Today is Union Day, a public holiday in Tanzania. It commemorates the union of Zanzibar and Tanganyika on April 26th 1964.
The first European to visit Tanzania was Vasco da Gama in 1498. European colonialism in the region began on mainland Tanzania during the late 19th century when Germany formed German East Africa. Zanzibar, which was ruled by the Sultan of Oman became partially independent and became a center of the slave trade with more than 50,000 slaves a year passing through on their way primarily to the Arabian Peninsula.
Britain began to have more influence in Zanzibar as it was determined to end the slave trade and eventually Britain came to rule Zanzibar indirectly through viziers and sultans.
Following World War I, the mainland came under British control and was ruled as Tanganyika, with Zanzibar remaining a separate colonial jurisdiction.
Tanganyika gained its independence in 1961. The British ended the protectorate status of Zanzibar in December 1963 making it constitutional monarchy under the rule of Sultan Jamshid bin Abdullah. A month later, the Sultan was deposed in a socialist revolution and there was fear that Zanzibar could become another ‘Cuba’.
On April 26, 1964, with a push from the United States and Britain, Zanzibar and Tanganyika became the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar with the country renamed to Tanzania in October of that year.
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VIKINGS!!!
Today is the birthday, in 1970, of Tionne Watkins, T- Boz, singer with American girl group TLC. They scored nine top-ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including four No.1 singles, ‘Creep’, ‘Waterfalls’, ‘No Scrubs’, and ‘Unpretty’. Their 1999 US No.1 album Fanmail spent 57 weeks on the UK chart. Having sold over 65 million records worldwide, TLC is the best-selling American girl group. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrLequ6dUdM
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