World Cultures
World Cultures
Africa Unit
Chapter 3
Geography and Early History of Africa
Section 1 – The Shape of the Land
Africa is the world’s second-largest continent
Africa contains more independent nations on Earth – 54 nations
African straddles the Equator
The continent is bordered by
Atlantic Ocean to the west
Mediterranean Sea to the north
Indian Ocean to the east
Red Sea to the northeast
Many distinct regions
North Africa
From Morocco to Egypt
This location has always had close contact with Europe and the Middle East
West Africa
Bulges into the Atlantic Ocean
From Mauritania to Nigeria
Central Africa
East Africa
Southern Africa
Stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean
Landforms
Most of Africa is a vast plateau
These plateaus lie at different elevation
From the plateaus the land drops sharply to the coast
Escarpments – steep cliffs, divide the plateau from the coastal plain
As rivers flow from the plateau to the coast they tumble over a series of cataracts
Cataracts – large waterfalls and rapids
Great Rift Valley
Slices through the eastern part of the continent
Runs from the Red Sea to the Zambezi River
Most fertile farmland in Africa
Rivers
Provide fish, water for irrigation, transportation, and electricity
Hydroelectric power – energy produced by moving water
Nile River
Longest river in the world
Location of one of the earliest civilizations
1970 – completion of the Aswan Dam located in the upper Nile
Congo River
Located in Central Africa
Only parts are navigable
Provides hydroelectric power
Niger River
Located in West Africa
Zambezi River
Located in Southern Africa
Rushes over Victoria Falls
Provides hydroelectric power
Natural Resources
Gold, diamonds, copper, cobalt, oil, rich soil, abundant water
Resources are not evenly distributed
Poor countries can not develop their mineral resources
Have allowed foreign countries to invest in mining
Much of the profit leaves Africa
Much of Africa is not fertile
Section 2 – Climate and Diversity
The Equator runs nearly through the middle of Africa
80% of the continent is in the tropics
Tropics – the area between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn
Climates are generally warm throughout the year
Coolest regions found in the highlands
Rainfall
Major feature is a pattern of alternating wet and dry seasons
Generally the farther north or south of the Equator the shorter the rainy period and the
longer the dry period
The variations in rainfall cause problems for farmers and herders
Climate Zones
The northern and southern hemispheres are mirror images
Starting at the Equator
Tropical wet
Hot and humid year round
Poor soil
Leaching – constant heavy rains dissolve and wash away nutrients
Tropical wet and dry
Largest climate zone in Africa
Savanna –grassland – occupies the region
Covers almost half the continent
Home to most Africans
Unpredictable rainfall
Drought – prolonged periods of little or no rain
Population growth has created serious problems in the drier parts of the
Savanna
Natural forces and human action puts the land at risk
Desertification – the turning of semidesert land into desert
Desert
Covers about 40% of Africa
Sahara Desert
Larger than the continental US
Extends across northern Africa from the Atlantic to the Red Sea
Kalahari
Southern Africa
Not as dry as the Sahara
Namib Desert
One of the driest places on Earth
Moderate Mediterranean climates
Along the southern tip and northern coast
Mild climate and fertile soils support crops and herding
Many disease-carrying insects breed in tropical climates
Malaria, spread by mosquitoes kills up to 1 million children each year
Sleeping sickness spread by the tsetse fly
River blindness
Bilharzia, parasitic worms
Population of Africa
2009 estimate – 1 billion
Growing rapidly
Resources influence where people live
Most populated areas
Southern part of West Africa
Morocco and Algeria
Nile Valley
Region around Lake Victoria
Eastern part of Southern Africa
Africa is home to an immense variety of cultures
Have different histories, religious beliefs, values, and traditions
Developed one of five basic types of societies – most continue in Africa today
Farming
Herding
Fishing
Hunting and gathering
Urban
Today the majority of Africans live in the savanna – most are farmers
Cities have long flourished along
Mediterranean coast of North Africa
Savanna of West Africa
Coast of east Africa
Africans speak more than 1,000 different languages
Divided into several language families
Section 3 – Early Civilizations of Africa
The discoveries at Olduvai have led some scientists to suggest that Africa was home to the first
people.
