World History
History of Sri Lanka. This is a hisory of the Asian nation of Sri Lanka. This is an ancient land. However, this essay focuses the most on the current conflict between the Tamil Tiger rebels and the Sri Lankan government.
Wikipedia notes, "The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (known as Ceylon before 1972) is a tropical island nation off the southeast coast of the Indian subcontinent. The island was known in ancient times as Sinhale, Lanka, Lankadeepa (Sanskrit for "resplendent land"), Simoundou, Taprobane (from the Sanskrit T?maraparn?), Serendib (from the Sanskrit Sinhala-dweepa), and Selan. During colonization, the island became known as Ceylon (from Selon through the Portuguese Ceilão), a name still used on occasion. Its unique shape and proximity to the Indian mainland have led some to refer to the island as India's Teardrop."
From the site:
The actual origins of the Sinhalese are shrouded in myth. Most believe they came to Sri Lanka from northern India during the 6th century BC. Buddhism arrived from the subcontinent 300 years later and spread rapidly. Buddhism and a sophisticated system of irrigation became the pillars of classical Sinhalese civilization (200 BC-1200 AD) that flourished in the north-central part of the island. Invasions from southern India, combined with internecine strife, pushed Sinhalese kingdoms southward.
The island's contact with the outside world began early. Roman sailors called the island Taprobane. Arab traders knew it as "Serendip," the root of the word "serendipity." Beginning in 1505, Portuguese traders, in search of cinnamon and other spices, seized the island's coastal areas and spread Catholicism. The Dutch supplanted the Portuguese in 1658. Although the British ejected the Dutch in 1796, Dutch law remains an important part of Sri Lankan jurisprudence. In 1815, the British defeated the king of Kandy, last of the native rulers, and created the Crown Colony of Ceylon. They established a plantation economy based on tea, rubber, and coconuts. In 1931, the British granted Ceylon limited self-rule and a universal franchise. Ceylon became independent on February 4, 1948.
- History Of Madagascar
History of Madagascar. This is a short essay on the history of this African nation. Yes, this is were the lemurs come from. The Encyclopædia Britannica notes,"Republic of Madagascar , Malagasy Madagasikara or Repoblikan'i Madagasikara , French Madagascar...
- History Of Maldives
History of Maldives. This is a brief history of the Indian Ocean country of the Maldives. It is short but has a good overview. The Encyclopædia Britannica notes, "Independent island nation consisting of a chain of about 1,200 small coral islands and...
- History Of Seychelles
History of Seychelles. This is a brief overview to the history of the African island nation of the Seychelles. Wikipedia notes, "The Republic of Seychelles (say-SHELLS or say-SHELL) (Creole: Repiblik Sesel) is a nation of islands in the Indian Ocean,...
- History Of Singapore
History of Singapore. This is a brief history of the Asian nation of Singapore. Whatever you do, don't chew gum in public here! They will take you out and flog you. Wikpedia notes, "The Republic of Singapore (Simplified Chinese: ??????; Pinyin: X?nji?p?...
- Pre And Proto-historic Settlement In Sri Lanka
Pre and Proto-historic Settlement in Sri Lanka - A paper by S.U. Deraniyagala, Director-General of Archaeology, Sri Lanka presented at the Proceedings of the XIII Congress Forli'-Italia, 8-14 September, 1996 discussing the cultures, timing, and paleo...
World History
History of Sri Lanka
History of Sri Lanka. This is a hisory of the Asian nation of Sri Lanka. This is an ancient land. However, this essay focuses the most on the current conflict between the Tamil Tiger rebels and the Sri Lankan government.
Wikipedia notes, "The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (known as Ceylon before 1972) is a tropical island nation off the southeast coast of the Indian subcontinent. The island was known in ancient times as Sinhale, Lanka, Lankadeepa (Sanskrit for "resplendent land"), Simoundou, Taprobane (from the Sanskrit T?maraparn?), Serendib (from the Sanskrit Sinhala-dweepa), and Selan. During colonization, the island became known as Ceylon (from Selon through the Portuguese Ceilão), a name still used on occasion. Its unique shape and proximity to the Indian mainland have led some to refer to the island as India's Teardrop."
From the site:
The actual origins of the Sinhalese are shrouded in myth. Most believe they came to Sri Lanka from northern India during the 6th century BC. Buddhism arrived from the subcontinent 300 years later and spread rapidly. Buddhism and a sophisticated system of irrigation became the pillars of classical Sinhalese civilization (200 BC-1200 AD) that flourished in the north-central part of the island. Invasions from southern India, combined with internecine strife, pushed Sinhalese kingdoms southward.
The island's contact with the outside world began early. Roman sailors called the island Taprobane. Arab traders knew it as "Serendip," the root of the word "serendipity." Beginning in 1505, Portuguese traders, in search of cinnamon and other spices, seized the island's coastal areas and spread Catholicism. The Dutch supplanted the Portuguese in 1658. Although the British ejected the Dutch in 1796, Dutch law remains an important part of Sri Lankan jurisprudence. In 1815, the British defeated the king of Kandy, last of the native rulers, and created the Crown Colony of Ceylon. They established a plantation economy based on tea, rubber, and coconuts. In 1931, the British granted Ceylon limited self-rule and a universal franchise. Ceylon became independent on February 4, 1948.
- History Of Madagascar
History of Madagascar. This is a short essay on the history of this African nation. Yes, this is were the lemurs come from. The Encyclopædia Britannica notes,"Republic of Madagascar , Malagasy Madagasikara or Repoblikan'i Madagasikara , French Madagascar...
- History Of Maldives
History of Maldives. This is a brief history of the Indian Ocean country of the Maldives. It is short but has a good overview. The Encyclopædia Britannica notes, "Independent island nation consisting of a chain of about 1,200 small coral islands and...
- History Of Seychelles
History of Seychelles. This is a brief overview to the history of the African island nation of the Seychelles. Wikipedia notes, "The Republic of Seychelles (say-SHELLS or say-SHELL) (Creole: Repiblik Sesel) is a nation of islands in the Indian Ocean,...
- History Of Singapore
History of Singapore. This is a brief history of the Asian nation of Singapore. Whatever you do, don't chew gum in public here! They will take you out and flog you. Wikpedia notes, "The Republic of Singapore (Simplified Chinese: ??????; Pinyin: X?nji?p?...
- Pre And Proto-historic Settlement In Sri Lanka
Pre and Proto-historic Settlement in Sri Lanka - A paper by S.U. Deraniyagala, Director-General of Archaeology, Sri Lanka presented at the Proceedings of the XIII Congress Forli'-Italia, 8-14 September, 1996 discussing the cultures, timing, and paleo...