Sao Tome and Principe History

History
The colony of São Tomé was founded in 1493. The Portuguese came to São Tomé in search of land to grow sugarcane. The island was uninhabited before the arrival of the Portuguese sometime around 1470. São Tomé, situated, about 25 miles north of the equator, had a climate wet enough to grow sugarcane in wild abundance. The nearby African Kingdom of Kongo eventually became a source of slave labourers to work the sugar plantations.

São Tomé is centred on a sixteenth-century cathedral, that was largely rebuilt in the 19th century. Another early building is Fort São Sebastião, built in 1566 and now the São Tomé National Museum. On July 9, 1595, a slave revolt took control of the capital; they were subjugated the following year. In 1599, the Dutch took the city as well as the islands for two days; they re-occupied it in 1641 for a year. The city served as the capital of the Portuguese colony of São Tomé and Príncipe and, from São Tomé and Príncipe's independence in 1975, as capital of the sovereign nation. 

Timeline
1493 - The colony was founded by the Portuguese 1753 - 1852 Because of the frequent attacks by pirates and corsairs, the capital of the São Tomé island was transferred to Santo António on Príncipe, and the islands started being ruled as a single colony, with only one Governor and it was only in 1852 when the capital was transferred back to São Tomé island 1974 - The Carnation Revolution ended the Estado Novo dictatorship in Portugal and initiated a process of decolonization of the Portuguese colonies in Africa 1975 - The new Portuguese regime granted independence to São Tomé and Príncipe

Links

 * Info Please Sao Tome and Principe Geography, History, etc.
 * Encyclopaedia Britannica Sao Tome and Principe History