Ghana
Ghana achieved this status in 1957, making it the first sub-Saharan African state to do so.
What is independence?
These locally recruited Indian troops served in the British East India Company’s army.
Who are sepoys?
At its height, the British Empire ruled over this fraction of the entire world's population.
What is one quarter (or 25%)?
This 1884 meeting saw European powers set the rules for colonizing Africa, notably without any Africans present.
What was the Berlin Conference?
Toussaint Louverture was a key leader in this revolution, which resulted in the first independent nation in Latin America and the first post-colonial black-led republic in the world.
What is the Haitian Revolution?
This sacred object is considered the "symbolic essence" and "soul" of the Asante state.
What is the Golden Stool?
This private business effectively acted as an imperial power, conquering and taxing vast regions of India.
What is the British East India Company (or the EIC)?
This famous phrase described the vastness of the British Empire, suggesting its territories spanned every time zone.
What is "the empire on which the sun never set"?
These two African nations were the only ones to remain independent by 1914.
What are Ethiopia and Liberia?
This 1789 document, inspired by Enlightenment ideals, defined the individual and collective rights of all the estates of the realm as universal.
What is the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen?
At age 65, this Queen Mother of Ejisu stood up to lead an army against the British when the male leaders were exiled or hesitant.
Who is Yaa Asantewaa?
Under this policy, the EIC took control of over 25 states if the local ruler was deemed "incompetent" or lacked an heir.
What is the Doctrine of Lapse?
This 120-mile "lifeline of the empire" in Egypt dramatically cut sailing time between Britain and India.
What is the Suez Canal?
While imperialism refers to the ideas and justifications of the rulers, this term describes the actual experience of the groups being ruled.
What is colonialism?
Following the 1848 Revolution, France established this short-lived political system before Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte declared himself Emperor.
What is the Second Republic?
This was the British system of governing through local indigenous chiefs rather than ruling directly.
What is indirect rule?
Following the revolt, this British monarch became the sole sovereign of India, ending EIC rule.
Who is Queen Victoria?
This was the "cornerstone" system where Britain paid local soldiers to fight for them because they lacked the manpower to rule alone.
What is the Sepoy system?
Britain used this "indirect" method of governing in Africa, a strategy they originally learned from this earlier Indian empire.
What was the Mughal Empire?
Famously depicted in Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, this unsuccessful anti-monarchist insurrection was led by Parisian students.
What is the June Rebellion?
Inspired by Gandhi, Kwame Nkrumah used this specific term to describe his campaign of non-violent non-cooperation.
What is Positive Action?
This celebrated tawaif used her wealth and position to gather intelligence and eventually fought in battle dressed as a man.
Azizun of Lucknow
This British archaeologist and officer led an Arab revolt against the Turks with the promise of freedom that was later broken.
Who is T.E. Lawrence (or Lawrence of Arabia)?
To justify ruling others, imperialists often claimed they were on this type of "mission" to improve the lives of "uncivilized" people.
What is the civilizing mission?
This period of state-sanctioned violence, led by Robespierre and the Committee of Public Safety, saw thousands executed by guillotine.
What is the Reign of Terror?