Figure 1.--Mozambique was a backward part of the Portuguese empire. Portugal was an economically backward part of Europe and that was reflected in its colonial empire. Modern technology had barely touched much of Mozambique in the early-20th century. This photograph was taken in Mozambique and shows the still primitive condutions prevalent throughout Portuguese Mozambique. It was sold as a tourist postcard and mailed from Beira in 1904. We can see a man (the only seated) with his four wives and some of their children.
Mozambibque is the southern terminus of the Great Rift Valley where archeologuists have found the earliest homanoids. Bantu-speaking peoples migrated from the north and west into what is now Mozambique (1st and 5th centuries AD). Arab traders set up coastal trading posts (bginning in the 8th century). Swahili, a Bantu lannguage, included by contact with Arabs developed as a kind of lengua franca in East Africa. The Portuguese rounded the Cape of Good Hope as a result of a decades long effort to open a sea route to the East, Mozambique was one of the first areas encountered after rounding the Cape. The Portuguese established coastal trading posts , ut did not significantly penetrate the interior. Mozambique vbecame a major source of African captives for rhe slave trde. The Portuguese did not cooperate in the British effort to end the slave trade which began during g the Napoleonic Wars. Portuguese authorities finally abolished slavery (1878). The Portuguese formlly established a colony (1907). Portugal after World War II made Mozambique an overses province (1951). The Mozambicans watching Britain and Frnce grant independence to their colonies, launced a war for independence (1964). Portuguese authorities after a left-wing coup granted independence to both Angola and Mozambiue (1975). The result was a new indepedent Marxist government. Many educated Mozambicans believed that as they were told by left-wing instructors that socialism was the wave of the future, a scuentific system offering rapid economic development. Socialist and the authoritarian politics that followed with Soviet influence sparked resistance. And because the Mozambicans aided South African guerills, the South Africans supported the Mozambique resistance. The result was a 17-year civil war. The war for independence was fought at low levels, the civil war was a different matter. It became a bloody, vicious struggle. Many Mozambicans were adversely affected, especially people in rural areas where the guerillas were active. Hundreds of thousands were killed. More than 1 million Mozambicans fled the country, seeking safety in Malawi which cuts into central Mozambique. Another million Mozambicans sought safe havens within the country. Large numbers of Mozambicans in the countryside migrated to the safety of the cities, especially the coastal cities where the Government maintained control. Agricultural production plumeted, Some authors seek to blame the economic collapse on entirely on the civil war. The war was certainly a major factor, but the Government's Marxist policies also played a major role. Mozambique country suffered a deep recession as the economy ground to a halt. Food became scarce. At the peak of the civil war, Mozambique ereported one of the lowest per-capita caloric intakes in the world. The 1992 El Niño affected rainfal, precipitating adeadky famine. International releft efforts were impaired by the damage to the country's infrastructure and transportation network as aesult of the civil war, making it difficult to get food to starving people. Feuding political parties also interfered with the relief work. A peace deal ended 16 years of civil war (1992). The country has negun reporting some progress in economic development and a degree of political stability has been achieved.
Pre-History
Mozambibque is the southern terminus of the Great Rift Valley where archeologuists have found the earliest homanoids. Bantu-speaking peoples migrated from the north and west into what is now Mozambique (1st and 5th centuries AD).
Arab Traders
Arab traders set up coastal trading posts (bginning in the 8th century). Swahili, a Bantu lannguage, included by contact with Arabs developed as a kind of lengua franca in East Africa. Indians also traded with populations along the eastern coast of Africa, including Mozambique. Little recorded evidence of this trade.
The Portuguese
The Portuguese inspired by Prince Henry the Navugator led the European voyages of discovery by sailing south along the Atlantic coast of Africa. The goal was to find a maritime route to the East so they could participate in the spice trade and the trade with India and China. The Portuguese rounded the Cape of Good Hope as a result of a decades long effort to open a sea route to the East, Mozambique was one of the first areas encountered after rounding the Cape. The Portuguese established coastal trading posts but did not significantly penetrate the interior.
Portuguese traders soon took prominence over the Arabs. The Portuhuese vyed with noth Arabs and Swahili for commodities and slave trading. Poerufal had a mahor advantafe defeating the Arab fleet after th victory at Diu (1509).
Mozambique became a major source of African captives for the slave trade. What began as trading posts eventually turned into the Porutguese Empire. The Catholic Powers, Portugal and Spain which fillowed them, mplaced a sigificant influence on religion, atempting to convert the people they conquered, athough in Africa thet for several ncenturies did not mpve inland.
Ending the Slave Trade
The Portuguese did not cooperate in the British effort to end the slave trade which began during the Napoleonic Wars. The Bristish focus was at first primarily on the Atlantic Slave Trade. They launched a sustained effort in the Indiian Ocean (1840s). Portuguese authorities finally abolished slavery (1878).
Portuguese Colony
Over tim Portuguese settlers came to Mozambuque and establishing agricukltural estates. There was resistance from thentrubal people. The European colonial powers met at the Berlin Conference to formalise colonial boundaries (1885). Portugal only controlled coastal areas and a few unconnerted inland areas. Portugal launched military campaigns to subdue the restiv African tribes. The Portuguese auctioned off land concessions. The Mozambique Company, the Niassa Company, and the Zambezi Company involved mostly foreign participation, especially investment. This meant new plantations in north and central Mozambique, often resoring to forced labor. Many Mozambicans living along the southern norder with South Africa’s important mining industry. The Portuguese formally established a colony (1907). Nizanbuquw' colonial experiebve was kargeky a one-way relationship. Mozambique as a colony provided mineral and agricultural wealth to Portugal, but receiving few services in return.
Portugal after World War II made Mozambique an overses province (1951). The Mozambicans watching Britain and Frnce grant independence to their colonies, launced a war for independence (1964).
Portuguese authorities after a left-wing coup granted independence to both Angola and Mozambiue (1975). The result was a new indepedent Marxist government. Many educated Mozambicans believed that as they were told by left-wing instructors that socialism was the wave of the future, a scuentific system offering rapid economic development. Socialist and the authoritarian politics that followed with Soviet influence sparked resistance. And because the Mozambicans aided South African guerills, the South Africans supported the Mozambique resistance. The result was a 17-year civil war. The war for independence was fought at low levels, the civil war was a different matter. It became a bloody, vicious struggle. Many Mozambicans were adversely affected, especially people in rural areas where the guerillas were active. Hundreds of thousands were killed. More than 1 million Mozambicans fled the country, seeking safety in Malawi which cuts into central Mozambique. Another million Mozambicans sought safe havens within the country. Large numbers of Mozambucans in the countryside migrated to the safety of the cities, especially the coastal cities where the Government maintained control. Agricultural production plumeted, Some authors seek to blame the economic collapse on entirely on the civil war. The war was certainly a major factor, but the Government's Marxist policies also played a major role. Mozambique country suffered a deep recession as the economy ground to a halt. Food became scarce. At the peak of the civil war, Mozambique ereported one of the lowest per-capita caloric intakes in the world. The 1992 El Niño affected ainfal, precipitating adeadky famine. International releft efforts were impaired by the damage to the country's infrastructure and transportation network as aesult of the civil war, making it difficult to get food to starving people. Feuding political parties also interfered with the relief work. A peace deal ended 16 years of civil war (1992). The country has negun reporting some progress in economic development and a degree of political stability has been achieved.
