26 July 1847 - Liberia Becomes a Republic

Liberia, where the American Colonization Society established the first settlement, Monrovia, in 1822 on land 'granted' by local rulers, became an independent republic with a constitution based on that of the US on 26 July 1847. Unfortunately the 22,000 ex-slave colonists applied the US template too well, and set about enslaving Africans from the interior, and neighboring countries. The day is now celebrated as a national holiday.

Find out more about the history of Liberia:

• A Brief History of Liberia Part 1 – Colonization to Civil War
  
• A Brief History of Liberia Part 2 – Civil War to Present Day
  
• Liberia History Resources

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