European contact, initiated by Portuguese mariners in 1471, influenced Ghanaian history by establishing direct sea trade. Initially focused on gold, this trade expanded to include enslaved people and led to the construction of European forts along the coast. This accessibility shifted trade from Sudanese emporia and introduced new wealth, tools, and sociopolitical changes. Beginning in the late 19th century, the British gradually assumed control of what is now Ghana and ruled it as the Gold Coast colony.
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