Figure 1.--These Senegalese tirailleurs (French colonial soldiers) are visiting their families. The photograph is undates, but was probably taken in the 1900s before World war I.

Eventually the French established a dominant position along the coast of modern Senegal (by 1659). As a result of the Seven Years War, France was forced to cede Senegal to the British (1763). The British returned the colony after the Napoleonic Wars (1817). Britain retained control over Gambia cut out of the middle of the country along the Gambia River. Britain used the Royal Navy to supress the Atlantic slave trade. Britain with its established position in the Gambia used Bathurst (Banjul), an island in the mouth of the river, as a base in operations against the slave trade. France controlled much of the coast of Senegal as well as Gorée island between the Senegal and Gambia Rivers. Tghey established Dakar on the coast opposite Gorée on the mainland (1857). The French more agresiblely pushed inland than the Btitish. They set up a station at Médine, up the Senegal (1850s). A French French expedition reached Bamako on the Niger (1883). The British continued to limit their activities to the Gambia. The British and French agereed to boundaries (1889). The French incorporated Senegal into French West Africa (1895). It was France's most important colony in West Africa with the strtongest French presence. Dakar was made the capital of French West Africa (1902). The French ruled Senegal without any representative local government. Senegalese volunteered to serve with the French Army in both world wars. This became an issue when the French used Senegalese and other colonial troops when they occupied the German Rhineland after World War I. The Germans during World War II shot many French colonial soldiers after they surrendered (1940). A World War II battle erupted when the British and Free French tried unsuccessfully to seize Dakar--Operation Menace (1940). After World War II, Senegal became a French Overseas Territory. The French finally established a territorial assembly (1946). France gradually expanded the authority of that assembly. France attempted to hold on to its colonial empire after the War, but the Viet Nam War and the Algerian War changed French policy. France granted autonomy within the French Community (1958). There was a brief and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to participate in the Mali Federation (with neighboring Mali and Sudan) (1959).

French Dominance (17th-18th century)

The European naval powers struugle with each other for areas of dominance along the African coast. The coast was vast so even decling powers like Portugal were able to dominate sdome iof the coast. Spain was primarily interested in the America. The British and French were the major competitors in West Africa, Eventually the French established a trading post at St Louis (1659). This was the beginning of Senegal as a French colony. The principal commercial interest became captured Africans that could be enslaved and sold (late-17th through the early-19th century). St. Louis and the French slave trade was relatively small compared to the other major countries (England, the Netherlands, and the Portuguese). This was in part because of the relatively small French Empire in the Caribbean and South America. And for political reasons, the French were unable to sell to the English colonies. The major African ports from which slaves wre shipped were located in the Gulf of Guinea to the south of Senegal (Ghana east to the Cameroons) which were mostly controlled by the British, Dutch and the Portuguese. France and the other countries did not move into the interior, but well relations with native rullers able to supply captives for colonial plantations in the Americas in need of labor. Plantations in Haiti, for example, were hugely profitable and demanded large numbers of slaves. The political situation in Senegal and the rest of West Africa was complicated by competitions betweem African rulers anxious to control the slsve trade as well as Arab incursiond from the north across the Sahara. Rather than slaves, French traders dealt with a range of commodities like gum arabic, groundnuts (or peanuts) and other raw materials from the interior regions. The British gained control as part of the settlement if the Seven Years War (1763).

British Control (1763-1817)

As a result of the Seven Years War in Europe and associted colonial fighting, Britain forced France to cede Senegal (1763). We haveclittle information about Senegal durng the Britih era. The British returned the colony after the Napoleonic Wars (1817). Britain retained control over part of what had been Senegal;. Gambia was cut out of the middle of the country along the Gambia River. We are not entirely sure why the British returned Senegal to the French. We suspect that it was not sufficiently profitable. And Britain already had its own zones of control in West Africa. Hopefully readers willmknow more about the politics involved.

Ending the Slave Trade

Britain used the Royal Navy to supress the Atlantic slave trade. Britain with its established position in the Gambia used Bathurst (Banjul), an island in the mouth of the river, as a base in operations against the slave trade. French authorities were not at first cooperative. Eventually the Royal Navy was anle to use Goreé Island as a base in its efforts to supress the slave trade.

