ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

History of Sudan

Okay kiddo, let's talk about the history of Sudan!

A long, long time ago, Sudan was home to lots of different tribes and kingdoms, each with their own culture and way of life. One of the most powerful of these groups were the Nubians, who built great cities like Meroe and produced beautiful artwork and architecture. However, over time, Sudan came under the control of larger empires, like the Egyptians and the Romans, who wanted to control the valuable resources in the region.

In the 7th century, Arab tribes began to move into Sudan, bringing with them the Muslim religion and Arabic language. This led to the spread of Islam throughout Sudan and the rise of powerful kingdoms like the Funj, who ruled over vast areas of central Africa. Eventually, in the 19th century, Sudan came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, and later, the British Empire.

Under British rule, Sudan had a difficult time. The British wanted to control Sudan's resources, particularly its cotton, but they also had to deal with large-scale resistance and revolt from the Sudanese people. In the 20th century, Sudan gained its independence from Britain, but this did not solve all of its problems.

Sudan has struggled with ethnic and religious tensions for many years, particularly between the Arab and African populations. This has sometimes led to violence and conflict, including a long and bloody civil war that lasted from 1955 to 2005. In recent years, there have been efforts to try to address these issues and bring peace and stability to Sudan, but it is still a difficult and complicated situation.

So, that's a basic history of Sudan, little one! There's a lot more to it than that, but hopefully that gives you a sense of how Sudan has changed over time.