This history by celebrated Africanist David Birmingham begins in 1820 with the Portuguese attempt to create a third, African, empire after the virtual loss of Asia and America. In the nineteenth century the most valuable resource extracted from Angola was agricultural labor, first as privately owned slaves and later as conscript workers. The colony was managed by a few marine officers, by several hundred white political convicts, and by a couple of thousand black Angolans who had adopted Portuguese language and culture. The hub was the harbor city of Luanda which grew in the twentieth century to be a dynamic metropolis of several million people. The export of labor was gradually replaced when an agrarian revolution enabled white Portuguese immigrants to drive black Angolan laborers to produce sugar cane, cotton, maize and above all coffee. During the twentieth century Congo copper supplemented this wealth, by gem-quality diamonds, and by offshore oil. Although much of the countryside retained its dollar-a-day peasant economy, new wealth generated conflict which pitted white against black, north against south, coast against highland, American allies against Russian allies. The generation of warfare finally ended in 2002 when national reconstruction could begin on Portuguese colonial foundations.

A Short History of Modern Angola

History

Birmingham, David

Africa

Oxford University Press

A History of Postcolonial Lusophone Africa

"... useful, timely, and important... a good and informative book on the Lusophone countries, Portuguese colonialism, and postcolonial influences." ―Phyllis Martin, Indiana University
"This book, produced by the obvious―and distinguished―corps of country specialists... fills a real gap in both state-level and 'regional' (broadly defined) studies of contemporary Africa." ―Norrie MacQueen, University of Dundee
Although the five Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa that gained independence in 1974/75―Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, and São Tomé e Príncipe―differ from each other in many ways, they share a history of Portuguese rule going back to the 15th century, which has left a mark to this day. Patrick Chabal and his co-authors assess the nature of the Portuguese legacy, using a twofold approach. In Part I, three analytical, thematic chapters by Chabal examine what the five countries have in common and how they differ from the rest of Africa. In Part II, individual chapters by leading specialists, each devoted to a specific country, survey the histories of those countries since independence. The book places the postcolonial experience of the Lusophone countries within the context of their precolonial and colonial past and compares and contrasts their experience with that of non-Lusophone African states. The result is a comprehensive, readable, and up-to-date text and reference work on the evolution of postcolonial Portuguese-speaking Africa.

Newitt, Malyn

Chabal, Patrick

Forrest, Joshua

Indiana University Press

"... useful, timely, and important... a good and informative book on the Lusophone countries, Portuguese colonialism, and postcolonial influences." —Phyllis Martin, Indiana University
"This book, produced by the obvious—and distinguished—corps of country specialists... fills a real gap in both state-level and 'regional' (broadly defined) studies of contemporary Africa." —Norrie MacQueen, University of Dundee
Although the five Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa that gained independence in 1974/75—Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, and São Tomé e Príncipe—differ from each other in many ways, they share a history of Portuguese rule going back to the 15th century, which has left a mark to this day. Patrick Chabal and his co-authors assess the nature of the Portuguese legacy, using a twofold approach. In Part I, three analytical, thematic chapters by Chabal examine what the five countries have in common and how they differ from the rest of Africa. In Part II, individual chapters by leading specialists, each devoted to a specific country, survey the histories of those countries since independence. The book places the postcolonial experience of the Lusophone countries within the context of their precolonial and colonial past and compares and contrasts their experience with that of non-Lusophone African states. The result is a comprehensive, readable, and up-to-date text and reference work on the evolution of postcolonial Portuguese-speaking Africa.

Trade and Empire in the Atlantic 1400-1600 provides an accessible and concise introduction to European expansion overseas during the early modern period. It explains why and how seafarers visited the Caribbean, South America and Africa, and looks at the history of the communities that lived around the ocean as they responded to the challenges and opportunities which sea trade opened for them.  Historical thinking on the subject of Empire is naturally controversial as is shown by this survey of the first four stages of early Atlantic colonisation from the conquest of the Canary Islands to the creation of slave plantations in Brazil. This history of the Atlantic Empires is an authoritative introduction to an essential topic in world history.

