History · Lesson 6

Exploration, Sierra Leone, Liberia, returnees and Christian missions

JAMBWAECNECO

What the syllabus asks

JAMB: Section B 8 Christian missionary activities; exploration; Part II A2 Sierra Leone and Liberia

WAEC: European exploration of West Africa; Christian missions; Sierra Leone and Liberia; Paper 2: missionary activities in Nigeria and their impact

NECO: European exploration of West Africa; Christian missions; Sierra Leone and Liberia; Paper 2: missionary activities in Nigeria and their impact

What you will learn

Explain why Europeans explored the West African interior.
Describe the journeys of Park, Clapperton, the Landers, Baikie and Barth and their significance.
Describe the founding and development of Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Explain the role of the Saro and Amaro returnees.
Describe the arrival and methods of Christian missions in Nigeria.
Assess the life and work of Samuel Ajayi Crowther.
Evaluate the impact of missionary activity.
Explain the rise of African churches.

Key points

Exploration motives: Niger problem, trade, religion, prestige, ambition.
African Association 1788; Park at Segu 1796, died at Bussa 1806.
Denham, Clapperton, Oudney 1822–25; Clapperton died 1827.
Landers reached the sea via the Niger in 1830.
Baikie 1854: quinine; Barth 1850–55.
Sierra Leone: 1787, 1792 Freetown, 1808 Crown colony; recaptives; Fourah Bay 1827.
Liberia: ACS 1816; independence 26 July 1847, J. J. Roberts.
Saro and Amaro: education, trade, crafts, invited missions.
Missions: Badagry 1842; Abeokuta and Calabar 1846; Baptists 1850; Onitsha 1857; Catholics 1868/1885.
Methods: schools, translation, printing, medicine, farms, African agents.
Crowther: bishop 29 June 1864; crisis 1890–91; died 31 Dec 1891.
Impact mixed; African churches from 1888/1891 as cultural nationalism.

Start here: Why Europeans explored the West African interior

Until the late eighteenth century, Europeans knew the West African coast well but knew almost nothing about the interior. African traders, rulers and travellers, of course, knew it intimately. European "exploration" therefore means Europeans gathering geographical and commercial information for European use, usually with African guides, hosts and interpreters.

The "Niger problem"

European geographers did not know where the River Niger rose, which way it flowed or where it ended. Some thought it joined the Nile, others the Congo, others that it vanished into a desert lake. Solving this puzzle became a national ambition in Britain.

Motives

Scientific curiosity: the Enlightenment interest in geography, plants, animals and peoples.
Commerce: after abolition, British merchants wanted direct access to inland markets and raw materials, bypassing coastal middlemen.
Humanitarian and religious aims: to spread Christianity and "legitimate" trade as a way of ending the slave trade.
National prestige and rivalry with France.
Personal ambition: fame, adventure and reward.

Organisers

The African Association (Association for Promoting the Discovery of the Interior Parts of Africa) was founded in London in 1788 by Sir Joseph Banks and others. It sponsored early expeditions, including Mungo Park’s first journey. Later, the British government and the Royal Geographical Society (founded 1830) took over, and merchants such as Macgregor Laird sponsored river expeditions.

Problems explorers faced

Disease, especially malaria and yellow fever; many explorers died.
Hostility from rulers and traders who suspected spies or competitors.
Language barriers; dependence on interpreters.
Lack of transport; difficult terrain and climate.
Robbery and shortage of supplies.

Remember also that explorers relied on African knowledge: Arabic-speaking scholars, caravan guides, river pilots and local rulers gave them directions, food and protection.

Worked example 6.1 (WAEC Paper 1)

The main geographical question that motivated British exploration of West Africa was the (A) source of the Nile (B) course and outlet of the Niger (C) height of Kilimanjaro (D) size of Lake Chad. Answer: B.

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Practice questions

1. Mungo Park reached the Niger at Segou in

1796
1830
1805
1851

Show answer

A: 1796
Proving it flowed east.

2. Mungo Park died at Bussa in

1796
1830
1841
1806

Show answer

D: 1806
On his second expedition.

3. The Lander brothers established the mouth of the Niger in

1854
1885
1830
1796

Show answer

C: 1830
Richard and John Lander.

4. Sierra Leone (Freetown) was founded for freed slaves in

1900
1787
1822
1847

Show answer

B: 1787
Settlement re-founded 1792.

5. Liberia declared independence in

1847
1822
1787
1960

Show answer

A: 1847
Founded by the American Colonization Society in 1822.

Key words

Explorer: A traveller gathering geographical and other information for a sponsoring society or government.
African Association: London society founded in 1788 to sponsor exploration.
Niger problem: European uncertainty about the course and outlet of the Niger.
Quinine: Drug from cinchona bark used to prevent and treat malaria.
Recaptive: Captive freed from a slave ship and landed at Freetown.
Krio: Descendants of settlers and recaptives in Sierra Leone.
Saro: Returnees from Sierra Leone to Nigeria.
Amaro / Aguda: Returnees from Brazil and Cuba.
CMS: Church Missionary Society (Anglican).
SMA: Society of African Missions (Catholic).
Catechist: Lay religious teacher.
Niger Mission: CMS mission on the Niger led by Crowther from 1857.

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