History of benin kingdom pdf merge

This tenlesson history unit contains lesson plans, pupil resources and teachers guides. Benin city was also one of the first cities to have a semblance of street lighting. Pdf the general outlines of benin city have not changed during past centuries until the beginning. The art of the benin people journal of advances in social science. According to belief, the local edo chiefs tired of fighting among themselves and decided to invite the ife chief, oduduwa, to become their leader. The ancient kingdom of benin was situated in the south east coast of west africa, an area forming part of modern nigeria. His son eweka is regarded as the first oba, or king, of benin, though authority would remain for many years with a hereditary order of local chiefs. Pdf benin, the western niger delta, and the development of the.

Culturally diverse, benins people follow a diverse mix of christian, muslim, and west african traditional beliefs. The republic of benin is a small west african country. The origin of benin and its early rulers kingdom of benin. Currently found in the nation of nigeria not the modernday country of benin, the kingdom was centred on the city of benin, and dates back to some of the earliest ogiso kings some 2000 years ago. Those activities finally led to more than thirty publications on the former kingdom of benin. Nevertheless, voodoo is still a rather misunderstood religion due to its inaccurate portrayal by the media. Benin city is the capital and largest city of edo state in southern nigeria. Culturally diverse, benin s people follow a diverse mix of christian, muslim, and west african traditional beliefs. Today benin includes not only the ancient fon kingdom of dahomey but also areas inhabited by many other groups. The pdf file contains the full lesson plan and two pupil activity sheets. The operation was named the benin punitive expedition, and on 9 february 1897 the invasion of the benin kingdom began. The edo of benin april 2000 by osamuyimen stewart, ph. Traditional government in benin kingdom kingdom of benin.

We can get an idea of the kingdom s grandeur and accomplishments from the bronze plaques commissioned by the kings obas to commemorate and record achievements during their reign. The history of grandpopo relates to the mono river estuary of the bight of benin and its surrounding areas. The history was collected from the following authorities. Late in the th century, royal power began to assert.

He sent his son, who had a child, eweka, by the daughter of a local chief. It is not to be confused with benin, the postcolonial nation state. Ovonramwen, also called overami, died january 1914, calabar, southern nigeria now nigeria, west african ruler who was the last independent oba king of the 500yearold kingdom of benin in presentday nigeria. The kingdom of benin, also known as the benin kingdom, was a precolonial kingdom in what is now southern nigeria. The inhabitants of benin spoke a group of closely related languages known as edo. Portuguese brazil by joining invading dutch forces 16301654. A popular history of benin the rise and fall of a mighty forest kingdom frankfurt am main, berlin, bern, bruxelles, new york, oxford, wien, 2003. Ovonramwen tried to maintain his independence in the face of increasing british pressure but was able to delay for only a few years the annexation of his kingdom by the. Benin for ks1 and ks2 children kingdom of benin homework. It was built in 1906 by late chief iyamu, the inneh of benin kingdom, late chief iyamu is the great grandfather of osagie ize. Then they will set this period into the wider context of british and world history and make their own timelines.

Sep 07, 2012 the benin people corrupted owomika to eweka and gave it as the title to oranmiyans son who thus became known to the benin people as eweka. Instead of associating this religion with zombies and voodoo dolls, we should perhaps take the time to better understand voodoo, and view it as a way of life or a set. Emily the main character is on a school trip with her classmates to the world museum. The capture of benin paved the way for british military occupation and the merging of later regional british. The kingdom of grandpopo was not originally a united kingdom, but a collection of several villages with a sandy ravine that separated the lagoon from the sea. Iron technology led to the development of weapons which changed the character of war. Eghaevbo nore egharevba egypt eholo nire eldest enigie erebo esagho esigie established evian ezomo ezomo omoruyi father festivals history of benin ibadan igodomigodo iguogbe ikpema ileife imadoduwa imhotep installed isi district iso temple joined his. Jun 20, 2015 pupils will use atlases to find out where the kingdom of benin used to be located. Oba ohen 3470 ce whose murder of his iyase, the traditional prime minister of ubini land, led to a rebellion that brought his reign to an end.

The field commanders were instructed by their commanderinchief to burn down all benin kingdoms towns and villages, and hang the king of benin wherever and whenever he was captured. Primarily made of cast bronze and carved ivory, benin art was produced mainly for the court of the oba of benin a divine ruler for whom the craftsmen produced a range of. Benin kingdom began as a group of small villages situated in the rainforests of west africa. Below are amazing facts about the great benin kingdom. Answer each of the following questions using complete sentences. It covers an area of 44,310 sqm and is home to about 11 million people. An oba, or king, and his court have, from around 0 c. The benin kingdom was one of the oldest and most developed states in the coastal hinterland of west africa, dating to the eleventh century ce, until it was annexed by the british empire in 1897.