Trade and Empire in the Atlantic 1400-1600 (Introductions to History)

Business & Money

Routledge

The complete Cambridge History of Africa was intended to present the most comprehensive and up-to-date synthesis of historical development on the African continent. Central Africa to 1870: Zambezia, Zaïre and the South Atlantic consists of chapters written for the History by David Birmingham. They were originally published in three separate volumes, and are reprinted here to provide a continuous survey of the political, social, and economic changes that took place in Central Africa during the eight centuries before the colonial era. The first chapter covers the transition from the early Iron Age culture to more mature cultures, characterized by long-distance trade, by more varied technologies and by the emergence of complex political systems. The expansion of European influence, from the late fifteenth century onwards, is considered in the second chapter, together with the modification of economic and political structures in areas affected by the development of the slave trade. The final chapter deals with the last phase of Central Africa's pre-colonial history during which a series of new dynamic forces intruded into the region. A new bibliographical essay of suggestions for further reading has been compiled for this edition. It will be valuable to both students and teachers of African history.

Central Africa to 1870: Zambezia, Zaire and the South Atlantic

Cambridge University Press

A Concise History of Portugal (Cambridge Concise Histories)

In recent years, Portugal has experienced great social and economic change. This concise, illustrated history of the country offers an introduction to its people and culture, to its role as an imperial power in America and Africa, and to its search for economic modernization, political stability and international partnership.  This account of Portugal's history will provide the ideal introduction for anyone wanting a comprehensive survey of how Portugal came to be the country it is today.

Europe

In recent years, Portugal has experienced great social and economic change. This concise, illustrated history of the country offers an introduction to its people and culture, to its role as an imperial power in America and Africa, and to its search for economic modernization, political stability and international partnership. This account of Portugal's history will provide the ideal introduction for anyone wanting a comprehensive survey of how Portugal came to be the country it is today.

Esta historia concisa e ilustrada de Portugal ofrece una introducción a la cultura y a la gente del país, a sus tres imperios en Ásia, América y África, y a su búsqueda en Europa de una modernización económica, de una estabilidad política y de un consorcio internacional. Tras una breve introducción a los 2000 años de historia portuguesa anteriores a la restauración de 1640, el libro estudia los efectos de la inmensa riqueza procedente de las minas de Brasil, del crecimiento del comercio del vino y de la evolución de los estrechos lazos que la unieron con Inglaterra, la 'más antigua aliada' de Portugal. La revolución de 1820 a 1851 creó una monarquía liberal, pero en 1910 el rey fue derrocado y en 1926 fue sustituido por una dictadura que trató de acabar con la pobreza de Portugal construyendo un nuevo imperio en África. En 1974 el imperio del sur parecía menos atractivo que el norte industrial , y en 1986 Portugal dio un cambio de rumbo para convertirse en miembro democrático de la Comunidad Europea.

Historia de Portugal (Cambridge Concise Histories) (Spanish Edition)

This concise, illustrated history of Portugal presents an introduction to the people and culture of the country and its search for economic modernization, political stability and international partnership. The first single-volume account of Portugal's history since the days of dictatorship and colonization, this updated second edition also covers the state of historical writing on Portugal at the turn of the millennium. First Edition Hb (1993): 0-521-43308-8 First Edition Pb (1993): 0-521-43880-2 David Birmingham is a Professor of Modern History at the University of Kent, Canterbury. He has written extensively on Portugal and Africa including, among others, The Decolonization of Africa (UCL Press, 1995), History of Central Africa, Volume Three (Longman, 1998), and Portugal and Africa (Macmillan, 1999) and, more recently, a survey of Trade and Empire in the Atlantic, 1400-1600 (Routledge, 2000).

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Birmingham, David. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Birmingham, David

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Birmingham, David. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

A Short History of Modern Angola

A History of Postcolonial Lusophone Africa

A History of Postcolonial Lusophone Africa

Trade and Empire in the Atlantic 1400-1600 (Introductions to History)

Central Africa to 1870: Zambezia, Zaire and the South Atlantic

Central Africa to 1870: Zambezia, Zaire and the South Atlantic

A Concise History of Portugal (Cambridge Concise Histories)

A Concise History of Portugal (Cambridge Concise Histories)

Historia de Portugal (Cambridge Concise Histories) (Spanish Edition)

A Concise History of Portugal (Cambridge Concise Histories)