THE HISTORY OF SIERRA LEONE

Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West
Africa. It shares its southeastern border with Liberia, and the northern half of the nation is
surrounded by Guinea. Covering a total area of 71,740 km2 (27,699 sq mi), Sierra Leone has a
tropical climate, with diverse environments ranging from savanna to rainforests. The country has
a population of 7,092,113 as of the 2015 census. Freetown is the capital and largest city. The
country is divided into five administrative regions, which are subdivided into 16 districts.

Sierra Leone is a presidential republic with a unicameral parliament and a directly elected
president. Sierra Leone is a secular state with the constitution providing for the separation of
state and religion and freedom of conscience (which includes freedom of thoughts and religion).
Muslims make up about three-quarters of the population, though with an influential Christian
minority. Religious tolerance in the West African country is very high and is generally
considered a norm and part of Sierra Leone's cultural identity.

The geographic area has been inhabited for millennia, but Sierra Leone, as the country and its
borders are known today, was founded by the British Crown in two phases: first, the coastal
Sierra Leone Colony in 1808 (for returning Africans after the abolition of the slave trade);
second, the inland Protectorate in 1896 (as the Crown needed to establish more dominion inland
following the outcome of the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885). Hence, the country formally
became known as the Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate or simply British Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1961, becoming a
Commonwealth realm as the Dominion of Sierra Leone with Sir Milton Margai of the Sierra
Leone People's Party (SLPP) as the country's first prime minister.

A new constitution was adopted in 1971, transforming the country into a presidential republic led
by Siaka Stevens of the All People's Congress (APC). After declaring the APC the sole legal
party in 1978, Stevens was succeeded by Joseph Saidu Momoh in 1985, who enacted a new
constitution reintroducing a multi-party system in 1991. A brutal civil war between the
government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebel group broke out the same year,
which went on for 11 years with devastating effects. During the war, the country experienced

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three coups d'état and alternated between civilian and military rule. Following military
interventions by the ECOMOG and later the United Kingdom, the RUF was definitively defeated
in 2002. The country has remained relatively stable since then, and is attempting to recover from
the war. The two main political parties are the APC and the SLPP.

About 18 ethnic groups inhabit Sierra Leone; the two largest and most influential ones are the
Temne and Mende peoples. About 1.2% of the country's population are Creole people,
descendants of freed African-American and Afro-Caribbean slaves and liberated Africans.
English is the official language used in schools and government administration. Krio is the most
widely spoken language across Sierra Leone, spoken by 97% of the country's population. Sierra
Leone is rich in natural resources, especially diamond, gold, bauxite and aluminium. The country
is a member of the United Nations, African Union, Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS), Mano River Union, Commonwealth of Nations, IMF, World Bank, WTO, African
Development Bank, and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation

EUROPEAN TRADING

European contacts within Sierra Leone were among the first in West Africa during the 15th
century. In 1462, Portuguese explorer Pedro de Sintra mapped the hills surrounding what is now
Freetown Harbour, naming the shaped formation Serra da Leoa or "Serra Leoa" (Portuguese for
Lioness Mountains). The Spanish rendering of this geographic formation is Sierra Leona, which
later was adapted, misspelled and became the country's current name. Though according to
Professor C. Magbaily Fyle, this might have been a misinterpretation by historians. According to
Professor Fyle, there has been evidence of travellers calling the region Serra Lyoa long before
1462 (before the first arrival of Sintra to the region). This would imply that the identity of the
person who named Sierra Leone is unknown. Soon after Sintra's expedition, Portuguese traders
started arriving at the harbour. By 1495, they had built a fortified trading post on the coast.

