Origins of name: Liberia stands for “Land of liberty” Current Leader Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Overview Liberia is the only African country that was not colonised by a foreign power (Ethiopia shares that to an extent, having only been briefly occupied by Italy from 1937 to 1941) It was founded in 1821-22 by the American Colonisation Society as a place for freed American slaves.

The freed slaves formed an elite that founded the Republic of Liberia in 1847 and named their capital Monrovia after the fifth US President James Monroe Facts President is Head of State and Head of Government President elected by popular vote for six-year term (eligible for a second term) Government structure Cabinet appointed by President and confirmed by the Senate, Bicameral Parliament Military Statistics Manpower fit for military service: Males age 16-49: 387,417 and Females age 16-49: 382,334 Expenditures: 1.3% of GDP Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force Former Rulers 1847 to 1876 (Succession of leaders of Liberia’s Republican Party) 1876 to 1980 (Succession of leaders of the True Whig Party) 1944 to 1971 – William Tubman 1971 to 1980 – William Tolbert 1980 to 1990 – Samuel Kanyon Doe 1990 to 1994 – Amos Sawyer 1994

 to 1997 – Council of State (interim) 1997 to 2003 – Charles Taylor 2003 to 2005 – Gyude Bryant (chairman of transitional government) Capital Gender Make-Up: Male – 49.76% and Female – 50.24% Geography Land boundaries: Guinea 563km, Cote d’Ivoire 716km, Sierra Leone 306km GDP per capita English 20% (official), More than 20 ethnic group languages Religious portfolio Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, Indigenous beliefs 40% National Make-up Indigenous African 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves) Natural Resources Iron ore, Timber, Diamonds, Gold Main

 exports Rubber, Timber, Iron, Diamonds, Cocoa, Coffee Land Use .lr Transport Main Port: Monrovia.

It is the biggest deep-sea port and only free port in West Africa Airport: Roberts International Airport located 58km from Monrovia Modern issues Environmental Poor sanitary conditions in Monrovia due to the infrastructural destruction caused by war Large-scale e commercial concessions such as the rubber monopoly granted to the Firestone company contributed to deforestation and destruction of biodiversities Pollution of coastal waters from oil residues left by maritime shipping. (For years, Liberia and Panama have led the world as flags of convenience for merchant shipping) President Sirleaf wants to establish a legitimate timber trade to boost the Liberian economy. To make that possible, every legally harvestable tree and every cut log would have to carry a barcode that makes it traceable Political Ms Johnson-Sirleaf’s election as Africa’s first woman president was historic. However, she is still seen as part of the old Americo-Liberian elite The ongoing peace-building in Liberia and the trial of Charles Taylor by the Special Court for Sierra Leone hold major implications for African countries dealing with impunity like Sudan and Kenya The Truth and Reconciliation Commission set up by President Johnson-Sirleaf was a milestone for the country.

Incidentally, she has been mentioned among those who should be banned from holding office for collaborating with Taylor at some point Enduring political stability depends on genuine accommodation between the Americo-Liberians and the indigenous Liberians Economic In 2011, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf had a successful year. She was one of three women to be honoured with the Nobel Peace prize this year for "their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work". She was also named as one of the “most powerful” women on the continent in the maiden Africa edition of the US-based Forbes magazine In the 2011 elections, despite the turbulence surrounding this year’s presidential elections, in which the election boss resigned and the main opposition boycotted the run-off, Johnson-Sirleaf came out with a victory and though political tension continues, there has been no violence The government has set as a priority the recovery of the economy that was devastated by civil war. In 2005 it signed a deal with the international steel firm Mittal for resumed export of iron ore, the main natural resource The civil war economy featured the alarming exploitation of the region’s diamond wealth.