Painting on rock cliffs and cave walls show tools, weapons, hunting, and food-gathering
Nile Valley Civilization
Earliest civilization in Africa
Nile Valley of Egypt about 7,000 years ago
3,000 BC powerful rulers emerged and united villages along the Nile
pharaohs – rulers of ancient Egypt
Pharaoh was a god, descended from Amon-Re
Pharaoh had total power over the lives of the people
Through trade and conquest, Egyptians exchanged knowledge and ideas with distant cultures
Egyptians were polytheistic – believed that different gods controlled the forces of nature
Belief in life after death was central to Egyptian religion
Egyptians developed a form of writing
Hieroglyphics – used pictures and symbols
Used knowledge of stars and planets to produce a calendar with a 365-day year
Egyptian doctors studied the human body
Kingdom of Kush
Trade flowed along the Nile between Egypt and neighboring peoples in Nubia and Kush
King Kastha of Kush conquered the Nile Valley
Short lived – ended when Assyrians invaded from the Middle East
Kush profited by trade
Kingdom of Axum
Emerged in present day Ethiopia
Important center of trade
King converted to Christianity
Chapter 4
Heritage of Africa
Section 1 – Trading States and Kingdoms
From early times, people in Africa traded across routes from the Middle East and North Africa to the
savanna lands of West Africa
West Africa lands traded gold for salt
Empire of Ghana
First powerful West African kingdom
Extended their control over a large area
As Ghana grew, its rulers created a lavish court
Traded with the Berbers, traders from the northern edge of the desert
Berbers traded salt, cloth, and horses for gold, woods, kola nuts
Each caravan that entered or left Ghana had to pay taxes
Empire of Mali
After break-up of Ghana
Seized some gold-producing areas – set up the empire of Mali
Mansa Musa - ruler of Mali
Adopted Islam
Based his system of justice on the Koran
Built mosque – Muslim houses of worship
By the early 1400s power struggles had weakened the empire
Empire of Songhai
As Mali declined new empire arose in West Africa
From the trading city of Gao, powerful rulers extended their control over other lands
Followed the teaching of Islam
Timbuktu became a center of learning
Defeated by Moroccan soldiers
Forest Kingdom of Benin
Thickly forested areas near the Equator
Near the delta of the Niger River
Controlled trade over a large area
Cities of East African
Since ancient times, trade had linked the coastal peoples of East Africa to other parts of
the world
Many grew into city-states
City-states – large town that has its own government and usually controls the
surrounding countryside
Arab traders brought their culture to the region
Islam took root in parts of East Africa
Zimbabwe
By 1300, the rulers of Zimbabwe had organized a large kingdom
Control of gold mines gave the rulers their power
Most of the people were farmers and herders
Section 2 – Patterns of Life
Cultures varied it is necessary to careful when making generalizations
Did share similar basic values
Found strength in family structure, communities, religious beliefs
Family ties
Hunting/gathering societies were usually small – scarce resources
Farming and herding societies
More likely to live in extended families
Parents, children, spouses of children, other relatives
In villages several families pooled their labor
Ties of kinship united people beyond the extended family
Sharing a common lineage created bonds of loyalty and responsibility
Lineage – group of distant kin who trace their descent back to a common ancestor
Important general feature of these groupings was the sense of linkage they created
Patterns of Government
Variety of government patterns
In many areas, decisions at the village level required full public discussion
Goal was to reach a consensus
Consensus – common agreement
Leader stressed the good of the community over that of individuals
Economic Organization
Most villagers were subsistence farmers
Subsistence farmers – produce enough for their own needs with little or no surplus
Most farming societies saw the land as community property
Lives of Women
Contributed to the economic well-being of the family
Women were central to family life
Attitudes toward women varied widely
In some areas women held positions of power
In other areas women had little power or prestige
In some societies men married more than one woman
Polygamy – having more than one spouse
Men were expected to offer a valuable gift to the bride’s family – bride wealth
Recognized the importance of the woman
Compensated the brides family for the loss of bride’s labor
Inheritance and Descent
Variety of traditions
Members of a matrilineal society traces lineage through the female line
Patrilineal societies trace lineage through the male line
Age-Grade System
Some societies develop ties of loyalty through a system of age grades
Age grade – include all boys or girls born in the same year
