1. Historical and Social Background

2. Why Is It Important to Study Africa?
Africa’s dynamic history:
Was the birthplace of humans
Witnessed the birth of ancient civilizations such as Pharaonic Egypt, Great Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Mali, Songhay, etc.

3. Significance of the study of Africa
Diversity of Africa:
 A continent of remarkable size and diversity
Second largest continent in the world
Diverse geography, climatic zones,
A population of about 1 billion people and over 1000 languages is a very diverse continent.
Diverse cultures, religions, and social structures

4. Significance of the study of Africa
Africa Global Connection: 
For millennia, Africa has interacted with the outside world through conquest, trade and migration
Connection with ancient Europe (ancient Christianity)
With Arabia (Islam and Arabic language)
With Europe and the Americas (Atlantic Slave Trade)
European colonialism

5. Significance of studying Africa
Representations and Stereotypes of Africa:
Popular assumptions about Africa
Denial of African history
Hugh Trevor-Roper statement about Africa’s past in1960s :“the unrewarding gyrations of barbarous tribes”
Exclusion of African history
Why?
Eurocentric approach
Social Darwinism
Atlantic Slave Trade

6. European Colonial Rule
Emergence of African History as an academic discipline 1960s
Nationalist movement and independence
Role of African historians on the continent
African Universities: Ibadan, Dar Essalam, Makrere University
African Studies in the West:
Melville Jean Herskovits (895 –1963)
African Studies at Northwestern University 1954
The Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Studies at Northwestern University, established in 1954

7. Africa: Importance of Geography
Africa is the second largest continent (11.7 million square miles)
Struggle to adapt to environment
Climatic Zones:
Coastal Mediterranean
Sahara Desert (largest in the world)
Nile Valley: Blue Nile and White Nile
Savannah Belt
Niger River and Lake Chad

8. Ethiopian Highland
Central and East African Plateau: Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, Congo River, Mountain Kilimanjaro
Southern Africa: Kalahari Desert, Cape Town Region

9. Water Resources

10. The People
Human and Cultural Diversity
Physical distinctions

11. North African Berber
Nuba from Sudan

12. Ethiopian
Senegal

13. Masai from Kenya
Beja from Sudan

14. Cultural Diversity: Languages
African Language Families:
1. Afro-Asiatic: Ethiopia, Berber, Hausa, Arabic, Hebrew, and Ancient Egyptian
Niger-Congo: Bantu Languages
Nilo-Saharan
Khoi-San

15. Population Composition and Migration
Since millennia the history of Africa is shaped by migrate and integration
Northern Africa: Arab migration and spread of Islam since 7th century AD
Coastal East Africa: Arab and Asian migration (rise of Swahili culture and language)
Bantu Migration from Nigeria-Cameroon region to east and southern Africa beginning 3000 bc

16. Religion
African beliefs in spiritual as well as material world
Existence of indigenous belief systems
Christianity: Early Christianity in Africa (Monophysite)
North Africa (Carthage) Egypt, Axum, Nubia
Modern Christianity: Contact with Europe
Islam: 7th Century AD in Arabia
North Africa, West Africa, Northeast Africa, Coastal East Africa

17. Social Organization
European categorization of African political units as tribes
The Family as Basic Social Unit
Lineage or Clan System (genealogical descent)
Systems of descent: matrilineal and patrilineal
Impact of low population density on political and social organization: people become a crucial asset
Maximizing number of people through polygamy, slavery, expansion

18. Political Organization
Pre-Colonial African States
Ancient States: Pharaonic Egypt 3000 B.C.
Nubia/Kush 730 BC
Axum in Ethiopia, 100–940 AD
Zimbabwe

19. Medieval African States
Bilad al-Sudan: Ghana, Mali, Songhay (11th-16th centuries)
Atlantic Coast
Ashanti, Oyo, Benin, Kongo

21. Igbo in Nigeria, Nuer in South Sudan, Kung in South Africa
Stateless Societies
Igbo in Nigeria, Nuer in South Sudan, Kung in South Africa
City States: Swahili Coast & Hausa City States

22. Africa’s External Contacts
Trans-Saharan Trade and links with North Africa
East Africa: Indian Ocean Trade
Red Sea Trade

23. European Contacts With Africa
Portuguese Era
Early European contacts with Africa
Dutch Era
Atlantic Slave Trade
Demand for Labor in the New World Plantations
Triangle Trade, 16th-19th century

24. Impact on Africa
Demographic Impact
Economic Impact
Political Impact: Oyo, Asante, and Dahomey
Abolition
Freed Slave Communities in West Africa:
Sierra Leone, Liberia

25. Late 19th Century Ideology of “Free Trade” Palm Oil, Peanut,
East African Slave Trade
Spices Plantations in Zanzibar
Missionary Activities in West Africa
Geographical Exploration