Over $300 million worth of Liberian and Sierra Leonean diamonds were being exported annually to fund the two country’s civil wars. This led to the coining of the infamous word “blood diamonds” Social Civil war left an estimated 250,000 Liberians dead The country is trying to cope with the consequences of numerous dislocated families There are thousands of former child soldiers in need of social rehabilitation Foreign Affairs President Johnson-Sirleaf has made the restoration of peace in the sub-region the cornerstone of her foreign policy. Her focus on this end has been on reciprocal peace-building initiatives in neighbouring Sierra Leone and Guinea Liberia is particularly keen to be regarded as the leading US ally in Africa.

President Johnson-Sirleaf’s offer for Liberia to host US military’s Africa Command, however, was not taken up by the US Government The Major Conflicts End of the First Republic When: 1980 Who: Non-commissioned army soldiers led by Sergeant Samuel Doe vs William Tolbert’s government Why: Poor pay for soldiers ignited the coup but the deeper reason was the severe marginalisation by the Americo-Liberian elite of indigenous Liberians since the founding of the Republic in the 19th century Outcome: President Tolbert and his Cabinet were shot and the First Republic overthrown First Civil War When: 1989 –1994 Who: Charles Taylor launched an insurgency backed by Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and later Libya. In 1990, Nigeria, Guinea and Ghana, as part of an Ecowas military taskforce, intervened Why: Doe’s dictatorial and capricious leadership inflamed the situation. It initially gained Taylor local support.

Other armed groups emerged, one of which was led by Yormie Prince Johnson who captured, tortured and killed Doe in 1990 Outcome: The civil war did not quite end but ran into a stalemate, from which the warlord Taylor emerged triumphant Second Civil War When: 1999 – 2003 Who: A gathering of rebel forces, some backed by Guinea, rose against Taylor Why: Taylor’s brutal and dysfunctional administration worsened the situation. His recruitment of child soldiers and his backing of rebels, who were committing atrocities in neighbouring Sierra Leone, turned international opinion against him Outcome: With Nigeria and the US in the lead, Taylor was forced to resign in 2003 and accepted exile in Nigeria. In 2006 he was captured and handed over to the Special Court for Sierra Leone, where he was wanted for crimes against humanity arising from his involvement with the Sierra Leonean civil war. He is currently being tried at The Hague, for security reasons What to see? The Kendeja National Cultural Centre located along the Atlantic Ocean beach displays all aspects of tribal life, customs and traditions of Liberia.

Sports A Brief History of Liberia A Brief History of Liberia By Angela Thompsell Updated August 08, 2016. A brief, pictorial history of Liberia, one of two African countries never to have been colonized by Europeans during the Scramble for Africa . Liberian Flag. Encyclopaedia Britannica/UIG / Getty Images 1. About Liberia Largest Ethnic Group: Kpelle Date of Independence: July 26,1847 Flag: the flag is based on the United States of America's flag. The eleven stripes represent the eleven men who signed the Liberian Declaration of Independence. About Liberia: Liberia is often described as one of two African countries to have remained independent during the European Scramble for Africa, but this is misleading, as the country was founded by African-Americans in the 1820s. These Americo-Liberians governed the country until 1989, when they were overthrown in a coup. Liberia was governed by a military dictatorship until the 1990s, and then suffered two lengthy civil wars.

In 2003, the women of Liberia helped bring an end to the Second Civil War, and in 2005, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected President of Liberia. Kru men, or "Kroomen" shown in a 19th century image of present-day Liberia. Print Collector/Getty Images / Getty Images 2. Kru Country While several distinct ethnic groups have inhabited what is today Liberia for at least a thousand years, no large kingdoms arose there on the lines of those found further east along the coast, like Dahomey, Asante, or the Benin Empire . Histories of the region, therefore, generally begin with the arrival of the Portuguese traders in the mid-1400s, and the rise of the trans-Atlantic trade. Coastal groups traded several goods with Europeans, but the area became known as the Grain Coast, because of its rich supply malaguetta pepper grains. Navigating the coastline was not that easy, though, particularly for the large ocean-going Portuguese vessels, and the European traders relied on Kru sailors, who became the primary middlemen in the trade. Due to their sailing and navigation skills, the Kru began working on European ships, including slave trading ships.