Learned the values of their societies
In Islamic societies boys attended Koranic schools
Learned to read and write Arabic
Memorized parts of the Koran
Religions
Variety of religions
Most religions were monotheistic
Supreme Being seen as distant
Turned to lesser gods for daily life
Believed that their ancestors could help or harm them
Diviners and healers held places of honor
Diviners served as interpreters between people and the divine world
Healers would seek the cause of illnesses
Both were expert in herbal medicines
Christianity and Judaism reached Africa in ancient times
African Christians formed their own churches
Blended African beliefs, music, dance with western Christian beliefs
Muslim traders spread Islam
Fit certain features of Islamic culture into their own cultures
Section 3 – The Slave Trade
From the 1500s to the 1800s, slave traders sent an estimated 10 to 15 million Africans to the Americas
Exploring the Coast of Africa
First direct contact between Europeans and the people of West Africa was in the early 1400s
Portuguese explores had been looking for a sea route to India
Portuguese and others Europeans built small trading stations on the coast
Trade in Human Beings
During the 1400s Europeans bought a few Africans as slaves and carried them to Europe
Slavery had existed since ancient times
Most slaves were people captured in war
Others sold themselves into slavery during times of famine
In many societies slaves were a part of the community
In time, slaves or their children might become full members of society
Atlantic slave trade
Europeans introduced slavery on a massive scale
In the 1700s, at the height of the slave trade, 60,000 slaves a year captured
By the 1600s, a trade network, linked Africa, Europe and the Americas
Racism was used to justify treating Africans as property
European slave traders relied on local African rulers to supply slaves
Paid for slaves with guns and manufactured goods
Atlantic slave trade lasted about 400 years
Ending the Slave Trade
Abolition slowly gained force
Abolition – the movement to end slavery
Britain passed a law banning slavery in its empire in 1833
Slavery in the U. S. ended with the Civil War in 1865
Effects of the Slave Trade
As European nations began to industrialize, slavery became less profitable
In parts of Africa, the slave trade disrupted whole societies
Slave trade encouraged wars and increased tensions among neighboring people
The slave trade sent millions of Africans overseas
Diaspora – migration or scattering of a homogeneous people
The African diaspora spread the ideas, customs, and beliefs of African people to other regions
of the world
In 1787, Britain set up the West Africa colony of Sierra Leone for freed slaves
Free blacks from the U.S. organized the country of Liberia
Liberia gained independence in 1847
Section 4 – Age of European Imperialism
Europeans Explore Africa
Before the 1800s, Europeans knew very little about Africa
Europeans began exploring the rivers of Africa
Europeans made little effort to understand African cultures
European Motives
By 1914, European nations claimed all of Africa except Liberia and Ethiopia
Britain controlled most of Africa
Other European countries included Spain, Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal, Germany
Economic competition was a major motive
Africa was a source of raw materials and a market for manufactured goods
Political motive
Built vast empires to boost their place in the world
Rivalries fueled the scramble for colonies
Religious motives
Christians believed that it was their duty to spread the benefits of western civilization
The Scramble for Colonies
Two innovations helped Europeans advance into Africa
Improved treatment for malaria and yellow fever
Maxim machine gun, gave an advantage over African arms
At the Berlin Conference, Europeans made decisions about dividing Africa
African Resistance
Africans resisted with military force
Unable to withstand the advanced weapons and technology of the Europeans
Struggle for Southern Africa
A bitter power struggle develop among local African groups, Dutch settlers known as
Boers, and the British
Early 1800s, the British won control of the Cape Colony from the Boers
As the Boers were moving north from the tip of South Africa the Zulu were moving
southward
Battles between the Boers and Zulu continued for decades
British joined the struggle and defeated the Zulu
The discovery of diamonds and gold sent Europeans into the Boer republics
By 1902, the British defeated the Dutch settlers in the Boer War
Eight years later, the British created the Union of South Africa out of various colonies
in the region
Only white men had the right to vote
The Boers made up a majority of the white population
Gained control of the South African government
Section 5 – Effects of European Rule
New Political and Economic Systems
In their African colonies, European nations set up governments that reflected their own traditions
