Overview of African Geography, History, and Culture

Colonial Legacy

Europeans decided how Africa was divided up- sometimes rival groups would be placed in the same country

Sahara

Desert in Africa that is larger than the United States (including Alaska)

Sahel

A dry African region south of the Sahara

Savanna

A grassy plain in tropical and subtropical regions, with few trees

Great Rift Valley

Slices across Eastern Africa from Mozambique to Djibouti. Two plates of the Earth's crust have pulled apart to form the valley; on its floor are several of Africa's Great Lakes.

Lake Malawi

African Great Lake that has over 1000 known species of fish

Victoria Falls

A waterfall on the Zambezi River, located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is one of the world's largest waterfalls at over a mile wide

Cape of Good Hope

Rocky area at the southern end of Cape Peninsula, Western Cape province, South Africa

Irrigation

Earthen walls around crops to trap water from the Nile's floods- this was a way that the Egyptians had consistent crops, and they often had a surplus

Old, Middle, New Kingdoms

Time periods of the Egyptian kingdom

Pharaoh

Leader of Ancient Egyptians

Preparing for the Afterlife

In life they lived a good life and they preserved their bodies by mummifying them

Hieroglyphics

The ancient Egyptian writing system containing symbols that stand for words, ideas, or sounds

Papyrus

A plant that the ancient Egyptians made paper with

Pyramids

Egyptian burial tombs or temples created mostly in the Old Kingdom; the ancient Kushites also had pyramids

Geometry

The ancient Egyptians had a profound knowledge that helped them build the pyramids

Astronomy

The ancient Egyptians made the first 365 day solar calendar

Kush

The kingdom to the South of Egypt with many natural resources; they were often at war with Egypt

Gold-Salt

The trade route between sub-Saharan Africa (which was rich in gold) and North Africa

Kingdom of Ghana

This kingdom flourished between 600-1200-- it lay between the Niger and Senegal Rivers; they had a trans-Saharan gold-salt trade route

Empire of Mali

This empire traded with the North Africans and adopted Islam- their most prominent leader was Mansa Musa; they had many Muslim artists

Songhai Empire

The largest empire ever in Africa- they reached their height in the mid 1400s

Axum

It replaced the center of east-African trade Ethiopia

Swahili

A blend of African and Asian culture; also one of the major language groups in Africa

Bantu

Migrated eastward after they outgrew their land; it is also one of the major languages in Africa

Great Zimbabwe

In southern Africa it became the most important Bantu city; they traded with India and Asia

Impact of Colonization

Outlawed slavery and improved transportation and healthcare

Pan-Africanism

The idea that blacks around the world should unite

Igbo

An ethnic group from Nigeria

Nigerian Civil War

A war between the ethnic Igbo and Nigerians over an oil-rich area- over a million people died in this conflict

Apartheid

South African segregation of blacks and whites that lasted from 1948-1994

F.W. de Klerk

A South African politician who helped end apartheid and won Nobel Peace Prize with Mandela

Nelson Mandela

A black South African leader who protested Apartheid- he was also imprisoned for many years before helping to end apartheid, and he later became president

Sudanese Civil War

Between Sudan and South Sudan lasted from 1956-2005

Rwanda Genocide

When the Hutu attempted to genocide the Tutsi

Hutu

The majority group in Rwanda who attempted genocide against the Tutsi

Tutsi

An ethnic minority in Rwanda- they held much power during the colonial period and many were killed by the Hutu in a genocide

Arab Spring (definition)

A protest movement for more democracy that began in 2010

Arab Spring (results)

Many authoritarian governments became more democratic than they were before due to the mass protests in the 2010s

Traditional Spirituality

Worship of spirits and ancestors

Copts

Egyptian Christians

Ethnic Diversity

Every country includes an majority and many minority groups which leads to conflict

Languages

There are over 1,500 in Africa

Kenya and Nigeria's Elections

Their democracies are often subject to election manipulation

Africa's Natural Resources

Uranium, precious stones, diamonds, gold, platinum, and copper

Nigeria's resources

A large supply of oil

Kenya's resources

Rich soils that are good for farming

South Africa's resources

Mineral and diamond resources

CFA Franc

Used in central and west Africa it is a solution to currency barriers and is linked to the Euro

Standard of Living

The greater the investment in the country, the higher this will be- South Africa has the highest _________ in Africa