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The Dahomey Kingdom

The Dahomey Kingdom. By Heather Cronin, Caitlin Herbert and Peter Schmidt. http://agongointo.worldarchaeology.net/eng /. Overview. Who Were the Dahomeans? Location of the Kingdom Map of Dahomey Kingdom Years of Existence Key Information to Remember The Rise and Fall of Dahomey

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The Dahomey Kingdom

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  1. The Dahomey Kingdom By Heather Cronin, Caitlin Herbert and Peter Schmidt http://agongointo.worldarchaeology.net/eng/

  2. Overview • Who Were the Dahomeans? • Location of the Kingdom • Map of Dahomey Kingdom • Years of Existence • Key Information to Remember • The Rise and Fall of Dahomey • Significance • Bibliography

  3. Who Were the Dahomeans? • Kingdom established by Onegbajda, chief of Fon people,1645-1685 • Moved to Abomey and changed it to the Kingdom of Dahomey • King Guezo (1818-1858) • Strong military, used power to get rich on slave trade • Thrived off of slave trade http://allkindsofhistory.wordpress.com/2011/09/23/amazons-the-king-of-dahomeys-all-woman-army/

  4. Location of the Kingdom • Sub-Saharan Africa • Along the Atlantic coast of West Africa • Present-Day country of Benin http://www.mikanet.com/museum/item.php?cat=17&index=7

  5. Map of Dahomey Kingdom http://www.answers.com/topic/benin-1

  6. Years of Existence • 1620-1975 • Abomey, later the capital of Dahomey, founded around 1620 by Dogbari • 1650 small group of Aja roam Allada • Aja flees and begins to assert authority over Fon- leads to the founding of the Kingdom of Dahomey • Abomey expands through military conquest-made into powerful state (Dahomey) in the early 18th century • 1975 Dahomey renamed as the People’s Republic of Benin by the military government • Not until 1990 that the country officially becomes the Republic of Berlin

  7. Key Information to Remember • More extensive centralization and militarization than many previous kingdoms in Africa • Conquests and traditions notoriously violent • Slave trade with coastal European communities fueled its success • Vodoun- official religion of the Dahomey Kingdom • Composite system of ritual, theology and worship • Knowledge and mastery of nature and divine ancestry to guide, teach and heal humans while helping them to fulfill their earthly duties http://www.vaudou-vodun.com/en/cartier/11/o-vodu/12/na/page/18/

  8. Key Information, cont. • Dahomey Kingdom dominated Western Africa during its existence • Raided neighboring villages • Did not trade with fellow African nations; traded slaves exclusively with coastal Europeans to gain power • Protectorate signed by King of Hogbonou with France in 1894 • Dahomeans did not assimilate into French culture • Would struggle to compete in trade and technology • Republic of Dahomey declares independence in 1958, becomes Republic of Benin • One of Africa’s most stable democracies

  9. The Rise and Fall of Dahomey • Reached the height of its power and prestige during Atlantic slave trade (18th and 19th centuries) • Rule of Gezu (1818-1858) marked the pinnacle of Dahomey’s power and influence • End of the slave trade in mid-19th century affected the economic future for Dahomey • Forces Dahomey to produce new products for new markets • Products did not contain the same revenues the slave trade had (economic isolation) • 1892 French launch a full-scale attack against Dahomey • Surrendered in 1894- kingdom becomes French colony after last king of Dahomey (Kongo) is forced to retire

  10. Significance • Created a large system of slave trade between the Western African coast and Europe • Dominated other nations in the region • Greater centralization and militarization than any previous nation in the region • Inspired the Vodoun religion • Future generations inherited the beliefs and practices of the Dahomeans • After it gained independence in August 1960, Republic of Benin became one of Africa’s most stable democracies to date http://www.mfa-ks.net/?page=2,4,900

  11. Bibliography “Dahomey.” The Ouidah Museum of History. Web. 07 Mar 2014. “Dahomey Kingdom History.” Spiritual and Temporal Power of theDahomey Kings. African Magick, 2011. Web. 7 March 2014. “Guezo.” UXL Biographies. Detroit: UXL, 2003. Discover Collection. Web. 07 Mar 2014. “The Kingdom of Dahomey: A Brief History.” Benin Other Places Travel Guide. Other Places Publishing, 2010. Web. 07 Mar 2014. Kurian, George Thomas, ed. “Benin: History Overview.” World Geography and Culture Online. Facts on File, Inc. Web. 07 Mar 2014. “Wonders: Dahomey Kingdom.” The Slave Kingdoms. Microsoft Encarta Africana, 1999. Web. 7 Mar 2014. Zogbé, Mama. “The World’s Oldest Vodoun Tradition.” Mami Wata West African Diaspora Vodoun. Mama Zogbé, 2010. Web. 10 Mar 2014.

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