Two methods of rule
Direct rule – the colonial power controlled the government at every level
Indirect rule – used by the British, left traditional rulers in place
British made decisions but expected local rulers to enforce them
Europeans expected their colonies to be profitable
European companies exploited the mineral resources
Introduced a money economy – payment of taxes in cash not goods
To make money Africans sold their labor
Men left home to find work
Caused the close-knit life of villages to change
Created difference in wealth as some people accumulated capital and property
Europeans encouraged private ownership of land
Money economy encouraged farmers to grow cash crops instead of food
Caused some areas of African to import food
Material Improvements
Colonial rule brought new systems of transportation and communication
Missionaries set up hospitals and doctors introduced better medical care
Improved sanitation and water systems
Battled diseases that had killed many people in the past
Currents of Change
Europeans set up elementary schools
African students learned European history and culture along with basic skills
A few Africans had the opportunity to attend secondary schools
Formed an educated elite in the colonies
Elite – small group of people with high social status
By the early 1900s, new African leaders were emerging
Called for Africans to reexamine their heritage and to take pride in their past
Chapter 5
Africa in Transition
Section 1 – Winning Independence
African Nationalism
By the early 1900s, nationalism had taken root in Africa
Colonial powers had drawn boundaries that included diverse ethnic groups
Many nationalists embraced the idea of Pan-Africanism
Called for unifying all of Africa
“Africa for Africans”
New Nations Emerge
As WWII ended, independence movements gained strength in both Africa and Asia
Soviet Union condemned imperialism and aided some nationalist movements
1950 – Africa contained only for independent nations
Liberia, Ethiopia, Egypt, and South Africa
In South Africa a white minority ruled
Ghana
Gained independence through mostly peaceful means
Kwame Nkrumah organized strikes and boycotts to protest British rule
Boycotts – refusal to buy certain goods or services
In 1957, Ghana became the first black African nation to win independence
North Africa
During the 1950s, Libya, Tunisia, and Morocco won independence through mostly
peaceful means
Algerians fought a bitter was with the French
In 1962 Algerian gained their independence
Kenya
Fighting broke out in Kenya
In 1964, the British agreed to withdraw
Southern Africa
Portugal refused to give up its colonies of Angola and Mozambique
Nationalist in both colonies waged guerrilla war
Guerrilla war – small bands of fighters stage hit-and-run attacks against a
larger power
Angola and Mozambique finally won independence in 1975
The Colonial Legacy
The effects of colonial rule lasted long after African nations won independence
While creating high expectations, colonial rulers did little prepare Africans for independence
Section 2 – Steps Toward Development
Building Governments
After independence, African governments faced the challenge of building national unity
Economic differences created further divisions
In 1960, the Congo won independence from Belgium
Regional rivalries plunged the Congo into civil war
Province of Katanga tried to secede from the Congo
Secede – break away
From 1965 to 1997 Mobutu Sese Seko held power
In 1997, after Seko was ousted from power, civil war resumed
Civil war left the Congo deeply divided and economically weak
Civil war disrupted Ethiopia and Somalia
Lead to widespread famine
In 1994, ethnic tensions in Rwanda resulted in the massacre of 800,000 people
In West Africa, civil wars left thousand dead and hurt the economies of Liberia and
Sierra Leone
To build national unity, some African leaders set up one-party rule
Believed competing political parties would create divisions in society
Also reflected the tradition African values as discussion and consensus
In some nations the military stepped in to restore order and get rid of corrupt leaders
Once in power some military leaders became corrupt
In the late 1980s, some African nations joined the worldwide trend toward democratization
Democratization – moving toward a free system of government
Economic Systems
Independent nations experimented with various economic systems
African Socialism
Socialism – government owns and operates major business and controls other parts
of the economy
Mixed economies
Today most African nations have mixed economies
A major goal is to build factories and produce goods for their own use
To gain capital countries have turned to multinational corporations
Multinational corporations – huge enterprises with branches in many countries
Some people see the multinational corps as simply replace colonial powers in the
