1. Post-Colonial Africa
Main Idea: Newly independent African nations struggled with poverty, conflict, and ineffective governments. In recent years some countries sought better government by holding democratic elections.

2. Background Historical Issues in Africa? European Imperialism
Kingdoms
Slave Trade
European Imperialism
Berlin Conference
Scramble for Africa
Pan-African movement
Ignored
Kwame Nkrumah

4. Why did Europeans give up their colonies after WWII?
Too Expensive
Nationalist Movements emerge

5. What were challenges to unity in newly formed independent African states?
How “Nations” had been formed
Ethnic Rivalries
Civil Wars
Different Languages
Different Religions
Different Traditions
Most peoples first loyalty is to tribe

6. How and why did dictators gain power in many newly formed independent African states?
Many heroes of independence movements create one party dictatorships
Patronage
Claim multi-party government hurts unity
Eventually become repressive
Mobutu Sese Seko
If civil unrest comes, military leaders seize power in a coup d'état and create new dictatorship

7. How and why did some African states move towards democracy in the 1990s?
Lack of Cold War funding began to weaken some of the dictators’ gov’ts
Saw as opportunity to create democratic gov’ts
Western governments and World Bank refuse to loan money if no democracy
2005-More than 30 African countries abandoned one-party systems for elections

8. Other Issues: Struggling Economies Disease Desertification
Limited exports
Corrupt leaders/huge debts
Disease
Malaria (most common cause of death)
AIDS
Desertification

9. Compare and Contrast Africa and America today.
USA
million Africans face starvation
-Over 1 million die from famine per year
-In East Africa, roughly 15 million face famine
-Nutrition levels have decreased 30% in the past 30 years
-In 2003, 2 million tons of food relief was delivered
-In 20 years, AIDS has killed 9 million farm workers
-In some areas 30% of the population has AIDS
-US is the most overweight country in world
-15% of American kids are overweight, and rising
-$117 Billion was spent on obesity related illness
-$1 Billion was spent on weight loss drugs
-2/3 of Americans are overweight
-Only 20% of kids exercise today compared to 80% in the 1960’s
-Many schools have snack and soda machines
-AIDS affects 1% of US population