Their importance was such that Europeans began referring to the coast as Kru Country, despite the fact that the Kru were one of the smaller ethnic groups, amounting to only 7% of Liberia's population today. James M. Priest, Vice-President of Liberia,1864-1868, and former slave in the United States of America. Apic / Getty Images 3. African-American Colonization In 1816, the future of Kru Country took a dramatic turn due to an event that took place thousands of miles away: the formation of the American Colonization Society (ACS). The ACS wanted to find a place to re-settle free-born black Americans and freed slaves, and they chose the Grain Coast. In 1822, the ACS founded Liberia as a colony of the United States of America. Over the next few decades 19,900 African-American men and women migrated to the colony. By this time, the United States and Britain had also outlawed the slave trade (though not slavery), and when the American navy captured slave-trading ships, they liberated the slaves on board and settled them in Liberia.

Approximately 5,000 African 're-captured' slaves were settled in Liberia. On July 26, 1847, Liberia declared its independence from America, making it the first post-colonial state in Africa. Interestingly, the United States refused to acknowledge Liberia's independence until 1862, when the US federal government abolished slavery during the American Civil War . National Geographic, 1922, image of Kru-Town, a so-called "native" district in the Liberian capital of Monrovia. By Harry A. McBride (Photographer) - Digitalisat Internet Archive, Open Library (Book contributor:University of Michigan), Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons. 4. True Whigs: Americo-Liberian Dominance The oft-stated claim, though, that after the Scramble for Africa, Liberia was one of two independent African states is misleading, because the indigenous African societies had little economic or political power in the new republic. All power was concentrated in the hand of the African-American settlers and their descendants, who became known as Americo-Liberians. In 1931, an international commission revealed that several prominent Americo-Liberians had slaves.

The Americo-Liberians constituted less than 2% of Liberia's population, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, they made up nearly 100% of qualified voters. For over one hundred years, from its formation in the 1860s until 1980, the Americo-Liberian True Whig Party dominated Liberian politics, in what was essentially a one-party state. Commander-in-Chief of Liberia, Samuel K. Doe greeted with full honors by Secretary of Defense Caspar W. Weinberger in Washington, D.C., August 18, 1982. By FRANK HALL - , HD-SC-98-07558 , Public Domain, 5. Samuel Doe and the United States The Americo-Liberian hold over politics (but not American dominance!) was broken April 12, 1980, when Master Sergeant Samuel K. Doe and less than 20 soldiers overthrew the President, William Tolbert. The coup was welcomed by the Liberian people, who greeted it as liberation from Americo-Liberian domination.

Samuel Doe's government soon proved itself no better for the Liberian people than its predecessors. Doe promoted many members of his own ethnic group, the Krahn, but otherwise Americo-Liberians retained control over much of the country's wealth. Doe's was a military dictatorship. He permitted elections in 1985, but external reports decried his victory as entirely fraudulent. A coup attempt followed, and Doe responded with brutal atrocities against suspected conspirators and their bases of support. The United States, however, had long used Liberia an an important base of operations in Africa, and during the Cold War , the Americans were more interested in Liberia's loyalty than its leadership. They offered millions of dollars in aid that helped prop up Doe's increasingly unpopular regime. Troops in drill formation during the civil war, Liberia, 1992. Scott Peterson / Getty Images 6. Foreign-Backed Civil Wars and Blood Diamonds In 1989, with the end of the Cold War, the United States stopped its support of Doe, and Liberia was soon torn in half by rival factions. In 1989, an Americo-Liberian and former official, Charles Taylor, invaded Liberia with his National Patriotic Front.