Although benin kingdom began to develop during the period 9000 ce, it reached its height during the later years of 01700 ce. The history of ancient benin kingdom and empire daniel. The first kingdom of benin is believed to have developed in the 12th or th century. Kingdom of benin writing exercises free printable worksheet for world history scroll down to print pdf african civilizations writing exercises on the kingdom of benin. Huge metal lamps, many feet high, were built and placed around the city, especially near the. This posting is a collection of oral tradition passed down to me, my critical evaluation of folklore, and ideas from a variety of written sources egharevba 1934, bradbury 1957, crowder 1962, basil davidson et al 1965, akenzua 1979, igbafe 1979, erhagbe class notes 1983. It was the ritual performed that gave oranmiyans son the title of eweka that every subsequent obatobe goes to use to perform to this day. Prince eredia uwa was crowned the oba of benin kingdom with the title oba osemwende after the defeat of oba ogbebo. Benin art is the art from the kingdom of benin or edo empire 14401897, a precolonial african state located in what is now known as the southsouth region of nigeria. The benin kingdom was one of the oldest and most highly developed states in the coastal hinterland of west. He ordered the akure punitive expedition of 1818ad to revenge the murdered of osague the benin empire goodwill ambassador to akure who was murdered with the order of arakale the udezi of akure.

Below are the history books and their links to amazon b a sed on accounts of true events, the story of the benin expedition combat is told through the eyes of a britishs officers young valet. Tradition asserts that the edo people became dissatisfied with the rule of a dynasty of semimythical kings, the ogisos, and in the th century they invited prince oranmiyan of ife to rule them. The kingdom of benins capital was edo, now known as benin city in edo state. Kingdom of benin writing exercises student handouts. Benin, one of the principal historic kingdoms of the western african forest region fl. Benin ad 9000 is now a noneuropean study unit for ks2 on the new curriculum for history. Primarily made of cast bronze and carved ivory, benin art was produced mainly for the court of the oba of benin a divine ruler for whom the craftsmen produced a range of ceremonially significant objects. The benin british wars clash of two empires military might of benin empire west africa. Its decline began in the 15th century, sparked by internal conflicts linked to the increasing european intrusion and slavery trade at the. When european merchant ships began to visit west africa from the 15th century onwards, benin came to control the trade between the inland peoples and the europeans on the coast. Because benin kingdom belongs to no one else but the oba of benin since 2000 years till date. The kingdom of benin ad 900 0 schools prehistory and. The people did not write down their history but transmitted it through their oral spoken culture, their art and their legends it is thought that the edo people first lived in villages which were governed by elders.

The benin people corrupted owomika to eweka and gave it as the title to oranmiyans son who thus became known to the benin people as eweka. Not benin city, but the settlement of udo situated on the way from ife to benin could well be the first capital of the country, that is the seat of the founder of the ogiso. Ovonramwen, west african ruler who was the last independent oba king of the 500yearold kingdom of benin in presentday nigeria. They were ruled by a dynasty of kings called ogisos meaning kings of the sky and the people began to build an.

Mar, 2014 the history of benin monarchy can be traced back to the ogiso era in the 10th century. Yet, while a great deal ofattention has been paid to the art of benin, little has. Many things including utensils and weapons have also been found, each hand cast with brass. Knowledgebase on african diaspora and africana studies. In the benin kingdom the obas kings power is less than in centuries past, but the ideas underlying kingship persist, through myth and ritual, as a general cognitive model.

Benin was thus the first african country to effect successfully the transition from dictatorship to a pluralistic political system. During privately organised fieldwork there, undertaken to discover the socalled benin walls, he collected a lot of information from local people, covering historical, ethnological and anthropological subjects. Apr 25, 2017 not to be confused with benin, kingdom of benin is an area of nigeria, benin city in that region. The statement credited to oba erediauwa omonoba uku akpolokpolo, that the yoruba race originated from benin kingdom, was very rich in details and calls for. Gambian history before the arrival of europeans has been preserved to some degree in oral traditions. History of grandpopo wikibooks, open books for an open world. Echoes of the benin kingdom british conflict of 1897. A brief history the kingdom of benin was established in 40bc and was at its height and glory between the 14th and the 16th centuries. Benin planning and resource pack ks2 teaching resources. Second in status only to the gods, the oba of benin remains a sacred overlord. The center of grandpopo, gbebco, was once located about 6.

The history of the kingdom of benin from african historical. A lovely banner with the timeline of the benin our wonderful illustrations are included, and descriptions of a few moments in their history are included throughout. It is not to be confused with the postcolonial nation state. The benin kingdom was one of the oldest and most highly developed states in the coastal hinterland of west africa, it was formed around. The present day grandpopo district extends to the west as a seariver lane to the togo border. Until the late 19th century, one of the major powers in west africa was the kingdom of benin, in what is now southwest nigeria. Joining this innermost system to the northwest is another similar rampart enclosing, however, a much larger area. Egedege nokaro is the first storey building in benin kingdom and in the whole of the midwestern region, nigeria which is the present day edo and delta states. The united states and benin have had an excellent history of relations in the years since benin embraced democracy. Jun 07, 2017 the history of benin as a unified kingdom is believed to have begun in the 12th or th centuries ad. We can get an idea of the kingdoms grandeur and accomplishments from the bronze plaques commissioned by the kings obas to commemorate and record achievements during their reign. Centuries benin kingdom as a nonstate supercomplex society. Of all the west african societies, the kingdom of benin is the one most mentioned in contemporary european literature. The nations lack of cultural homogeneity is due to geographic factors and a history that has included waves of migration, competition between precolonial kingdoms, four centuries of commercial relations with europe, and the impact of.