economic system
Multinationals make a profit by exporting crops and commodities
Most of the profits flow out of Africa
Economic Choices and Challenges
Need to develop agriculture
Nations often neglect the needs of subsistence farmers
Most government programs focus on cash crops for export
Rapid population growth and unpredictable rainfall also cause problems for farmers
A major goal of nations is to reduce economic dependence
By relying on a single crop for export, economies are at the mercy of world market prices
Attempting to limit costly imports
Because of the unequal distribution of natural resources some nations must import
Debt, drought, disease, civil war, and international conflict work against economic progress
The Population Explosion
Since independence, birth rates have risen
In 2000, Africa’s population was about 800 million
Current growth rate will more than double by 2050
African traditions encourage large families
Children are seen as a valuable resource to the family
Almost half the people in Africa are less than 15 years old
Section 3 – Changing Patterns of Life
Growth of Cities
The population explosion and the growth of industry have contributed to rapid urbanization
In 1990, 22% of Africans lived in cities
By 2025, about 54% of Africans will live in urban areas
Rural poverty is driving millions of people to give up farming
Effects of Urbanization
Growth of cities is helping to reshape African societies
A new urban elite has emerged
Wealth, education, and power set them apart from others
Most cities have a small middle class
Great majority of city dwellers are poor workers who can barely get by
Urbanization is changing family life
The longer people live in cities, the less attached they feel to their ancestors and the
land
Among the wealthier and more educated marriage customers are changing
Choosing their own mates and not agreeing to arranged marriages
Further weakens family ties
Western technology is welcomed but people are warned against westernization
Since the 1980s a religious revival has swept across the Islamic areas of Africa
Since the early 1900s many independent Christian churches have grown up in Africa
Blend of Christian and local African religious beliefs
Women’s Lives
Women continue to gain rights
But women’s lives have changed little
Conditions continue to deteriorate because of wars, conflict, and the spread of AIDS
African women are organizing politically to change attitudes
Rural Patterns
Many Africans still live in rural areas
Many farmers continue to use non-mechanized farming tools
Some herders sell their cattle for cash
Many refuse, cattle is seen as a symbol of wealth
Fishing societies are using motorized boats
Refrigeration allows them to send their catch to distant markets
Schools and Universities
School is another force for cultural change
Leaders hope to encourage a sense of national unity
Before 1960, only a small percentage of children went to school
Students often drop out because the system provides fewer classes at the higher level
Only a few students attend high school or university
In 1960, 6 universities in Africa
More than 100 universities today
Chapter 6
Africa in the World Today
Section 1 – Regional and Global Issues
Regional Cooperation
Although the goal of Pan-African unity was never reached, the dream never died
In 1963, independent nations formed the Organization of African Unity (OAU)
By 1991, all African nations joined, except South Africa
Supported independence movements and promoted peace
Many nations did not want the OAU meddling in internal affairs
2002, formed a new organization, African Union (AU)
Hoped to attract foreign investment by promoting good government and
human rights
Many African nations belong to regional groups
These groups encourage economic development
These groups help small nations strengthen their position
Nine-nation Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC)
Helped members reduce their dependence on South Africa
16-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECWAS)
Helped members by ending customs duties
Support joint transportation and energy projects
International Ties
At independence each African nation joined the United Nations (UN)
Seek international cooperation on issues such as the environment, education,
and agricultural development
Algeria, Libya, and Nigeria are members of OPEC
Many African nations also have strong economic and cultural ties to former colonial powers
The Cold War and After
African nations won independence during the Cold Was
United States and the Soviet Union wanted to win allies among the new nations
Most African countries chose a policy of nonalignment
Nonalignment – policy that did not favor either side in the Cold War
Although they remained nonaligned, many African nations looked to the superpower
for aid
The superpowers often interfered in the internal affairs of African nations
