The History of Morocco

Africa is the second largest continent and a beautiful place to call home. Morocco is one of the countries in Africa on the top left and is an important part to African history. The population of Morocco is approximately thirty-three million people. The Moroccan people are full of love, happiness, and life. In order to understand the Moroccan people, it is important to understand the history that Morocco shares. The history of Morocco is an intricate topic that is seen through the beginning stages of the country, the culture of the Moroccan people, and the resources the land has provided.

            First, the country of Morocco was controlled by the Berber people who established themselves as a part of a tribe. The ruled the land of Morocco based on the standards of a specific tribe the Berber people lived under. However, the establishment of this government did not last long because the people were running the risk of invaders coming. [1]The first attackers were the Phoenicians in the twelfth century B.C. The invasion of the Phoenicians did not last and was soon followed by Carthaginians, then the Romans, then the Arabs, and then the Jews. The Jews settled in Morocco with the Moors from Spain. Eventually, France became in control of Morocco in the end. The various invasions involved the country of Morocco trying to settle with the proper ruling it needed for the country to prosper. Also, the different invasions were responsible for the establishment of the culture of Morocco. The Moroccan people wanted their freedom and no longer wanted to be invaded by other countries and people. [2]In 1904 France and Britain make a pact: Britain will allow France freedom of action in Morocco (provided that the coast opposite Gibraltar is not fortified) in return for France's acceptance of Britain's role in Egypt. The independence of Morocco gave the people the freedom they needed to establish the country’s standards.    
         

        Furthermore, the beginning foundations of Morocco tell the story of the culture and value that Morocco shares. The culture and value the Moroccan people shared is an important part of their history. One of the biggest cultures in Morocco is the religion they shared and currently share.[3]Today Islam is the constitutionally established state religion and the king claims his legitimacy as head of state and religion - in part his legitimacy is supported by the claim that he is a descendant of the prophet Mohammed. King Mohammed brought the religion of Islam to the people of Morocco. The Islamic religion is predominately the main religion and hold to being ninety-nine percent of the population of Morocco. Most of the population that share the same Islamic religion follow Allah and read the Koran. [4]Although Islam permeates most aspects of their everyday lives, Moroccans practice their religion relatively conservatively. One of the practices of the Islamic religion is the process of going to Mecca once a year to pray to their God, Allah. [5]The country of Morocco is also surrounded by many of the mosques, which is their center of worship for the Muslims. The Islamic religion surrounds the people of Morocco and is a major influence on what the people are involved in. The culture of Morocco also involves the aspect of music and the arts. [6]Ancient Moroccan music can be found in the mountainous regions and is performed within Berber villages while in the cities there is a strong Arabic classical tradition, of songs and instrumental music brought by Arabs from the east and Andalusian Spain. The Arabic and Berber people were one of the first founders/invaders of Morocco. The music of the country is based in the Arabic and Berber way. The music of Morocco is truly an experience and is always heard on the streets. The music and the arts are a major part of Morocco and are immersed in the country, which can also be experienced through various festivals that are going on. The festivals showcase the talent and the importance of the Moroccan people, which ultimately showcases the religion or culture the people share. The Islamic religion is an important part for the history of Morocco. Furthermore, the beginning foundations of Morocco tell the story of the culture and value that Morocco shares.  The culture and value the Moroccan people shared is an important part of their history. One of the biggest cultures in Morocco is the religion they shared and currently shared.

            In addition, the country of Morocco is in a peak location and has many vast resources that are provided by the land. The resources of the land have given the people a huge history for Morocco. The beginning stages of Morocco shares a story of many countries and groups of people that wanted to take over the land because of the location. [7]Morocco is a country located in Northern Africa along the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It is officially called the Kingdom of Morocco and it is known for its long history, rich culture and diverse cuisine. The country’s geography is in a spot that provides many resources such as oil and mostly agriculture, which was the biggest reason many countries and groups of people wanted to occupy the land. The biggest energy source for Morocco is the sun and because of the many solar panels the sun is used to harvest energy. The country of Morocco was not always established, but when the Moroccan people were able to gain their independence the people had the opportunity to use their resources for other aspects, such as exporting. [8]Top produce exports include tomatoes, mandarins/clementines/tangerines (named after the city of Tangiers), oranges and olives. The examples are just some of the exports that Morocco is involved in, but because of the large country it is involved in much more. [9]In fact, Morocco is the seventy first largest export economy in the world. The large exporting and importing for Morocco has allowed the country’s economy to grow vastly and become a major influence on other countries because of trading. The resources were not always used properly, but now because of advancement in technology it is easier for many people to harvest and use the resources properly. [10]In a lush field 60 miles south of Casablanca, a farmer revealed one reason why this country's economy has so far kept healthy while others have fallen ill. The harvesting of agriculture is one of the main reasons why the country has prospered and was able to stay independent. The history of the resources is large and is important to understand the reasoning behind why the country of Morocco is so important.

            In conclusion, the country of Morocco is an important part to African history and is not a country that can be easily overlooked. The history of Morocco shares the experience of being invaded several times, but able to stand independently as a country. The Islamic religion makes up most of the population because of this Islam has become an important part in the aspect of understanding the culture and values the country shares. Lastly, the location of Morocco has served as a great purpose to help the land prosper and remain independent through its uses in agriculture along with other resources being used as exports for the economy. Morocco is a special place for the people and special place that can continue to prosper even more.

Bibliography

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“’Morocco Days’ Brings a Small Part of Morocco to Norway: Director of the Artisan House, Abdellah Aadnani, Tells the Oslo Times.” Oslo Times (6 Jan. 2016). 9 March 2016. http://www.theoslotimes.com/article/%E2%80%98morocco-days%E2%80%99-brings-a-small-part-of-morocco-to-norway%3A-director-of-the-artisan-house,-abdellah-aadnani,-tells-the-oslo-times

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[1] “History of Morocco – Discover an Ancient Land,” Morocco.com (2016), 9 March 2016, http://www.morocco.com/culture/ancient-morocco/.

[2] “History of Morocco,” History World, 9 March 2016, http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ac97.

[3] “History of Religion in Morocco,” Naturally Morocco: Experience the Real Morocco (Jan. 2014), 9 March 2016, http://www.naturallymorocco.co.uk/about-us/morocco-travel-blog/islam-in-morocco-history-of-religion.html.

[4] “Religion,” Frommer Media (2016), 9 March 2016, http://www.frommers.com/destinations/morocco/642792.

[5] “Religion,” Complete Morocco (2015), 9 March 2016, http://www.completemorocco.com/about-morocco/religion.

[6] “Travel Morocco: Moroccan Music & Artists,” Travel Exploration: Discover the Best of Morocco (2016), 9 March 2016, http://www.travel-exploration.com/mpage.cfm/Moroccan_Music_Artists.

[7] “Economy and Industry,” Our Africa, 9 March 2016, http://www.our-africa.org/morocco/economy-industry.

[8] Amanda Briney, “Geography of Morocco,” About Education (20 Jan. 2016), 9 March 2016, http://geography.about.com/od/moroccomaps/a/morocco-geography.htm.

[9] “Morocco,” The Observatory of Economic Complexity (2013), 9 March 2016, http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/mar/.

[10] “Big Harvest Boosts Moroccan Economy,” Boise Weekly (29 July 2009), 9 March 2016, http://www.boiseweekly.com/boise/big-harvest-boosts-moroccan-economy/Content?oid=1120714.