Traders from European nations, such as the Dutch Republic, England and France also started to
arrive in Sierra Leone and establish trading stations. These stations quickly began to primarily
deal in slaves, who were brought to the coast by indigenous traders from interior areas
undergoing wars and conflicts over territory. The Europeans made payments, called Cole, for

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rent, tribute, and trading rights, to the king of an area. Local Afro-European merchants often
acted as middlemen, the Europeans advancing them goods to trade to indigenous merchants,
most often for slaves and ivory. Sir Francis Drake reached Sierra Leone on 22 July 1580 as the
last stop of his voyage along the west coast of Africa. Bunce Island, an island on the Sierra
Leone River, was used as a base by European slavers as a place for slave ships to dock before
sailing via the Middle Passage to the Americas. Until the passage of the Slave Trade Act 1807,
the island was operated by the London-based firm Grant, Oswald & Company, who occupied it
in women. Black settlers were captured by unscrupulous traders and sold as slaves, and the
remaining colonists were forced to arm themselves for their own protection.

THE THREE (3) SOURCES USED IN WRITING THE HISTORY OF SIERRA LEONE

The history of Sierra Leone has been documented and studied using various sources. These
sources include written records, oral traditions, archaeological findings, and official government
documents. Here are some of the key sources used in writing the history of Sierra Leone:

1. SLAVE NARRATIVES: Sierra Leone played a key role in the transatlantic slave trade. The
narratives of people who were enslaved or freed provide crucial insights into their experiences,
the slave trade routes, the impact of abolition movements, and the establishment of the colony
for freed African captives in Freetown.

2. ORAL TRADITIONS: Oral history is significant in Sierra Leone, as it prov ides an

alternative perspective to written records. Many ethnic groups in Sierra Leone have rich oral
traditions, including myths, legends, songs, and oral histories passed down through generations.
Historians often work with local communities and elders to collect and analyze this valuable
source of information.

3. ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDINGS: Archaeological excavations have been conducted in

Sierra Leone, uncovering remnants of settlements, pottery, artifacts, and burial sites. These
findings help in understanding pre-colonial societies, their settlement patterns, agricultural
practices,

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THE FIVE ADVANTAGES OF ORAL TRADITIONAL AS A SOURCES OF AFRICAN
HISTORY

1. LIMITED PERSPECTIVES: Oral tradition often focuses on the perspectives and

experiences of certain groups or individuals, neglecting other voices and narratives. This can
result in an incomplete or biased understanding of African history.

2. LIMITED CHRONOLOGICAL SCOPE: Oral tradition tends to have a limited

chronological scope, often focusing on recent events or periods within living memory. This can
pose challenges when trying to reconstruct a comprehensive timeline of African history,
particularly for events that occurred in the distant past.

3. TRANSMISSION ERRORS: As information is passed down through generations orally,

there is always a risk of transmission errors. Details may be misremembered, altered, or lost,
leading to discrepancies in historical accounts.

4. SUBJECTIVITY: Oral tradition is inherently subjective as it relies on the memories,

interpretations, and biases of individuals. This can lead to inaccuracies and the spread of
misinformation over time.

5. LACK OF CORROBORATING EVIDENCE: Unlike written sources, oral tradition does

not provide tangible evidence or documentation to support historical claims. This can make it
difficult to validate the accuracy of the information passed down orally.

THE THREE (3) METHODS USED IN COLLECTING DATA FOR THE WRITING OF
AFRICAN HISTORY

Collecting data for the writing of African history is a crucial step to ensure accuracy and
comprehensiveness. Here are some approaches and sources that can assist in this process:

1. HISTORICAL RECORDS: Examine official records like census data, birth and death
records, land records, trade records, and military documents. These records can provide
statistical data and insights into different aspects of African history.

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2. ARTIFACTS AND OBJECTS: Explore museums and archaeological sites to study artifacts,
tools, artworks, and cultural objects. These can shed light on ancient African civilizations, social
structures, and material culture.

3. DIGITAL ARCHIVES AND DATABASES: Utilize online platforms and databases that
consolidate digitized historical documents, photographs, maps, and other resources related to
African history. Examples include the African Digital Library, African Online Digital Library,
and the British Library African Collections.