Former colonial powers have also remained involved in African affairs
Debt and AIDS
Economic factors outside their control affect emerging nations in Africa
All are influenced by global trends
African nations spend billions each year to repay old loans
African nations are also seeking help from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and
the World Bank
Both lending agencies have demanded that debtor nations reform their economies before
receiving loans
Debt is linked to the AIDS epidemic that is sweeping across Africa
Estimates are that more than 25 million Africans have AIDS
AIDS is taking a terrible toll on the future of African nations
Ongoing Challenges
In dealing with AIDS and other problems, African nations are seeking solutions that are
appropriate to their societies
The population growth has put a strain on the economies of African nations
The UN and other groups are working with African governments to set up programs that
teach family planning
African nations are also finding ways to increase food production
Introduced dry-season farming
Allows farmers to produce two crops a year
Experts are developing new kinds of crops
Scientists are working with farmers to stop soil erosion
Nigerian farmers are trying “alley-cropping”
Alley-cropping – plant long rows (Alleys) of crops and plant fast-growing
trees and vines that can be harvested for firewood
Researchers have curbed tropical diseases such as malaria and sleeping sickness
Section 2 – The Republic of South Africa
In 1910, Britain granted South Africa self-rule
Until 1994, a small white minority governed the nation
70% of South Africans are black
In 1948, the Nationalist party came to power
Drew its support from conservative white farmers
Descended from Dutch settlers who held strong views on white superiority
Set up a strict legal system of apartheid
Apartheid – rigid separation of races by law in South Africa
Under apartheid, the government classified all South Africans as white, black, or “coloured”
Then passed laws to keep the races separate
Apartheid enforce a system of inequality
Apartheid extended to education
Black schools received much less money
Four fifths of South Africa, including its rich mineral resources and fertile farmlands,
remained in the hands of whites
To control movement, the government enacted pass laws
Required all blacks to carry a passbook that included a record of where they could
travel or work, their tax payments, and a record of criminal convictions
The passbook had to be carried at all times and shown upon demand
Pass laws divided families
Struggle Against Apartheid
From the start, blacks and some others South African opposed apartheid
Archbishop Desmond Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize for his strong opposition to
apartheid and rejected violence in the fight
South African police and government forces used violence
At a 1960 protest in Sharpeville, a township near Johannesburg, turned violent
when the police opened fire killing more than 60
The “Sharpeville massacre” aroused anger world wide
Opposition groups were banned
Nelson Mandela, a leader of the African National Congress (ANC) was captured
and sentenced to life in prison in 1964
While South Africans demanded change from within, international pressure grew
UN placed an arms embargo on South Africa
The Olympic Committee barred South African athletes from competition
During the 1980s many nations imposed economic sanctions
Cut off trade in many items and ended financial dealings with businesses
Steps Toward Change
Protests and economic sanctions had an effect
As sanctions slowed South Africa’s economy, white business leaders pressed for
change
The government repealed the hated pass laws
Opened some segregated facilities to all South Africans
In 1989, South Africa’s president, F.W. de Klerk, lifted the ban on the ANC and other
groups opposed to apartheid
In 1990, Nelson Mandela and other ANC leaders were freed from prison
In early 1990s, a new constitution was written to guarantee blacks basic rights
In 1994, blacks voted for the first time, Nelson Mandela was elected South Africa’s president
Mandela faced many problems
The gap between rich and poor in South Africa was one of the largest in the world
Mandela retired in 1999
................
................
In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.
To fulfill the demand for quickly locating and searching documents.
It is intelligent file search solution for home and business.
Related searches
- list of different cultures values
- list of different cultures of people
- different cultures of people
- cultures of the world
- list of cultures around the world
- types of cultures list
- black cultures and traditions
- when studying cultures sociologists
- african american cultures and traditions
- interesting cultures around the world
- different cultures around the world list
- how do material cultures and symbols relate