Gold Coast (region)

Quick Facts: Who was Gold Coast (region)?

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Gold Coast (region)

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Historical West African region, now known as Ghana, famed for its gold and natural resources.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Gold Coast was the name for a region on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa that was rich in gold, petroleum, and natural gas. This former region is now known as the country Ghana. The Gold Coast, Slave Coast, Pepper Coast (or Grain Coast) and Ivory Coast were named after the main export resources found there, respectively. Early uses of the term Gold Coast refer strictly to the coast and not the interior. It was not until the 19th century that the term came to refer to areas that are far from the coast.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The Gold Coast was to the east of the Ivory Coast and to the west of the Slave Coast. Gold Coast region territorial entities were: Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642) Dutch Gold Coast (Dutch, 1598–1872) Swedish Gold Coast (Swedes, 1650–1658; 1660–1663) Couronian Gold Coast (Duchy of Courland and Semigallia, 1651–1661) Danish Gold Coast (Denmark-Norway, 1658–1850) Brandenburger Gold Coast and Prussian Gold Coast (Germans, 1682–1721) British Gold Coast (English, 1821–1957) Ghana is the legal name for the region loosely referred to as the Gold Coast comprising the following four separate parts, which immediately before independence had distinct constitutional positions: the Gold Coast Crown Colony; the Ashanti Crown Colony; the Northern Territories of the Gold Coast Protectorate; and the Trust Territory of Togoland (under British administration). The United Kingdom government was responsible for shepherding through the Ghana Independence Act 1957 with Charles Arden-Clarke. Lord Listowel explained that the name was chosen "in accordance with the wishes of the Gold Coastian population". Europeans reached this region of Africa in 1482, and for centuries afterwards, various European empires and trading companies set up trading posts, known as factories there.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

They used these colonies to exploit the resources rather than to settle large numbers of subjects. In the 15th century the Portuguese acquired 400-550 kilos (880-1,200 pounds) of gold per year from trade with the Akan people who lived in this region. Bono Manso was one of the earliest cities on the Gold Coast, predating European contact and had trade connections with the Mali and Songhai Empires. The European Age of Discovery circumnavigated the Sahelian empires' monopoly of the west African gold trade. The Portuguese Gold Coast was the first claim.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1482: 1482 Milestone — Gold Coast region territorial entities were: Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642) Dutch Gold Coast (Dutch, 1598–1872) Swedish Gold Coast (Swedes, 1650–1658; 1660–1663) Couronian Gold Coast (Duchy of Courland and Semigallia, 1651–1661) Danish Gold Coast (Denmark-Norway, 1658–1850) Brandenburger Gold Coast and Prussian Gold Coast (Germans, 1682–1721) British Gold Coast (English, 1821–1957) Ghana is the legal name for the region loosely referred to as the Gold Coast comprising the following four separate parts, which immediately before independence had distinct constitutional positions: the Gold Coast Crown Colony; the Ashanti Crown Colony; the Northern Territories of the Gold Coast Protectorate; and the Trust Territory of Togoland (under British administration).
2. 1957: 1957 Milestone — The United Kingdom government was responsible for shepherding through the Ghana Independence Act 1957 with Charles Arden-Clarke.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Gold Coast (region)

True or False: “The term 'Gold Coast' originally referred to the entire interior region of West Africa, not just the coastline.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Early uses of the term Gold Coast strictly referred only to the coast and did not encompass the interior until the 19th century.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Hugo van der Goes — Historical peer (Died in 1482) (1482): A pivotal Flemish painter of the Early Netherlandish school, known for monumental altarpieces.
• André-Charles Boulle — Historical peer (Born in 1642) (1642): Preeminent French cabinetmaker, master of marquetry and 'Boulle work' inlay.
• Cardinal Richelieu — Historical peer (Died in 1642) (1642): Powerful French statesman who centralized royal authority and checked Habsburg power.
• Abraham Ortelius — Historical peer (Died in 1598) (1598): Pioneering cartographer, creator of the first modern atlas, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum.
• Alessandro Algardi — Historical peer (Born in 1598) (1598): Master of High-Baroque Sculpture, renowned for his portrait busts in Rome.
• Aleksis Kivi — Historical peer (Died in 1872) (1872): The national writer of Finland, credited with the first significant novel in the Finnish language.
• Alexandra Feodorovna (Alix of Hesse) — Historical peer (Born in 1872) (1872): Last Empress of Russia, consort to Nicholas II, deeply influential figure in late Imperial history.
• Dorgon — Historical peer (Died in 1650) (1650): Manchu prince and powerful regent who governed the early Qing Dynasty.
• James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose — Historical peer (Died in 1650) (1650): Scottish nobleman, soldier, and poet, famed for his military prowess in the 17th century.

Frequently Asked Questions about Gold Coast (region)