African independence movements

The African independence movements took place in the 20th century, when a wave of struggles for independence in European-ruled African territories were witnessed. Notable independence movements took place: Algeria (former French Algeria), see Algerian War Angola (former Portuguese Angola), see Portuguese Colonial War Guinea-Bissau (former Portuguese Guinea), see Portuguese Colonial War Madagascar (see Malagasy Uprising) Mozambique (former Portuguese Mozambique), see Portuguese Colonial War Namibia (former South West Africa) – against South Africa, see Namibian War of Independence and South African Border War For a list of African nations achieving independence, see Decolonisation of Africa. Mau Mau Uprising and British Kenya British-ruled Kenya was the place of a rebellion from 1952 to 1960, an insurgency by Kenyan rebels against the British colonialist rule. The core of the rebellion was formed by members of the Kikuyu ethnic group, along with smaller numbers of Embu and Meru. Algerian War and French Algeria The colonization of Algeria: French colonization of Algeria began on June 14, 1830 when French soldiers arrived in a coastal town, Sidi Ferruch. The troops did not encounter significant resistance, and within 3 weeks, the occupation was officially declared on July 5, 1830. After a year of occupation over 3,000 Europeans (mostly French) had arrived ready to start businesses and claim land. In reaction to the French occupation, Amir Abd Al-Qadir was elected leader of the resistance movement. On November 27, 1832, Abd Al-Qadir declared that he reluctantly accepted the position, but saw serving in the position as a necessity in order to protect the country from the enemy (the French). Abd Al-Qadir declared the war against the French as jihad, opposed to liberation. Abd Al-Qadir's movement was unique from other independence movements because the main call to action was for Islam rather than nationalism.