In the 18th century Portuguese colonists enter present-day Zambia.The British South African Companay establishes in the area in 1895 North-Eastern Rhodesia and in 1900 North-Western Rhodesia. These territories and Barotseland are united in 1911 under administration by the British South Africa Company as Northern Rhodesia. Northern Rhodesia becomes in 1924 a British protectorate and is between 1953 and 1963 part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

The 1962 elections result in an African majority in the legislative council and an uneasy coalition between the two African nationalist parties. The new parliament decides a seccesion of the federation and Northern Rhodesia becomes independent in 1964 as the Republic of Zambia. Before independence Kenneth David Kaunda, leader of the Zambia African National Congress, becomes prime minister and after independence he is the first president. The ZANC is renamed United National Independence Party and in 1972 Kaunda forbids opposition parties and establishes a one-party state in 1972. The new constitution and the national elections that followed in 1973 are the final steps in achieving the "one-party participatory democracy."

In 1990, at the end of a tumultuous year that includes riots in the capital and a coup attempt, Kaunda signs legislation ending UNIP's monopoly on power. Zambia's first multi-party elections for parliament and the presidency since the 1960s are held in 1991. MMD candidate Frederick Chiluba resoundingly carries the presidential election over Kenneth Kaunda with 81% of the vote. The MMD wins also a MMD landslide in the parliamentary elections. By the end of Chiluba's first term as president (1996), the MMD's commitment to political reform has faded in the face of re-election demands. Chiluba is re-elected in elections boycotted by the UNIP. Early in 2001, supporters of Chiluba mount a campaign to amend the constitution to enable Chiluba to seek a third term of office. Civil society, opposition parties and many members of the ruling party exert sufficient pressure on Chiluba to force him to back away from any attempt at a third term. The 2001 elections are won by the MMD presidential candidate Levy Mwanawasa by a narrow margin.