The History of Liberia (as distinct from the history of the peoples native to the region) started in 1821, when private societies began founding colonies for free blacks from the United States on the coast of West Africa. The colonization effort resulted from a mixture of motives. Free blacks, freedmen and their descendants, encountered widespread discrimination. They were generally perceived as a burden on society, and a threat to white workers because they undercut wages. Some abolitionists believed that blacks could not acchieve equality in the United States and would be better off in Africa. Many slaveholders were worried that the presence of free blacks would encourage slaves to rebel. Other supporters of removal to Africa wanted to prevent racial mixing, to promote the spread of Christianity in Africa, or to develop trade with Africa.Kocher, Kurt Lee. A duty to America and Africa: A history of the independent African colonization movement in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania History 51 (April 1984), 118--153 - retrieved July 3 2006*[http://www.fcnl.org/issues/item.php?item_id=731&issue_id=75 Friends Committee on National Legislation: Background on Conflict in Liberia - retrieved July 3 2006

In 1821 the American Colonization Society created the Cape Mesurado Colony on the coast of West Africa and transported freedman|free blacks there. In 1824 the Cape Mesurado Colony expanded and became the Liberia Colony, and the United States government settled New Georgia with Congo recaptives (slaves rescued by Americans in mid-ocean). Other colonies soon followed. In 1832 the Edina and Port Cresson colonies were formed by the New York and Pennsylvania Colonization Societies. In 1834 the Maryland-in-Africa colony was created by the Maryland State Colonization Society. The Mississippi-in-Africa colony was created by the Mississippi and Louisiana State colonization Societies in 1835. Also in 1835, the Port Cresson Colony was destroyed by natives of the area. The Bassa Cove Colony was founded on the ruins of the Port Cresson Colony a month later.

A period of consolidation followed. The Bassa Cove Colony absorbed the Edina Colony in 1837. Bassa Cove in turn was incorporated into Liberia in 1839, as was New Georgia. Maryland-in-Africa became the State of Maryland in Liberia in 1841. It left Liberia in 1854 as the Independent State of Maryland in Liberia, but was incorporated into Liberia again (as Maryland county) in 1857. Mississippi-in-Africa was incorporated into Liberia (as Sinoe county) in 1842.

The American Colonization Society closely controlled the development of Liberia until 1847. It was renamed the Commonwealth of Liberia in 1839. The Republic of Liberia became independent in 1847. It was recognized by the United Kingdom in 1848 and by France in 1852. The United States recognized Liberia's independence in 1862. The boundaries of the country were not officially established until after 1892.World Statesmen.org: Liberia - retrieved July 3 2006

After independence

The True Whig Party dominated all sectors of Liberia from independence until April 12, 1980 when indigenous Liberian Master Sergeant Samuel Doe, from the Krahn ethnic group, seized power in a coup d'état. Doe's forces executed President Tolbert and several officials of his government, mostly of Americo-Liberian descent. As a result, 133 years of Americo-Liberian political domination ended with the formation of the People's Redemption Council (PRC).

Doe quickly developed good relations with the United States and encouraged the US Government to send economic and military aid. In turn he developed hostile policies against Communist nations and other nations that were hostile to the US, fully engaging in the Cold War during the 1980's.

Doe attempted to legitimize his regime with a new constitution in 1984 and elections in 1985, but opposition to his rule only increased. In 1985, a coup against Doe was crushed. Doe then initiated crackdowns against rival tribes such as the Gios and Mano, where most of the coup plotters came from and where opposition to Doe was already widespread.

Civil war

On December 24, 1989, one of his former allies, Charles Taylor, crossed the border from Côte d'Ivoire and initiated a rebellion which became the Liberian Civil War. This rebellion was successful in ending Doe's regime in September 1990, but by then the rebels had already begun to fracture into warring factions based on political and tribal differences.

The United Nations estimates that 150,000 people died during the conflict with 850,000 refugees fleeing to neighboring countries. The years of fighting, coupled with the flight of most businesses, disrupted formal economic activity.

Seven years of civil strife came to an end in 1996 with the holding of free and open presidential and legislative elections. After his election in 1997, President Charles Taylor held strong executive power with little political opposition.

A new civil war began in 1999 when a rebel group backed by the government of neighboring Guinea, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), emerged in northern Liberia. In early 2003, a second rebel group, the Movement for Democracy in Liberia, emerged in the south, and by the summer of 2003, Taylor's government controlled only a third of the country. The capital Monrovia was besieged by LURD, and that group's shelling of the city resulted in the deaths of many civilians. Thousands of people were displaced from their homes as a result of the conflict.

The United States of America sent a small number of troops to bolster security around their embassy in Monrovia, which had come under attack. The U.S. also stationed a Marine Expeditionary Unit with 2300 Marines offshore while Nigeria sent in peacekeepers as part of a Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) force. President Taylor resigned on August 11, 2003 as part of a peace agreement and was flown into exile in Nigeria. Vice-President Moses Blah replaced Taylor prior to the installation of a transitional government on October 14, 2003.

Return to democracy

Elections in 2005 marked the end of the political transition following Liberia's second civil war. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, former World Bank employee and finance minister, won the presidential contest and became the first democratically-elected female Head of State in the history of the African Continent in January 2006.

On March 26, 2006, Nigeria agreed to hand Taylor to Sierra Leone for trial on charges of crimes against humanity, ending the former warlord's more than two years of asylum.

See also

• American Colonization Society
• Lott Cary, of Richmond, Virginia, the first American missionary to Liberia
• History of Africa
• History of West Africa

References