Backed by Libya, Burkina Faso , and the Ivory Coast, Taylor soon controlled much of the eastern part of Liberia, but he couldn't take the capital. It was a splinter group, led by Prince Johnson, who assassinated Doe in September 1990. No one had sufficient control of Liberia to declare victory, however, and the fighting continued. ECOWAS sent in a peacekeeping force, ECOMOG, to try and restore order, but for the next five years, Liberia was divided up between the competing warlords, who made millions exporting the country's resources to foreign buyers. During these years, Charles Taylor also backed a rebel group in Sierra Leone in order to gain control of that country's lucrative diamond mines. The ten year Sierra Leonean civil war that followed, became internationally notorious for the atrocities committed to gain control of what became known as 'blood diamonds.' Charles Taylor, then head of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia, speaks in Gbargna, Liberia, 1992. Scott Peterson / Getty Images 7. President Charles Taylor and Liberia's Second Civil War In 1996, Liberia's warlords signed a peace agreement, and began converting their militias into political parties.

In the 1997 elections, Charles Taylor, head of the National Patrotic Party, won, having run with the infamous slogan, "he killed my ma, he killed my pa, but still I will vote for him." Scholars agree, people voted for him not because they supported him, but because they were desperate for peace. That peace, however, was not to last. In 1999, another rebel group, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) challenged Taylor's rule. LURD reportedly gained support from Guinea, while Taylor continued to support rebel groups in Sierra Leone. By 2001, Liberia was fully embroiled in a three-way civil war, between Taylor's government forces, LURD, and a third rebel group, the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL). A woman cries during a prayer for peace July 21, 2003 in Monrovia, Liberia. Women in th Mass Action for Peace dressed in all white, with no make-up, as a sign of peace and their commitment to the cause. Chris Hondros / Getty Images 8.

Liberian Women's Mass Action for Peace In 2002, a group of women, led by social worker Leymah Gbowee, formed the a women's peacekeeping network in an effort to bring an end to the Civil War. The peacekeeping network led to the formation of Women of Liberia, Mass Action for Peace, a cross-religious organization, that brought Muslim and Christian women together to pray for peace. They held sit-ins in the capital, but the network spread far into the rural areas of Liberia and the growing refugee camps, filled with the internally displaced Liberians fleeing the effects of the war. As public pressure grew, Charles Taylor agreed to attend a peace summit in Ghana, along with delegates from LURD and MODEL. The Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace also sent its own delegates, and when the peace talks stalled (and war continued to reign in Liberia) the women's actions are credited with galvanizing the talks and bringing about an peace agreement in 2003. President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia. Claire Soares/IRIN 9. E.J. Sirleaf: Liberia's First Female President As part of the agreement, Charles Taylor agreed to step down.

At first he lived well in Nigeria, but he was later found guilty of war crimes at the International Court of Justice and sentenced to 50 years in jail, which he is serving in England. In 2005, elections were held in Liberia, and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf , who had once been arrested by Samuel Doe and lost to Charles Taylor in the 1997 elections, was elected President of Liberia. She was Africa's first female head of state. There have been some critiques of her rule, but Liberia has been stable and made significant economic progress. In 2011, President Sirleaf was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, along with Leymah Gbowee of the Mass Action for Peace and Tawakkol Karman of Yemen, who also championed women's rights and peacebuilding. Sources: Richard M. Juang, Noelle Morrissette, eds. "Liberia," Africa and the Americas, Culture Politics and History (ABC-Clio, 2008) Pray the Devil Back to Hell, directed by Gini Reticker, DVD (2008).

Africa | 80 Days 80 Days Audio: S1E06 Liberia This week in 80 Days, we looked at Liberia , a small country on the west coast of Africa. Founded by freed American and Caribbean slaves, Liberia is Africa’s oldest republic and takes its name from the the Latin phrase meaning “Land of the Free.” Unfortunately, the country is best known for a long and bloody civil war that look place in the 1990s and 2000s, and more recently for the Ebola epidemic of 2014. The lush, rainforested country is just 700 kilometres or 430 miles north of the equator, and is bordered by Sierra Leone to its west, Guinea to its north and Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) to its east. Today, the country is home to around 4.5 million inhabitants, although most are native Africans rather than the descendants of freed slaves. It maintains strong ties to America, and even has a flag that strongly resembles the flag of the US, although it has only one star and 11 stripes.