Moving Inland (19th century)

France with the return of Senegal after the Napoleonic Wars controlled much of the coast of Senegal as well as Gorée island between the Senegal and Gambia Rivers. They established Dakar on the coast opposite Gorée on the mainland (1857). The French more agresiblely pushed inland than the Btitish. They set up a station at Médine, up the Senegal River (1850s). The French had various commercial ventures along the West African coast. There primary efforts were on the Senegal River which priovided a route into the interior. The French never fully conceptualized the future of their colonies. Some French thinkers seemed to have thought of turning Senegal into French provinces. [Boahen, p. 123.] Emigration was, however, very limited. As the French returned to Senegal in the early-19th century, they began to think more of trade and raw material and thus began to push into the interior savanna. At the same time after seizing the coast of Aklgeria (1830s) the French began pushing south over the Sahara, although because of Arab and Bediouin opposition, this proved to be a slow process. A new French govenor, General Louis Faidherb, launched a major drive inland (1854). This was a good example of the importance of military fifures in pushing the frontiers of the French Empire. In contrast, British colonial expansion was often launched by businessmen and merchants. This was one reason thst the British Empire was based on a more sound economic footing. [Crowder] Controlling the interior proved to be a difficult undertaking with the resources thst the French were willing tgo commit to the effort. Here they found substantial resistance to French control. Projecting power along the coast was one thing. Moving into the interior was another matter. Here they found Arabs, the Toucouleur Empire of Segou , and the Almamy Samori of Wasulu. Costly expeditions had to be mounted and even after military victory, the cross currents of political, social, economic, and religious forces complicated governing. The French colonial effort became part of the larger European Scrable for Africa. A French French expedition reached Bamako on the Niger (1883). The British continued to limit their activities to the Gambia. The British and French agereed to boundaries (1889).

Frech West Africa

ThecvFrench by the early-20th century had acquired most of what would French West Africa. This included not only Senegal, but Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin, Guinea, Ivory Coast and Niger). The French incorporated Senegal into French West Africa (1895). France appointed a governor-general for French West Africa. He was based in Senegal. Senegal was France's most important colony in West Africa with the strtongest French presence. Dakar was made the capital of French West Africa (1902). This was on the perifery of Fresch West Africa, but Senegal was the only part of the vast expanse where the native population had been even mimnimally touched by French culture and influednce. And even here it was primarily in St Louis. A small number of Africans in St. Louis were participating French national life. Even in Senegal, most of the Africans were colobial subjects and not citizens. And few colonial officials saw Africans as suitable fiture French citizens. Here both culture and race were factors. The French established a centralized administration, following administrative arrangements in France itself. The various pieces of the French West Africa puzzle were, however, never fully integrated and was more like a centralized federation. The French ruled Senegal and the rest of French West africa without any representative local government. There was direct rule from Paris.

World War I

Senegal of all of France's colonies played an important role in the War. The French Army was fortified with the manpower of its colonies which contributed nearly 0.5 million men, helping to narrow the German manpower advantage. The most important part of what became known as the Force Noire was the Senegalese Tirailleurs. At the time of World War I they were aellestablished corps of colonial infantry in the French Army. They were first recruited from Senegal in French West Africa. Eventually they were recruited in other French African colonies. The term tirailleur translates variously as 'skirmisher' or 'sharpshooter', but was more of a generl term for colonial rifleman or infantry soldier. Although recruitment was not limited to Senegal, the Tirailleurs units took on the permannt adjective "sénégalais" since that was where the first black African Tirailleur regiment the French formed. The French first formed a Senegalese Tirailleur unit as they began colonize sub-Saharan colonies (1857). They served not only as a colonial security force, but used by the French in a number of wars, including World War I. The French introduced military conscription to French West Africa just before World War I (1912). The plan was to use colonial troops which were less expensive to recruit, would eventually take over the garrisoning of the colonies. Thiswould not only save money, but in emergencies would release French troops for service in Europe. The colonial troops could also augment French forces in Europe if necessary, although before the War broke out the French High Command did not undrstand just how important this would ve. The French conscription decree mandated compulsory military service for all African males between the ages of 20 and 28 years. The Force Noire was raised in West and Central Africa, especially in Senegal.

World War II

The Germans during World War II shot many French colonial soldiers after they surrendered (1940). A World War II battle erupted when the British and Free French tried unsuccessfully to seize Dakar--Operation Menace (1940). After World War II.

Post-War Era

Senegal became a French Overseas Territory. The French finally established a territorial assembly (1946). France gradually expanded the authority of that assembly.

Independence

France attempted to hold on to its colonial empire after the War, but the Viet Nam War and the Algerian War changed French policy. France granted autonomy within the French Community (1958). There was a brief and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to participate in the Mali Federation (with neighboring Mali and Sudan) (1959).

Sources

Boahen, Adu et. al. Topics in West African History (Essex: Longman Group UK, 1986).

Crowder, Michael. "History of French West Africa until Independence." in Africa South of the Sahara (London: Europa Publications, 1990).

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Created: 8:51 PM 7/7/2010
Last updated: 5:43 AM 6/12/2017