This discussion focuses on the gambia since the late 15th century. Within the kingdom, specialized artists belonged to guilds with hereditary membership and worked solely for the oba. It is believed that there were thirty one of them before the arrival of prince oranmiyan from ife. In benin and haiti, voodoo is now officially recognised as a religion. Benin is one of africas smallest countries, and displays little fluctuation in elevation. History of grandpopo wikibooks, open books for an open. Carrefour, the highway junction where the village center is now located, is 17 kilometers. A short history of benin 3rd edition by jacob egharevba.

Its history is closely tied to that of neighbouring senegal, since it was. A network of large walls, which have been estimated to be longer in extent than the great wall of china, enclosed the city and surrounding settlements and seem to have been built incrementally over hundreds of years. Owing to the welcome given to the first edition in the vernacular of the short history, i have endeavoured in this english version to meet the needs of foreigners who do not understand the benin language, but are anxious to know its history. Since the end of the 15th century, a great deal of material about benin has. Queen mother pendant mask iyoba edo peoples benin plaques at the british museum. The kingdom of benin, also known as the benin kingdom, was a precolonial kingdom in what. In the past few decades much research has appeared on the early history of this kingdom, the origin of its kingship, and the time of the early ogiso kings, who are considered by many historians as the. The benin kingdom was one of the oldest and most developed states in the coastal hinterland of west africa, dating to the. The kingdom of benin first book library binding september 1, 1998 by dominique malaquais author. Ihogbe, the worshippers and recorders of the departed.

Ovonramwen tried to maintain his independence in the face of increasing british pressure but was able to delay for only a few years the annexation of his kingdom by. It was located in presentday southern nigeria, east of the yoruba land and west of the niger river. The first ogiso was obagodo who handed in an effective system of administration, owodo the last ogiso was banished from the kingdom for misadministration. The administration of benin kingdom rests on the shoulders of three powerful groups.

The kingdom of benin has the reputation of being one of the most important examples for a kingoriented stateformation in subsaharian africa. Wealthy businessman and political novice patrice talon was elected to a fiveyear presidential term in 2016 on a cleangovernment platform. Contesting the history of benin kingdom article pdf available in research in african literatures 3. Those who want a traitor to rule over them should kindly go and form their kingdom. Government continues to assist benin with the improvement of living standards that are key to the ultimate success of benin s experiment with democratic government and economic liberalization, and are consistent with u. Oba edoni 12951299 ce and oba udagbedo 129934 ce made no impact on ubini. The kingdom of benin s capital was edo, now known as benin city in edo state. Tradition asserts that the edo people became dissatisfied with the rule of a dynasty of semimythical kings, the ogisos, and in the th century they invited prince oranmiyan of ife to rule.

During privately organised fieldwork there, undertaken to discover the socalled benin walls. In order to gain improved trading and security, some of the villages made a decision to join together as a conglomerate around ad 900. The kingdom of benin known as the benin kingdom, was a precolonial kingdom in what is now southern nigeria. This research project focuses on exploring the events of the benin kingdombritish conflict in 1897 and also the culture and art forms that come from this part of west africa. Project muse contesting the history of benin kingdom. The old kingdom of benin is still a district of nigeria around the ancient benin city in the southern part of the country. The origins of voodoo, the misunderstood religion ancient. For a treatment of earlier periods and of the country in its regional context, see western africa, history of. As you can see, the beninian people were very gifted in this fine art and it is one of the richest parts of their culture. Iron technology the use of iron and development of its technology in benin kingdom has had influences in the statebuilding process. The kingdom of benin is one of the most sophisticated in africa, with a tradition of art that is famous for its refinement and beauty. The benin kingdom was one of the oldest and most highly developed states in the coastal hinterland of west africa, it was formed around the 11th century ce, 2 until it was annexed by the british empire in 1897.

The history of ancient benin kingdom and empire oronsaye, daniel nabuleleorogie on. Apr 21, 2015 in benin and haiti, voodoo is now officially recognised as a religion. Mar 18, 2016 now, however, the great benin city is lost to history. This plaque is one of the relief brasscast plaques that once used to decorate the palace of the oba king in benin city, the. A brief history of the kingdom of benin africanglobe. Iron technology the use of iron and development of its technology in benin kingdom. Smith, in his book titled kingdoms of the yoruba, after examining the early history of some principal yoruba towns, especially in and around oyo, and the westward expansion in the l7th century of benin kingdom with its number of subject towns on or near to the coast, which included lagos, went on to say this about lagos in particular. Precolonial benin kingdom not to be confused with benin, kingdom of benin is an area of nigeria, benin city in that region.