Discussing Liberia are Luke Kelly @thelukejkelly , Mark Boyle @markboyle86 and Joe Byrne @anbeirneach in Hong Kong, the UK and Switzerland, respectively. (Theme music by Thomas O’Boyle ) We thought when we researched Nauru previously that it was the most depressing place we would ever encounter. But we were wrong! Liberia is at the bottom end of most tables you want to be near the top in (GDP, communications infrastructure, life expectancy, infant mortality) and has suffered from all the plights you can expect in the region and more, all as a result of inequality, corruption, disease and civil war, but nonetheless, it has a unique story worth telling. Some sources which we found particularly useful in researching the episode were: Audio: S1E01 Namibia In this week’s first episode of 80 Days, we are talking about Namibia , a large African nation, sharing its southern border with South Africa and with an Atlantic coastline of almost 1,000 miles, known as the ‘Skeleton Coast’. Major features include the Namib Desert, considered to be the oldest desert in the world and the famous Fish River Canyon.

The country is roughly similar in size to Pakistan bigger than France or Germany and one of the driest places on earth. Its history includes colonisation by Germany and South Africa, with independence coming in the 1990s. Today it is a stable and developing young democracy. Your hosts are Luke Kelly @thelukejkelly , Mark Boyle @markboyle86 and Joe Byrne @anbeirneach , in Hong Kong, the UK and Ireland, respectively. (Music by Thomas O’Boyle) Namibia’s history spans over many many centuries and is defined by the movement of, and conflict between, various ethnic, national and colonial groups, starting with the San (bushmen), Khoikhoi pastoral groups such as the Nama , the Herero and Owambo and later the Oorlam – who were descended from Dutch settlers, Africans, and Malaysians among others. Engraving of Jonker Afrikaner , Kaptein of the Orlam Nation (d.

1861) Schwerinsburg Castle in Windhoek from the German colonial period (Wikpedia) Namibia became a German colony (German South West Africa) during the “ Scramble for Africa ” periodof European colonisation in the 1800s and was the location of what became known as the first genocide of the 20th century with up to 80% of the Nama and Herero people dying through violence, being driven to starvation in the desert or death in concentration camps over a short period. This put an end to the uprising led by Samuel Maharero and Hendrik Witbooi . “My hunting grounds have become like a waterless land since he who settled here treats me in such an arrogant manner. And now where may we live – we shall go forth and search” -Folk song, commenting on German treatment of the native population During World War 1, South Africa occupied Namibia and consequently annexed the territory, ruling it essentially as a province despite international op position and demands for self-determination; as a result Namibia experiences the discriminatory features of the apartheid system.

Groups including SWAPO led miliary opposition to South Africa from the mid 1950s, eventually leading to independence in 1990. In comparison to other countries in the region, with similar history of a small population of colonial descendants owning the majority of the property, Namibia has managed the transition to majority rule largely peacefully, pursuing incremental change in land ownership and is widely considered a very stable country nowadays. Compared to neighbouring countries, Namibia has a large degree of media freedom, for instance; over the past years, the country usually ranked in the upper quarter of the Press Freedom Index being on par with Canada and the best-positioned African country. Recent president Pohamba was awarded the Mo Ibrahim African Leadership Prize for his behaviour in office and willingness to leave power at the end of his constitutionally mandated term: “During the decade of Hifikepunye Pohamba’s Presidency, Namibia’s reputation has been cemented as a well-governed, stable and inclusive democracy with strong media freedom and respect for human rights.” The country also has the only constitution in the world that explicitly protects the environment and Namibia is very committed to conservationism, with 42% of the land area under some form of conservation control.

