July 4th

On this day - July 4th 1776 - The US declaration of Independence is adopted 

The first 13 states in the US declared itself independent from the UK on this day in 1776. Thomas Jefferson created the first draft of the declaration which was edited by the congress to create the final draft. The text was ratified on July 4th. The day is still being celebrated as the national day of the USA. Happy Independence day, USA!

June 27th

On this day - June 27th 1991 - The ten-day war / Slovenian independence war

The ten day war was a war of independence by Slovenia. Slovenia had declared themselves independent on June 25th and was attacked by Yugoslavia on June 27th. The war lasted until July 7th when the Brioni accord was signed. Slovenia was recognized as independent by the other European countries in 1992 and joined the United Nation on May 22.

By Peter Božič - photo, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31225569

May 20th

On this day - May 20th 1902 - Cuba gained its independence from the USA

Cuba was under Spanish rule until 1898 when it was given to the US after the Spanish-American War. In 1901 was the Platt Amendment signed, which stipulated Cuban independence under certain set rules and it established the american dominance over the island. It was also under this agreement that the USA least Guantanamo bay from Cuba. On May 20th 1902 was the Cuban constitution adapted and Cuba became an independence, but US dominated country, as the Republic of Cuba. The US dominance lasted until the Cuban revolution in 1959.

May 17th

On this day - May 17th 1814 - The Norwegian constitution was signed 

The Norwegian constitution was signed in 1814 when Norway declared itself independent from Denmark. The background for the signing of the constitution was the defeat of Napoleon and, with Napoleon, danish troops. Prince Christian-Frederik founded a independent movement.and a national assembly was called. The constitution was written over a five weeks period in the spring of 181, ratified on may 16th and signed on May 17th. It is the second oldest constitution still in use today and it was considered radical and liberal when it was first created. May 17th is celebrated as the national day in Norway today, but Norway did not receive its independence in 1814. After a short war with  entered Norway in a forced union with Sweden and it wasn't until 1905 that Norway gained its independence.

March 25th

On this day - March 25th 1306 - Robert the Bruce became King of the Scots 

Robert the Bruce reigned from 1306 and until his death in 1329. He was crowned as the king after inheriting the right to the throne from his dad, and after killing Cromyn, his greatest opponent. He was known as a warrior and led Scotland in its first War of independence, where his troops won several fights against the English. Robert the Bruce's fighting led to the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton in 1328, where Scotland gained independence.
Robert the Bruce is remembered as a national hero in Scotland today. He supported William Wallace in his fights against England, and he is therefore portrayed in the movie Braveheart.

March 6th

On this day - March 6th 1957 - Ghana declared itself independent from the UK

The lad area which is Ghana today has a long and rich history, but in the 19th century became United Kingdom the colonial power of the region. In the 1900 was the borders set and the country was titled the British gold coast.  This lasted until 1957 when Ghana declared itself independent and thus became the first sub-saharan Africa country to declare itself independent from the European colonial powers. The independent country took the name Ghana which means Warrior King. Kwame Nkrumah was elected as the first president and he held this position until 1966 when he was overthrown in the first of many military coup. Ghana is one of the countries in the world that produces the most coca beans in the world, but the country is also a producer of oil and gas.  Happy birthday Ghana!

December 12th

On this day – 12^th December 1963 – British East Africa (Kenya) becomes independent

Today, British East Africa is known as Kenya, but from 1885 and until 1963 was the area under foreign rule. In 1885, Germany established a protectorate over the sultan of Zanzibar. The British East-Africa company arrived in 1888 and in 1890 Germany handed its coastal holdings to Great Britain. Britain started working on the Kenya-Uganda railway, but met resistance most notably by the Nandi. The Nandi became the first ethnicity to be put in a native reserve to stop them from disrupting the work on the railroad. The railroad was still being built and 2498 workers died in the effort. In 1920 the East Africa protectorate was turned into a colony and renamed Kenya for the highest mountain. In 1952 to 1959 Kenya was in a state of emergency for the Mau Mau rebellion. During this rebellion Kenya held its first election for native Kenyans in 1957. It was the Kenyan African National Union (KANU) led by Jomo Kenyatta who won the election. In 1963 on this day the Kenyan protectorate and colony came to an end and Kenya led by Kenyatta.  

December 6th

On this day – 6^th December 1917 – The adoption of Finish independence

The parliament of Finland adopted the declaration of independence from Russia in 1917. They had declared their independence on the 15^th of November, and the declaration was adopted in Finland on the 6^th of December. The background for the declaration was the February and October revolution in Russia and it was recognised by Russia a short time after Finland’s declaration. The independence did, however, contribute to a three-month long civil war in Finland starting in January 1918. It also led to an unstable relationship between the two countries, and in 1939 tried the Soviet Union to occupy Finland. The war ended with the Moscow Peace treaty in 1940 where Finland had to give away parts of their land to the Soviet Union.

Finland was only one of many countries to sought independence at the time. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania also sought independence from Russia at the time, but they were re-occupied by soviet Union just a few years after. The 6^th of December is celebrated as the finish national day today.

Russia accepts Finlands independence

“The people of Finland have by this step taken their fate in their own hands; a step both justified and demanded by present conditions. The people of Finland feel deeply that they cannot fulfil their national and international duty without complete sovereignty. The century-old desire for freedom awaits fulfilment now; Finland's people step forward as a free nation among the other nations in the world”.

 

– The declaration on November 15^th.