Young History

In the gold filled region of West Africa there is a nation of many different people that have had a history worth more than gold. This nation has seen the influence of Africa’s strongest empires such as Mali, Songhai and Ghana. This nation was thrusted into war both with and alongside France. Since the end of colonialism this nation has been at the forefront of leading social change in West Africa. Despite all this, the country has deep rooted struggles to sort out but that has never stopped this nation before. This is Burkina Faso.

Just off the coast of the Indian subcontinent is an island nation with millennia of ethnic history. There are two main people groups here: the Tamils that came from South India as traders, and the Sinhalese from North India. These two groups have both had centuries of royalty, culture and history in this nation. A brutal 3 decade civil war was fought in this nation at the turn of the 21st century. Despite the brutality of this war, the people of this nation are some of the most resilient and whole hearted in the world. This nation has struggled to find stability since the end of the civil war but this has not stopped them from being the amazing people they are today. 

In South Central Africa is a nation that lies next to one of the 10 largest lakes in the world. This nation has been inhabited for eons, literally dozens of millennia. This nation has also seen influences from African empires like the Maravi and European ones like the British. This nation has a deep culture connected to the region and has maintained it with oral and written traditions for centuries. Despite the ups, downs and current struggles of the country, this nation is still proud and strong today. This is Malawi. 

In the mighty plains of Central Asia, is one of the largest nations on earth. This country has a long and systematic nomadic past that still has connection to modern culture. This nation was established by 200,000 people that were willing to break away from their home in order to forge their own future. This nation spent time under the Soviet Union and for 4 days in 1991 was the entire Soviet Union. This is a beautiful and massive nation that is very underrated. This is Kazakhstan. 

In South Central Africa there is a country that has been influencing the region for centuries. This nation is an amalgamation of many different people groups that have all brought their own influence to the history of this nation. This nation was conquered and shaped by many empires across the last two millennia. This nation has some of Africa’s greatest natural beauties such as Victoria Falls. This is Zambia. 

In the heart of southern Europe is a nation full of legends and forgotten history. This country is famed for its connection to vampire stories and the original dracula, Vlad Tepes III. This nation has faced the might of many great empires starting with the Roman empire and recently the Soviet Union. Despite these struggles, this nation has maintained its own strong culture and identity for almost 2 millennia. This nation is a success story of post soviet growth. Today this nation is a cultural hub, leader in technology and a gem of European history. This is Romania.

In the heart of West Africa is a nation that has been at the center of all things West Africa for milenia. This nation has seen the influence of some of the most prominent empires of history like the Mali Empire and the French Empire. This nation was the center of the Atlantic Slave trade and then the capital of French West Africa. Since then this nation has improved its economy, democracy and structure to become a growing independent nation of today. This is Senegal. 

Lying in the horn of Africa is a nation with a storied history. Major empires and Sultanates conquered this land and left their mark on it. This nation technically has two nations within it because there is a de facto independent state in the northern part of its borders. There are huge divisions in this nation based on the traditional clan system that divides the nation into clan based regions. This country is famed for its piracy and modern troubles but both of these have historical context that we will learn today. This is Somalia.

Bordering the North Sea in the heart of Europe is a storied nation that has affected the world. From the first people that arrived in the glacial period to the Romans and all the way to the modern age this nation has been a part of history through all of it. This was once the most powerful naval empire in the world. This country has touched the far reaches of Indonesia and the tropics of the Caribbean. However, this nation saw some of the worst moments of the Holocaust and WW2. Since then this nation has flourished into one of the richest and most stable places to live in the world. This is the Netherlands. 

At the top of Central America is the most populous country in the subcontinent. This nation has the largest economy in Central America and has the highest percentage of indigenous people as well. This nation was at the forefront of independence movements in many cases because this nation broke away from the Spanish and Mexican Empires. This nation is geographically stunning and is deeply culturally diverse. This country has a lot of different ups and downs in its current state but the people here are still very happy to call it home. This is Guatemala.