Skip to main content

The timeline can be navigated by dragging the pointer on the timeline bar, located at the bottom of the screen on the desktop version and on the left of the screen on mobile. To filter by a specific topic, make a selection on the dropdown “Filters” menu or click “Search” to do a keyword search. To learn more, click “Read More” below.

Read More

Quinine becomes widely available, which impacts the colonization of the African continent.

1874

PHA
COL
GLSO
EUR
DRUG

Quinine is a chemical derived from an Andean cinchona tree, and is commonly used by the healers of that region to treat malarial fever.

The availability of quinine expands after Dutch colonists find ways to grow the tree in Java. The Dutch companies dominate the market for quinine, along with a smaller market held by British colonizers in India. "Historians credit the drug, along with filtered water, for Britain's successful offensive against the Asante Empire in Ghana" (Shah, 2010).