BY

NATIONAL FLAG OF KENYA:

LOCATION:

A BRIEF HISTORY OF KENYA

            Kenya was colonized by Great Britain in 1920.  The British treated the Kenyan tribes as enemies because of their violent attacks against the British government.  The British used them as laborers and ran them off of their land. 

            Colonization helped the indigenous people who lived by the ocean.  The Kenyans were able to trade different spices, crops and other foods for the wool and tools of the British.  The British built a railroad that helped the Kenyans.   The Kenyans who lived inland were hurt because of many battles with the British army who had better weapons, and the British also took their fertile land from them.

            The Kenyans were tired of colonial rule so they formed the Kenya African Union which demanded freedom.  The Mau Mau had a rebellion to drive out white settlers. That ended in 1956.  Over 13,500 Africans were killed and only 100 Europeans were killed.  Jomo Kenyatta, who was jailed by the British, was freed in 1961.  He became the president of Kenya after it won its independence from Great Britain on December 12, 1963.

            Once Kenya became independent, the country did well under the first president.  But the second president, in 1978, was Daniel Moi, who was corrupt.  There was a coup attempt by the military in 1982 which didn’t work.  Other problems for Kenya were floods and droughts which caused a food shortage in 2004, and a terrorist suicide bombing.  There are cholera and malaria epidemics and HIV is a big problem.  On December 27, 2007, there was a presidential election where the results are being disputed and many people have died in the fighting.

            If Kenya had not been colonized by the British, the railroad might not have been built and there might not be as much agriculture.  The country might still just be made up of many different tribes, instead of one government.

Works Cited

Flag and map courtesy of Microsoft Clipart

Pateman, Robert. Kenya.

Info Please. www.infoplease.com/countries.html

Lonely Planet. www.lonelyplanet.com