Some sources we consulted and recommend: Colonialism: a case study- Namibia – documentary film by Journal Films Inc. and published by the United Nations in 1975 Outro music clip: No Hard Feelings by Mr Rhee. Some things that you might want to read further about: “Apollo 11” Cave in the ||Karas region, where some of the oldest examples of portable prehistoric art have been discovered The Herero and Namaqua genocide , labelled the “first genocide of the 20th century” was a harrowing period in Namibian history, resulting in the death of huge proportions of these peoples at the hands of German forces under Lothar von Trotha Bondelswarts Affair – 1917 – a controversial incident in the period when South African was given the League of Nations mandate for the former German colony. An uprising occurred in opposition to a tax on dogs, as a result, hundreds of Khoi-khoi people were killed Liberia, Africa, World Seaports and Maritime History during the 1800s. The Maritime Heritage Project. Sea Captains, Ships, Merchants, Merchandise, Immigration and Passengers.

East Africa (The Horn of Africa): ° Djibouti ° Kenya ° Eritrea ° Madagascar ° Somalia ° Sudan ° Tanzania ° Zanzibar Liberia Portuguese explorers established contacts with Liberia as early as 1461 and named the area Grain Coast because of the abundance of "grains of paradise" (Malegueta pepper seeds). In 1663 the British installed trading posts on the Grain Coast, but the Dutch destroyed these posts a year later. There were no further reports of European settlements along the Grain Coast until the arrival of freed slaves in the early 1800s. Liberia, "land of the free," was founded by free African-Americans and freed slaves from the United States in 1820. By the dawn of the 19th century, many American states within the Union were considered slavery-free states, and slaves from below the infamous Mason-Dixon Line risked their lives to reach this new Promise Land. But with few skills and no education, ex-slaves found themselves living in poverty in the large cities and contributing to a swelling black underclass. Conservative white Americans lambasted these masses of freed slaves as instigators of class revolution that would abolish slavery forever.

Liberals decried the ex-slaves' deplorable living conditions. African-Americans simply wondered what freedom really meant in a country that always considered them third-class citizens. But all three groups longed for a solution to what appeared an intractable situation a growing number of freed slaves unable to effectively integrate into 19th-century American society. The idea of ‘repatriating’ African-Americans to Africa originated with Robert Finley, a white Presbyterian minister from New Jersey. Finley felt that freed slaves in America had little hope of integrating into society and would be able to improve their lot by returning to their homelands. Although Finley’s motives were primarily charitable, pro-slavery conservatives eager to exile black revolutionaries agreed with him. The result was the establishment of the American Colonization Society -- an organization tasked with handling the emigration. The Society’s first president was Bushrod Washington (nephew to President Washington). Other prominent officers and members included Henry Clay, Francis Scott Key, James Monroe and Daniel Webster. Leading African-Americans thoroughly disenchanted with America, such as Absalom Jones and Richard Allen, also became leading members.

A majority of freed slaves, however, did not approve of the emigration scheme, arguing that they were fully American and had a duty to fight for those still enslaved. An initial group of 86 immigrants, who came to be called Americo-Liberians, established a settlement in Christopolis (now Monrovia, named after U.S. President James Monroe) on February 6, 1820. Thousands of freed American slaves and free African-Americans arrived during the following years, leading to the formation of more settlements and culminating in a declaration of independence of the Republic of Liberia on July 26, 1847. The drive to resettle freed slaves in Africa was promoted by the American Colonization Society (ACS), an organization of white clergymen, abolitionists, and slave owners founded in 1816 by Robert Finley, a Presbyterian minister. Between 1821 and 1867 the ACS resettled some 10,000 African-Americans and several thousand Africans from interdicted slave ships; it governed the Commonwealth of Liberia until independence in 1847.

The American Colonization Society raised funds for its venture through membership subscriptions, but also won backing from the US Congress. The first ship, the Elizabeth, sailed in 1816 with eight-eight voluntary emigrants, three white company officials, and supplies. The ship landed off the coast of Liberia where the new immigrants immediately began to construct their new settlement. But after three weeks, twenty-two African-Americans and all three white officials died of yellow fever. The second ship, the Nautilus, soon arrived with new passengers and fresh supplies ( "Africans in America: Brotherly Love Part III 1791-1831). The land occupied by the American Colonization Society in Liberia was not void of native inhabitants when the emigrants arrived. Much of the area was under the control of the Malinke tribes who resented the expansion of these settlers. In addition to disease, poor housing conditions and lack of food and medicine, these new emigrants were also forced into armed combat with the natives.

