Sri Lanka History: Difference between revisions

Sri Lanka History (view source)

Revision as of 14:48, 27 March 2019

319 bytes removed , 27 March 2019

m

Edited History and Timeline

VisualWikitext

Posta1

12,104

edits

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 ==History==
-According to legend, Sri Lanka was founded about 500 B.C. by a prince from northern India.  He allegedly founded the Sinhalese Kingdom, which was prominent in the northern part of the island.  In the second half of the third century B.C., the Sinhalese king was converted to Buddhism.  From this time until approximately 1000 A.D., Sri Lanka was a center for the development and spread of Buddhism.  It also became an important trading center during this period, and Tamil Hindu settlements were established in the northern and eastern portions of the island.
+Sri Lanka was known from the beginning of British colonial rule as Ceylon, US also /seɪˈlɒn/). A nationalist political movement arose in the country in the early 20th century to obtain political independence, which was granted in 1948; the country became a republic and adopted its current name in 1972. Sri Lanka's recent history has been marred by a 26-year civil war, which decisively ended when the Sri Lanka Armed Forces defeated the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 2009.
-From about 1000 to 1500 A.D., Sri Lanka was ruled by Buddhist Sinhalese kings who struggled to prevent encroachments from the Hindu mainland.  A Tamil kingdom was established in the northern portion of the island, during this time, which eventually separated itself from the Sinhalese kingdom.  The Portugese first arrived in 1505, and established coastal settlements for trade and missionary work.  The Dutch intervened in a local civil war in 1638, and eventually expelled the Portugese from most of their coastal settlements.  By 1766, the coastal areas of Sri Lanka were entirely controlled by the Dutch, while the interior remained under the jurisdiction of the Sinhalese and Tamil kingdoms.  In 1796, the British seized the Dutch settlements on Sri Lanka and expelled the Dutch Colonists.  In 1802, Sri Lanka was ceded to Great Britain by the Treaty of Amiens and became the British colony of Ceylon.
+After years of agitation, Ceylon was granted independence in 1948.  However, conflicts between Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Christians continues.  In 1972, Ceylon became a democratic socialists republic, and the name Sri Lanka was chosen to replace Ceylon.
+The current constitution stipulates the political system as a republic and a unitary state governed by a semi-presidential system. It has had a long history of international engagement. Along with the Maldives, Sri Lanka is one of only two South Asian countries rated high on the Human Development Index , with its rating and per capita income the highest among South Asian nations. The Sri Lankan constitution accords Buddhism the foremost place, although it does not identify it as a state religion. Buddhism is given special privileges in the Sri Lankan constitution.
-After years of agitation, Ceylon was granted independence in 1948.  However, conflicts between Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Christians continues.  In 1972, Ceylon became a democratic socialists republic, and the name Sri Lanka ( which means something akin to holy place) was chosen to replace Ceylon.<ref name="profile">The Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Family History Record Profile: Sri Lanka,” Word document, private files of the FamilySearch Content Strategy Team, 1990-2000.</ref>
-Additional information may be found at [http://www.infoplease.com/country/sri-lanka.html Sri Lanka history and geography]
+The island is home to many cultures, languages and ethnicities. The majority of the population is from the Sinhalese ethnicity, while a large minority of Tamils have also played an influential role in the island's history. Moors, Burghers, Malays, Chinese, and the indigenous Vedda are also established groups on the island.
+<br>
+[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka]
 ==Timeline==
+- The Portuguese built a fort at the port city of Colombo and gradually extended their control over the coastal areas<br>
 ==External Links==