DIPITY TIMELINE URL
http://www.dipity.com/pamillan/Equatorial-Guinea_1/#
TIMELINE
- Fernando Po
-Portuguese explorer Fernando Po and Lopes Goncalves discovered an island off the coast of Africa. This island today is called Mabalo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea.
- NEW: Portuguese Original Colonization
-The Portuguese colonized this newfound land, and kept control until 1778
- Portugal and Spain
-Portugal handed over the rights to these islands to Spain through the Treaty of El Prado
- The British and Spain
-While the Spanish where consumed with yellow fever, they leased harbors to the British. The Spanish at this time were not focusing on their colony in Africa.
- Fernando Po Island
-The island became used as a penal statement to Cuban exiles.
- Equatorial Guinea Recognized
-When different European countries begin colonizing Africa, this small colonized area gets recognition as a colony of Spain.
- NEW: A United Colony
-Now known as Equatorial Guinea, during this time the colony was known as Spanish Guinea.
- NEW: Spanish Equatorial Region
-Spanish Guinea was considered to be of the same status as provinces in Spain, and was ruled by a governor.
- NEW: Independence Granted
-Spain decides that it will grant Equatorial Guinea its independence
- NEW: First President
-Francisco Macías Nguema is elected first president of Equatorial Guinea
- NEW: Independence Achieved
Equatorial Guinea is declared an independent country.
Sources:
Wharton, B. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://quod.lib.umich.edu/g/gefame/4761563.0003.102?rgn=main;view=fulltext
History of Equatorial Guinea (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ad38
The history of Equatorial Guinea is very intriguing considering it is a Spanish speaking country in a continent that predominately does not speak Spanish. There are some noticeable comparisons between Equatorial Guinea and the United States, including when the countries were discovered, which were only twenty years apart. Like the U.S. Equatorial Guinea was colonized by a European country and eventually they gained Independence from said country, gained a president and became their own country. In contrast to the United States though, their independence came very late in the game, and they are a very young country. Again in contrast, they have not had any great leaders who have led them to success or a great life.