July 1, 1895, Oakland Tribune,, Oakland, California WANTED TO BE MARINERS A Colored Proposition That Came to Grief By Associated Press toThe Tribune New York City: Refugees from Arkansas Awaiting Transportation to Liberia DENVER, Col., July 1. The Rev. D. E. Johnson, pastor of the Church of the Redeemer, announced last night to his congregation that the Afro-American Steamship Company had gone into liquidations and that subscribers to the fund for a steamship line to Liberia could have their money returned on application. "The same course," he said, "would be adopted wherever there were subscribers." The scheme was sprung over two years ago and caught the fancy of the colored race, who were assured that they could command the respect of the world if they obtained a footing on the seas. Mr. Johnson now says that the trade has been monopolized by white men. There is no way of estimating the amount deposited by the ambitious Afro-Americans, and it is said there is little hope of the fund being restored out the subscribers in out-of-the-way places. Liberia is the only country in Africa founded by United States colonization while occupied by native Africans.

Beginning in 1820, the region was colonized by African Americans, most of whom were freed slaves. The colonizers (who later become known as Americo-Liberians) established a new country with the help of the American Colonization Society, a private organization whose leaders thought former slaves would have greater opportunity in Africa. African captives freed from slave ships by the British and Americans were sent there instead of being repatriated to their countries of origin. In 1847, this new country became the Republic of Liberia, establishing a government modeled on that of the United States and naming its capital city Monrovia after James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States and a prominent supporter of the colonization. The colonists and their descendants, known as Americo-Liberians, led the political, social, cultural and economic sectors of the country and ruled the nation for over 130 years as a dominant minority.

Liberia - Colonization Period, 1820-1915 Liberia - Colonization Period, 1820-1915 Henry Adams (1843 - d.) Henry Adams was a Louisiana leader who advocated the emigration of southern freed blacks to Liberia after emancipation. Born a slave in Newton County, Georgia on March 16, 1843, Henry Adams was origi... Liberia Listeni/laɪˈbɪəriə/, Cape Mesurado, Grain Coast, Pepper Coast, (Little America) or (LIB), commonly and officially referred to as the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. Liberia means "Land of the Free." It is bordered by Sierra Leone to its west, Guinea to its north and Ivory Coast to its east. It covers an area of 111,369 square kilometres (43,000 sq mi) and is home to 4,503,000 people.[3] English is the official language but only 15% of Liberians speak English[citation needed] and over 20 indigenous languages are spoken.

Forests on the coastline are composed mostly of salt-tolerant mangrove trees while the more sparsely populated inland has forests opening onto a plateau of drier grasslands. The climate is equatorial, with significant rainfall during the May–October rainy season and harsh harmattan winds the remainder of the year. Liberia possesses about forty percent of the remaining Upper Guinean rainforest. The Republic of Liberia, formerly a colony of the American Colonization Society (ACS) declared its independence on July 26, 1847. The United States finally accepted and recognized Liberia's Independence on February 5, 1862. Liberia was the first African nation to gain its independence, although it was not the only independent state in Africa at the time. Liberia was founded and established as a homeland for freed African-American and ex-Caribbean slaves who came from the Caribbean islands and the United States with the help and support from the American Colonization Society. Liberia is Africa's oldest democratic republic and the second oldest black republic in the world after Haiti.

Liberia is unique among African countries because it was the only African nation that was colonized and controlled by freed African-American and ex-Caribbean slaves as a free state and a homeland to live. Liberia and Ethiopia were the only two African countries during the 19th century conquest of Africa that were not controlled or colonized by European powers. Liberia—which means "Land of the Free"—originated from the freed African-American and ex-Caribbean slaves who established Liberia as a free state. During the colonial era, Liberia was presumed a protectorate of the United States. The Liberian constitution and flag was modeled after the Constitution of the United States and the American flag. The Liberian capital city of Monrovia was named after James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States and a prominent supporter of the American Colonization Society. Monrovia is one of two capital cities in the world that were named after a former American president, the other being Washington, DC named after George Washington the first president of the United States.

