Editing History of Madagascar (section)

===International recognition and modernization of the Kingdom (1817–1895)===
The kingdom of Madagascar continued its transformation throughout the 19th century from a locally grown monarchy into a modern [[State (polity)|state]].

Before Radama I the Malagasy language was written in a script known as [[sorabe]]. In 1820 under the direction of [[David Jones (missionary)|David Jones]], a Welsh missionary of the London Missionary Society, Radama I codified the new Malagasy [[Latin script|Latin alphabet]] of 21 letters which replaced the old sorabe alphabet.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dacb.org/stories/madagascar/jones_david.html |title=Dictionary of African Christian Biography |access-date=May 13, 2012 |archive-date=August 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817204610/http://www.dacb.org/stories/madagascar/jones_david.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> By 1830 the Bible was the first book written in this new Malagasy Latin alphabet. It is the oldest complete translation of the bible into a sub-Saharan African language.

The United States and the Kingdom of Madagascar concluded a commercial convention in 1867 after which Queen Rasoherina and Prime Minister Rainilaiarivoy exchanged gifts with president [[Andrew Johnson]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nmafa.si.edu/exhibits/malagasy/queen.html |title=Objects as Envoys |access-date=May 13, 2012}}</ref> A treaty of peace, friendship, and commerce was then signed in 1881.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5460.htm |title=U.S. Department of State, Background Note: Madagascar |access-date=May 13, 2012 }}</ref>

During the reign of Ranavalona I, early attempts at industrialization took place from 1835 under the direction of the French [[Jean Laborde]] (a survivor of a shipwreck off the east coast), producing soap, [[porcelain]], metal tools and firearms (rifles, cannons, etc.)..

In 1864 [[Antananarivo]] opened the first hospital and a modern medical school. Two years later appeared the first newspaper. A scientific journal in English (''Antananarivo Annual'') was released from 1875. In 1894, on the eve of the establishment of colonial rule, the schools of the kingdom, mainly led by the [[Protestant]] missions, were attended by over 200,000 students.