French Sudan
Mali, 1880–1959. Draft, not yet reviewed
French Sudan was a French colonial territory in the Federation of French West Africa from around 1880 until 1959, when it joined the Mali Federation, and then in 1960, when it became the independent state of Mali. The colony was initially established largely as a military project led by French troops, but in the mid-1890s it came under civilian administration. Following World War II, the African Democratic Rally (RDA) under Modibo Keïta became the most significant political force pushing for independence. In 1960, the French Sudan formally became the Republic of Mali and began to distance itself further from Senegal and France.
Seat of power: Bamako
No rulers documented for this era yet.
Culture
- French Sudan was formed as a set of military outposts as an extension of the French colony in Senegal.
- French conquest began in 1879, when Joseph Gallieni was dispatched to the area to establish a fort and survey the land for a railroad from Dakar in Senegal to the Niger River.
- A number of administrative reorganizations in the early 1900s brought increasing French administration over issues like agriculture, religion, and slavery.
- Following successful tests of growing Egyptian cotton in West Africa during World War I, Émile Bélime began to campaign for the construction of a large irrigation system along the Niger River. Unable to attract enough volunteers, the colonial authorities began to try forced resettlement to the cotton project.
Picture
Bamako is the capital and largest city of Mali and is located on the Niger River.
Image: Rgaudin, Public domain, file
Sources
Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.