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The French
began to arrive in the
Barbary states in the 1830s, and by
1848 Algeria was a
département
of
France. At first, rule was modeled on
the Ottoman administration, but
French unemployed were
encouraged to leave France in search
of better prospects in North Africa.
These French nationals were known
as
pieds-noirs
(black-feet) and they
arrived alongside Sephardic Jews
and settlers from other European
countries, such as Spain, Italy, and
Malta, who had been born in Algeria.
Although the Muslims were
officially French subjects they could
not become French citizens unless
they renounced Islam and converted
to Christianity. Settlers, therefore,
took over the land and dominated in
political, economical, and
educational fields.
After Algeria became
independent in 1962, more than a
million
pieds-noirs
returned to
mainland France, where many of
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COLONIALISM
BELOW:
Algiers is the capital and
largest city in Algeria and is situated on
the Mediterranean Sea. The modern part
of the city was built on level ground by
the seashore. The ancient sector was
constructed on a steep hill behind the
modern town. The casbah or citadel is at
the highest point.
OPPOSITE:
Basilique Notre Dame
d'Afrique, a church built by the French
Pieds-Noirs
in Algeria.