Check out our country profile, full of essential information about benin s geography, history, government, economy, population, culture, religion and languages. Oct 16, 2017 this free resource is differentiated in six levels for year 3 to year 6. 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. It covers an area of 44,310 sqm and is home to about 11 million people. Mountainous daghestani republics or free associations volnye. This plaque is one of the relief brasscast plaques that once used to decorate the palace of the oba king in benin city, the capital of the benin edo kingdom in modern. This gallery contains photographs used in the kingdom of benin primary history books.
History more than 350 years ago the area now known as benin was split into numerous principalities. A short history of benin 3rd edition by jacob egharevba. They will use the cards to match the vocabulary to the correct artefact. 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. A kingdom may have existed among the edo or bini people in as early as ad 900. In the online market, various books are available those provide proper knowledge about. Benin history and the tales of its kingdom that he analyzes. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. The history of benin as a unified kingdom is believed to have begun in the 12th or th centuries ad. Apr 25, 2017 the eweka dynasty took over with thirtyfive successive obas, the last of whose misfortune it was to face the colonialist onslaught of british imperialism in 1897. One of the most mysterious episodes of benin history, namely the establishment of the socalled 1st. The republic of benin is a small west african country. Pdf the scholarship of jacob egharevba of benin uyilawa.
The kingdom of benin known as the benin kingdom, was a precolonial kingdom in what is now southern nigeria. Although at one time the education system was not free, benin has abolished school fees and is carrying out the recommendations of its 2007 educational forum. Read and learn for free about the following article. The history of the kingdom of benin from african historical. An african country reckons with its history of selling slaves.
Western reactions to benin bronzes civilisations bbc. Benin kingdom art and artefacts activity teaching resources. Benin has achieved universal primary education and half of the children 54% were enrolled in secondary education in 20, according to the unesco institute for statistics. 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. Just to be clear, heres a breakdown of what is where. According to belief, the local edo chiefs tired of fighting among themselves and decided to invite the ife chief, oduduwa, to become their leader.
Revised for 2016, this book contains essential historical information and activities on kingdom of benin study of non european society which contrasts with british history. Kingdom of benin timeline national curriculum objectives. With few written sources, what we know about benin kingdom comes mostly from either artefacts and monuments that archaeologists have discovered or the rich heritage of oral tradition that still exists among the people of nigeria today. Until the late 19th century, one of the major powers in west africa was the kingdom of benin, in what is now southwest nigeria. Benin artifacts are among the most exquisite and coveted in worlds history and the kingdom of benin ramains famous for its sophistication in social engineering and organization. A historic kingdom of west africa, benin flourished for more than 600 years in the forests of what is now southern nigeria. It is a country with a rich history, culture, art and numerous other considerable things. In the benin kingdom the obas power is less than in centuries past. Learn about the ancient kingdom of benin, where was it a when did it begin. It is not to be confused with the postcolonial nation state. The first ogiso was obagodo who handed in an effective system of administration, owodo the last ogiso was banished from the kingdom for misadministration.
It is not to be confused with benin, the postcolonial nation state. An african country reckons with its history of selling. Ks2 kingdom of benin timeline worksheets teaching resources. Instead, they are talking about an area of land that was known in the past as benin kingdom but is now a part of modern day nigeria. Mar 18, 2016 now, however, the great benin city is lost to history. Popular books on benin best book recommendations, best. The kingdom of benin, also known as the benin kingdom, was a precolonial kingdom in what. The modern republic of benin, given that name only in 1975, is the successor to one of west africas most interesting and longlasting kingdoms, that of dahomey.
Pdf ancient african civilizations span the course of several. When people refer to benin kingdom they do not mean the modern day country of benin in west africa. Now, however, the great benin city is lost to history. Mar, 2014 the history of benin monarchy can be traced back to the ogiso era in the 10th 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. They could then use these artefacts as inspiration for their own art work. Benin was a french colony from the late 19th century until 1960.
