Tanzania is one of the countries in the East Africa with a rich history and a complicated road to independence (Okoth 46). Heale and Wong call Tanzania as “home to a fascinating collection of wildlife” (5). The peculiar feature of this African country is the fact that it is the only union of two independent countries, Tanganyika and Zanzibar, that was formed on the whole continent and exists today (Lawrence 5).
The traditions of two different countries were mixed and complicated. They merged successfully and promoted the development of the place, where many people can find peace and personal satisfaction. Being a crossroad of different cultures, Tanzania remains to be a fascinating region that attracts people by its nature, attitudes of natives, and the intentions to follow their traditions. Tanzania is the country with a rich history that began with the migration of the first Cushitic tribes, continued with its colonization by Germany and Britain and its struggle for independence, and resulted in the development of the country with powerful cultural, economic, and political aspects.
Tanzanian history reaches back to the prehistoric times. The first Tanzanian people appeared in 1000 BC. They used different methods to survive and develop their skills. For example, the majority of them preferred hunting animals and gathering plants (Lambert par.1). Agriculture was another activity the Tanzanians were fond of. People could use the sources of the land and meet their needs to survive. In a short period, a number of people from different regions got to know about the benefits the Tanzanian people enjoyed on their land.
The process of migration began. It was called the Iron Age. Bantu people were the first, who migrated to the land Tanganyika. The peculiar feature of that migration was the introduction of iron tools and weapons the production of which could replace agriculture. Though the possibilities of the Tanzanians were improved considerably with the help of iron, agriculture remained to be a crucial aspect of people’s work. They did not want to neglect or misuse the opportunities available to them. Therefore, the people, who lived on the land of Tanganyika succeeded in different occupations and were able to develop trade relations with other regions. In the 8th century, first Arab merchants visited the land and brought new views on trade and religion.
The majority of people, who lived in Tanzania, were Muslims. Arabs promoted the power of Islam and its impact on people. The Africans learned a lot of new things about religion and its abilities to establish new levels of relations between people. Besides, the location of Arab migrants made the development of trade relations with India possible. Still, not many people were eager to move to Tanzania until the 15th century, and the people, who were eager to live on that land, found it beneficial to produce iron and steel that would become the country’s foundation of the industrial base (Bienen 222).
The first non-Africans’ contact was observed on the land of Tanzania dated in the 15th century. Vasco Da Gama, a famous Portuguese traveler, was one of the first Europeans, who visited the land in 1489 (Lambert par.5). In the beginning, the intentions of the Portuguese were peaceful and aimed at the development of new relations and discovering new traditions. In 1503, the fights began, some native people were killed, and the Portuguese rules were spread over the region until the middle of the 17th century. The Arabs gained their victory, and their ruling lasted until new people from France, Britain, and Germany came to the land. In addition to new opportunities, Tanzania was challenged culturally and economically (Fitzpatrick 20). After the Portuguese, there were no evident tribal conflicts. However, the appearance of new Europeans was the beginning of a new colonial period.
It was Germany that tried to gain control over the land after the Arabs. Carl Peters was the creator of the German East Africa Company on the land of Tanzania (Fitzpatrick 20) under the protection of Chancellor Bismark, who wanted to challenge Britain, the country that also wanted to colonize Africa. The British interruption in the legal relations between Germany and Tanzania was inevitable. That interruption was the reason for new changes, improvements, and challenges. The lives of the inhabitants were dramatically changed: Zanzibar was under the British control, and Tanganyika was under Germany. The natives were not eager to accept the norms established by the foreigners.
The result was the development of new uprisings and the beginning of local wars that aimed at protecting the rights of Tanzanians. One of the most famous rebellions was Maji Maji. It took place in 1905 and lasted for about two years. The Tanzanians had to work a lot on huge cotton plantations. People were not satisfied with the working conditions. They believed that “magic would turn German bullets to water (maji)” (Fitzpatrick 21). The rebellion ended with more than 100,000 deaths from both sides. When the World War began, Germany was defeated by the British. It influenced Tanzania. Britain was now the main ruler of the land. British orders and relations promoted the development of new industries connected with coffee and cotton production. However, the British were not the only organizers of the African industry. The Tanzanians wanted to have more power and formed the African Association in Dar Es Salaam in 1929 (Lambert par. 25).
The results of the Tanzanian intentions were not successful during the next three decades. Britain did not find it necessary to make people free and independent. People created the Tanzania African National Union and defended their rights for freedom and unity. The elections were organized, still, the majority of seats were taken by non-African. In 1961, Britain provided Tanganyika with independence. It was one of the brightest achievements of the country. People had to continue the improvements they began.
In two years, Zanzibar became independent and joint Tanganyika (Heale and Wong 30). These two regions started discussing their relations and tried to understand which region should gain more power. A number of rebellions and conflicts took place. People could not come to the same conclusion. Julius Nyerere was the person, who ended the conflicts and became one of the most successful African statesmen. He offered the idea of the United Republic of Tanzania and helped to save the country from poverty and lack of economic details (Heale and Wong 30).
The next step was the establishment of communism in Tanzania. It was regarded as the only way for the country to promote its economic success and prosperity. It helped to gain control and order in the work of banks, different industrial organizations, and trade relations with such countries as China, Switzerland, and even the UAE with time. Nowadays, Tanzania is not the best developed African country, still, it is one of those with properly developed economic, political, and industrial spheres of life.
In general, the example demonstrated by Tanzania and its history are two powerful issues for consideration. Though the road to success of the country was not easy, Tanzania proved that a properly chosen leader could save the whole country. The already established religious, cultural, and economic beliefs should be considered and respected by all citizens and their presidents because African is the country of contrasts. Its beauty and wildlife can be observed even through the problematic issues.
There are many undeveloped or developing countries on the continent. Each country faces its own challenges connected with poor health, weak educational systems, or ineffective governments that cannot promote the success of their countries. Still, there is one positive aspect that unites all African countries, their history, and culture. Tanzania is the country with a complicated history. Its inhabitants had to deal with a number of challenges and problems. Still, it exists today and is recognized by many countries around the whole world, and it is the best evidence that the Tanzanians succeed in development.
Works Cited
Bienen, Henry. Tanzania: Party Transformation and Economic Development, Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2015. Print.
Fitzpatrick, Mary. Tanzania, Oakland, California: Lonely Planet, 2010. Print.
Heale, Jay, and Winnie Wong. Tanzania, Tarrytown, New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2010. Print.
Lambert, Tim 2013, A Brief History of Tanzania. Web.
Lawrence, David. Tanzania: The Land, Its People and Contemporary Life, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: New Africa Press, 2009. Print.
Okoth, Assa. A History of Africa: African Nationalism and the De-Colonization Process, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: East African Publishers, 2006. Print.