In January 3, 1848 Joseph Jenkins Roberts, an African-American, was elected and became Liberia's first Black American president.[7] The American Colonization Society was founded in December 21, 1816 by American Robert Finley to return freed African-American to Africa. In 1820, the first former American slaves arrived at the British colony of Sierra Leone from the United States and in 1821 the American Colonization Society founded the colony of Liberia as a homeland for freed African-American and ex-Caribbean slaves to live .[7] The American Colonization Society came under attack from American abolitionists, who charged that the removal of freed slaves from the United States strengthened the institution of slavery. In addition, most Americans of African descent living in the United States were not enthusiastic to abandon their native lands in the United States for the harsh West African coast. Nevertheless, between January 7, 1822 and the American Civil War, over 15,000 African-American and 3,198 ex-Caribbean slaves from the United States and Caribbean islands settled in Liberia.

Independence was granted by the American Colonization Society on July 26, 1847 and on February 5, 1862 the United States accepted and recognized Liberia's Independence.[7] Liberia aided Britain in its efforts to end the illegal West African slave trade. Liberia was the only African nation on the African continent that was a colony and protectorate for the United States. Liberia was founded, colonized, established and controlled by the American Colonization Society. The American Colonization Society was a private organization which sent freed African-American and ex-Caribbean slaves as settlers from the United States and the Caribbean islands to Liberia to live a better life, based on self governance, equal opportunity and freedom. Liberia was presumed a protectorate of the United States from January 7, 1822 until the Liberian Declaration of Independence on July 26, 1847.

With the backing and support from the United States, Liberia kept its independence during the colonial era and Liberia was never colonized or controlled by European powers making Liberia the oldest republic nation on the African continent.[7] In 1822, the American Colonization Society began sending African American volunteers to the Pepper Coast to establish a colony for freed African Americans. By 1867, the ACS had assisted in the movement of more than 13,000 Americans to Liberia.[12] These free African Americans came to identify themselves as Americo-Liberian, developing a cultural tradition infused with American notions of political republicanism.[13] The ACS, a private organization supported by prominent American politicians such as Abraham Lincoln, Henry Clay, and James Monroe, believed repatriation was preferable to emancipation of slaves.[14] Similar organizations established colonies in Mississippi-in-Africa and the Republic of Maryland, which were later annexed by Liberia.

On July 26, 1847, the settlers issued a Declaration of Independence and promulgated a constitution, which, based on the political principles denoted in the United States Constitution, created the independent Republic of Liberia.[15][16] The leadership of the new nation consisted largely of the Americo-Liberians.

The 1865 Ports of Entry Act prohibited foreign commerce with the inland tribes, to encourage the growth of civilised values.[15] In 1877, the Americo-Liberian True Whig Party was the most powerful political power in the country.[17] Competition for office was usually contained within the party, whose nomination virtually ensured election.[17] Pressure from the United Kingdom and France led to a loss of Liberia's claims to extensive territories, which were annexed by adjoining countries.[18] Economic development was hindered by the low level of civilization in the country, as evidenced by both the decline of production of Liberian goods in the late 19th century and by poor government finances causing indebtedness on a series of international loans.[19] In Liberia's early years, the Americo-Liberian settlers periodically encountered hostile and sometimes violent contact with tribal Africans in the bush who would raid and rob the costal settlements. Tribesmen were thus excluded from birthright citizenship until 1904.[20] Henry Adams dropped out of sight in 1884. The efforts of Adams and the Colonization Council were not unrewarded.

Over the next three decades, more than 11,000 southern blacks settled in Liberia. It is unclear if Henry Adams was among them. 20th century

Question: Which country, the capital of which is Monrovia, was founded by the American Colonisation Society in 1820 as a home for freed slaves?
Answer: Liberia