The bronze plaques and ivory sculptures photographed here are held at the british museum london england. All individuals hear about the africa and benin its part. Jun 07, 2017 the history of benin as a unified kingdom is believed to have begun in the 12th or th centuries ad. The rise and fall of a mighty forest kingdom roese, peter m. Infoplease has everything you need to know about benin. An interpretation of interregnum in the benin kingdom article pdf available in history in africa 31. Rituals of kingship and their social meanings 67 main social reality for manypeople, providing meaning amidst clashing and ineffec tual ideologies, and promising security in politically unstable times.
The kingdom of benin, also known as the benin kingdom, was a precolonial kingdom in what is now southern nigeria. The most respected woman in benin history, queen iden the wife of oba ewakpe about1700ad1712ad grave is situated at obas market close to urhokpota hall. Pdf contesting the history of benin kingdom researchgate. They are displayed here for teachers who want to use them for whole class teaching, discussions and other activities in the books. The oba of benin is the traditional ruler and the custodian of the culture of the edo people and all edoid people and head of the historic eweka dynasty of the benin empire a west african empire centred on benin city, in modernday nigeria. If youre behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains. 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. Population movements in form of migration are a dominant thread that runs through the history of precolonial benin kingdom. He established a hereditary succession to the throne and vastly expanded the territory of the benin kingdom, which by the mid16th century extended from the niger river delta in the east to what is now lagos in the west. The kingdom of benin s capital was edo, now known as benin city in edo state. If youre seeing this message, it means were having trouble loading external resources on our website. For getting complete knowledge about these things, the individuals are required to consider the way of books. Learn more about the history, geography, and culture of benin in this article. 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.
The kingdom of benin if youre seeing this message, it means were having trouble loading external resources on our website. Kingdom of benin timeline benin beginner answers 6. In the benin kingdom the obas kings power is less than in centuries past, but the ideas. Benin kingdom was destroyed when british forces invaded in 1897. Answer each of the following questions using complete sentences. In this lesson the children learn what happened to the kingdom of benin after its. Gift of the nile history of africa with zeinab badawi episode 3. He is believed to be the father of the principal rulers of the yoruba land, the father of oranrniyan who was the father of eweka i of benin and who was also the founder and the first alaafin of oyo kingdom ife traditional history says oduduwa descended from heaven in a like manner to the edo account. The women soldiers of dahomey elite troops of women soldiers, probably established in the early eighteenth century, contributed to the military power of the kingdom of dahomey in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. If thats not enough, click over to our collection of world maps and flags. Its decline began in the 15th century, sparked by internal conflicts linked to the increasing european intrusion and slavery trade at the. The kingdom of benin, home of the edospeaking peoples, is located in the tropical rain forest region of what is now nigeria.
Despite the british abuse of bini culture and marginalization of bini history, the spendour of edo civilization continues to this day to astound and exite the world. In relationto precolonialhistory, he pursuesthe theme of an empire comprisingthe benin kingdom and a motley crowd of other groups with allegiance to the oba. Some of the books on this list concern the old kingdom of benin, located in what is now southern nigeria, and others are set in the area of the unrelated current republic of benin, further to the east. Lagos was in fact founded by a benin army and continued to pay tribute to the oba of benin until the end of the 19th century. The origin and settling down of the edo introductory of all the west african societies, the kingdom of benin is the one most mentioned in c on. Each worksheet requires children to fill in missing dates of major events during the kingdom of benin. A brief history of the kingdom of benin africanglobe. Some modern historians say that the great oduduwa was a fugitive from the muslims of. He sent his son, who had a child, eweka, by the daughter of a local chief. The benin kingdom was one of the oldest and most highly developed states in the coastal hinterland of west africa, it was formed around. It is believed that there were thirty one of them before the arrival of prince oranmiyan from ife. Akaba of abomey conquered his neighbouring ruler dan and called the new kingdom danhomey, later shortened by french colonisers. An oba, or king, and his court have, from around 0 c.
The largest ethnic group in benin is fondahomey which constitutes 39% of the total population. Often recruited as teenagers, the women soldiers lived in the royal palace, isolated from society. For more like this subscribe to the open university channel s. Kingdom of benin writing exercises student handouts.