Between the fourth and eleventh century in the area of what is now north of Ghana the state of Ghana exists. In the 14th century Ghana gets under control of the Akan tribes. From 1471 Portuguese and from 1552 English settlers arive at the coast of what is now Ghana. Beginning in 1642 the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Brandenburg and England found settlements at what they call the Gold Coast. In the north of Ghana the states of Fanti and Ashanti are formed during the 17th and 18th century. In the 19th century the United Kingdom acquires the other settlements and adds them to Sierra Leone.

In 1874 the United Kingdoms forms the Colony of Gold Coast. From 1826 to 1900 the British fought a series of campaigns against the Ashantis, whose kingdom was located inland. In 1902 they succeeded in establishing firm control over the Ashanti region and making the northern territories a protectorate. In 1922 the mandate of British Togoland is administratively incorporated into Gold Coast. The Gold Coast is granted self-government in 1950, which is enlarged in 1954. The elections of 1954 are won by the Convention People's Party (CPP) of Kofi Kwame Nkrumah.

When this party wins the 1956 elections too, Gold Coast and British Togoland become jointly independent in 1957 as Ghana, from 1960 the Republic of Ghana. The elected government of Kwame Nkrumah becomes increasingly authoritarian and in 1964 Ghana becomes a socialist one-party regime under Nkrumah's CPP. In 1966 Nkrumah is deposed by an army coup and since that time coups recur. Joseph Arthur Ankrah becomes chairman of the National Liberation Council, succeeded in 1969 by Akwasi Afrifa. Ghana's government returned to civilian authority 1969 after a parliamentary election in 1969, won by the Progress Party (PP), led by Kofi A. Busia. In 1970 Edward Akufo-Addo is chosen president and Busia becomes prime minister. The government's inability to control the subsequent inflationary pressures stimulate discontent and military officers seized power in a bloodless coup in 1972.

The National Redemption Council (NRC) under Ignatius Acheamping comes to power. The NRC is replaced in 1975 by the Supreme Military Council (SMC), also headed by Acheampong. Frederick Akuffo replaces Acheamping as leader of the SMC in 1978 and plans a return to constitutional and democratic government. Before he can succeed, his government is deposed in 1979 in a violent coup by the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), chaired by Jerry John Rawlings. Both Acheampong and Akuffo are executed. The AFRC accepts most of the drafted constitution and permits the scheduled presidential and parliamentary elections to take place in 1979. After the elections the AFRC hands over power to the newly elected president Hilla Limann of the nkrumahist People;s National Party (PNP). The PNP government establishes the constitutional institutions and generally respects democracy and individual human rights. It fails, however, to halt the continuing decline in the economy. In 1981 Rawlings and a small group of enlisted and former soldiers launch a coup that succeeds. He establishes the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC) of which he is chairman.

Under international and domestic pressure for a return to democracy, mulit-party elections are held in 1992 making Ghana a presidential democratic republic. The PNDC and its supporters form a new party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), to contest the elections. Jerry John Rawlings wins the presidential elections and most members of the opposition boycot the parliamentary elections. In 1996 the opposition fully contest the presidential and parliamentary elections, which are described as peaceful, free, and transparent by domestic and international observers. Rawlings is re-elected and the NDC wins a clear majority. The 2000 elections usher in the first democratic presidential change of power in Ghana's history when John A. Kufuor of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) defeats the NDC. The elections result in a small majority for the NPP in parliament.