Since 1874, the Gold Coast had been a British colony. During this time, the British fought and defeated the Kingdom of Ashanti.
After World War II, the Ghanian began to demand the independence of Ghana. The United Gold Coast Convention was held in 1947 and agitated for self-government. Kwame Nkrumah formed the Convention People’s Party in 1949. The CPP took a radical approach and called for immediate Independence of the Gold Coast.
The Ghana independence Act was passed by the British Parliament, and the Queen approved it on February 7, 1957.
It established the country of Ghana, which consisted of the “Gold Coast Colony, a British colony, the Ashanti Colony, the Northern Territories of the Gold Coast, a British Protectorate, and British Togoland.”
The Act formally took effect on March 6, 1957. A ceremony was held afterwards to mark the independence attended by world leaders.
