Who Founded Liberia and Why?

Liberia was founded by freed American slaves in 1822.

The American Colonization Society (ACS) was established in 1816 for the purpose of resettling free blacks back to Africa. In 1820, ACS purchased land from local African chiefs on the coast of present-day Liberia. In 1821, the first group of 86 free blacks from the United States arrived in Liberia. They settled at a place called Monrovia, which was named after President James Monroe.

The American Colonization Society

In 1816, a group of prominent Americans founded the American Colonization Society (ACS) with the goal of resettling free African Americans in Africa. The ACS was motivated by a belief that blacks were better off in Africa than in the United States and that their removal would be beneficial to both races.

The ACS purchased land in present-day Liberia in 1821 and began transporting black colonists the following year. The colony struggled to get established due to disease, hostile native Africans, and a lack of funding. In spite of these difficulties, the colony grew slowly over the next few decades as more and more black Americans chose to emigrate to Liberia.

Liberia was originally intended to be a place where free blacks could go to live and start new lives. Liberia’s capital, Monrovia, is named after James Monroe, who was the fifth President of the United States and a supporter of the ACS. The first ship carrying settlers arrived in Liberia in 1820. These settlers established Liberia’s first settlement, Christopolis.

The ACS continued to bring settlers to Liberia until the early 1840s when funding for the organization dried up. By this time, there were about 1,600 settlers living in Liberia. In 1847, the ACS turned over control of Liberia to the settlers and it became an independent country.

The Liberian flag is based on the flag of the United States because many of the original settlers were from America. The eleven stripes on the flag represent the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the single star represents liberty

Today, Liberia is home to a small population of African Americans, most of whom are descendants of original colonists or their children. Although Liberia faces many challenges, it has made great strides since its early days and is now one of the more stable countries in Africa.

The Liberian Declaration of Independence

In 1847, a group of African-American settlers in Liberia issued a Declaration of Independence. The document was modeled on the United States Declaration of Independence and proclaimed the settlers’ intention to form an independent republic.

The Liberian Declaration of Independence was drafted by Elijah Johnson, a lawyer from Massachusetts who had settled in Liberia in 1843. It was adopted by the Settlers’ Convention on July 26, 1847. The declaration asserted the settlers’ right to self-government and condemned slavery and the slave trade.

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The Liberian Declaration of Independence inspired other African-American settlements in Africa, including those in Sierra Leone and Gambia. It also helped to pave the way for the establishment of the Republic of Liberia in 1848.

The first president of Liberia

The first president of Liberia was Joseph Jenkins Roberts. He was born in Virginia to free black parents in 1809.

Roberts emigrated to Liberia in 1829, and became a successful businessman. In 1839, Roberts was elected the first Black governor of Liberia. He served two terms as governor before being elected president in 1848. Roberts served until his death in 1876.

How Liberia has changed since its founding

Since its founding, Liberia has undergone many changes.

In 1980, a military coup led by Samuel Doe ousted the democratically-elected government of William Tolbert. Doe’s regime was marked by human rights abuses and corruption. In 1989, rebel groups began an uprising against Doe’s government. This resulted in a civil war that lasted until 1997. During the civil war, hundreds of thousands of people were killed and many more were displaced.

In 2003, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected president, making her the first female head of state in Africa. Sirleaf’s election marked a significant change for Liberia; she is widely considered to be an effective leader who has helped to stabilize the country after years of conflict. Under her leadership, Liberia has made great strides in reconstruction and development.