Basic 4 · History · The People of Ghana
The Decline of the Asante Kingdom (Part 2)
In this topic you will study the exile of Prempeh I, the Yaa Asantewaa War and other reasons Asante declined.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Describe the arrest and exile of Prempeh I
- Explain the Yaa Asantewaa War of 1900
- State all the factors that led to the decline of Asante
What you already know
- The decline of the Asante Kingdom Part 1
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
- Strand
- My country Ghana
- Sub-strand
- The People of Ghana
- Indicator
- B4.2.1.1.2 – State the factors that led to the decline of the kingdom you have studied
Introduction
In 1900, the British governor demanded the Golden Stool. Yaa Asantewaa, Queen Mother of Ejisu, rallied the Asante to fight. It was the last Anglo-Asante war.
1. Exile of Prempeh I
In 1896, the British arrested Asantehene Prempeh I and sent him into exile, first to Sierra Leone and later to the Seychelles Islands. He returned home in 1924.
2. The Yaa Asantewaa War (1900)
- The British governor, Sir Frederic Hodgson, demanded to sit on the Golden Stool.
- Yaa Asantewaa led Asante fighters and besieged the British in the Kumasi fort.
- The British eventually won, and Yaa Asantewaa was exiled to the Seychelles.
- The Golden Stool was hidden and never captured.
- In 1901, the British made Asante part of the Gold Coast colony.
3. Factors in the Decline of Asante
| Factor | Explanation |
|---|---|
| wars with the British | loss of lives and land |
| revolts of tributary states | states broke away from Asante |
| exile of leaders | Prempeh I and Yaa Asantewaa removed |
| end of the slave trade | loss of income |
| British guns and organisation | Asante could not match British weapons |
| civil wars | quarrels inside Asante over the throne |
New words
- exile
- Being sent away from your home country as punishment.
- besiege
- To surround a place to force surrender.
- revolt
- A rebellion against a ruler.
- Queen Mother
- A royal female leader in Akan society.
- civil war
- War between groups in the same state.
- annex
- To take over a territory.
Summary
- Prempeh I was exiled in 1896 and returned in 1924.
- Yaa Asantewaa led the 1900 war to protect the Golden Stool.
- Britain annexed Asante in 1901.
- Wars, revolts, exile and loss of trade led to decline.
Class activity: Decline Debate
- List all the factors in the decline of Asante.
- Rank them from most to least important.
- Defend your ranking to the class.
You need: Ghana map, Printed photographs of traditional stools, Palaces, Locally made timeline cards
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Who led the Asante in the 1900 war?
- A. Yaa Asantewaa
- B. Osei Tutu
- C. Prempeh I
- D. Okomfo Anokye
Show answer
Answer: Yaa AsantewaaShe was Queen Mother of Ejisu.2. Where was Prempeh I finally exiled?
- A. The Seychelles
- B. Accra
- C. London
- D. Ho
Show answer
Answer: The SeychellesHe was later sent there.3. In what year did Britain annex Asante?
- A. 1901
- B. 1957
- C. 1874
- D. 1824
Show answer
Answer: 1901Asante became part of the colony.4. The British never captured the Golden Stool.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueIt was hidden.5. Prempeh I never returned to Ghana.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseHe returned in 1924.6. Being sent away from your country as punishment is ______.
Show answer
Answer: exileThat is exile.7. Give three factors that led to the decline of Asante.
Show answer
Answer: Any three: British wars, revolts, exile, end of slave trade, weapons, civil wars.Many factors combined.8. Why did the demand for the Golden Stool cause war?
Show answer
Answer: The stool is sacred and holds the soul of Asante; demanding it insulted the whole nation.It was a deep insult.
Homework
- Write a short paragraph about Yaa Asantewaa's bravery.