raw French citizens to the new colony. The French introduced ways to modernize Algeria. They imposed European-style culture, economics, education, industries, and similar types of government to draw people over to the new formed colony, Algeria. This period of French influence saw a huge drop in Algeria?s native population; it fell from 4 million in 1830 to only 2.5 million in 1890. The French colonials looked upon the Algerian religion of Muslim as an ?inferior underclass that had to be tightly controlled?. Therefore, Muslims were not allowed to hold public meetings, bear arms, or even leave their districts or villages without government permission. Also, even though they were French subjects they could not become French citizens unless they converted to Christianity. The few schooled in French academies and infused with French values suffered racism of their French overlords. The bottom line was that when Algeria was annexed to France ?their lives became a living hell?. Algeria gained independence from the French rule when a number of nationalists called for an armed revolution. By the 1950?s revolutionaries were being hounded into hiding and the stage was set for the Algerian Revolution of Independence. In March 1954 a revolutionary committee was formed in Egypt by Ahmed Ben Balla and eight other Algerians became the foundation of the FLN. Consequently, on November 1st of the same year the FLN declared war on the French. They attacked government buildings, military installations, police stations, and communication facilities throughout the country. This went on for about 8 years until March of 1962 when a cease of fire was negotiated between the French government and the FLN, and De Gaulle?s referendum was held in July. The Algerian people spoke out with a single voice. they voted for independence. After the referendum the French started to depart from Algeria and by the end of the year most colonials had evacuated what was once, Fre...
