History of Ethiopia and the Horn (Hist - 1012)

Flashcards covering the introductory concepts of history, sources, historiography, and the regional context of Ethiopia and the Horn based on Hist-1012 lectures.

From what Greek word is "history" derived, and what is its original meaning?

History is derived from the Greek word "Istoria", which means "learning from Enquiry" or "an account of one’s inquiries."

Who is considered the "father of history"?

Herodotus ($c.\,484\text{--}425\,B.C.$).

How does history differentiate itself from other disciplines that study human society and the environment?

It studies the interaction between the two in the past within the framework of the continuous process of change taking place in place and time.

What are primary sources in historical studies?

Surviving traces of the past that are original or first-hand in their proximity to the event in both time and space, such as manuscripts, diaries, and fossils.

What are secondary sources?

Second-hand published accounts written long after an event has occurred, providing interpretations based on primary sources, such as textbooks and biographies.

Why must primary sources like letters be verified for authenticity?

Because they may sometimes be forged.

What is the definition of Historiography?

The history of historical writing, studying how knowledge of the past is obtained and transmitted.

Who was the most important early figure in Chinese historical thought and writing?

Sima Qian ($145\text{--}86\,B.C.E.$).

Who is known as the "father of modern historiography"?

The German historian Leopold Von Ranke ($1795\text{--}1886$).

What is the earliest known reference to the history of Ethiopia and the Horn?

The "Periplus of the Erythrean Sea", written in the $1^{st}$ century A.D by an anonymous author.

What did Cosmas Indicopleustes describe in his 6th-century document "The Christian Topography"?

Aksum’s trade and the Aksumite king’s campaigns on both sides of the sea.

Where was the earliest written Ethiopian material (7th century A.D inscriptions) found?

Abba Gerima monastery in Yeha.

What is the primary function of hagiographies in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church?

Enhancing the prestige of saints.

Which 19th-century Muslim account provides insight into the life of Shaykh Ja’far Bukko of Gattira?

The Kitab tradition.

What was the earliest indigenous chronicle in Ethiopia?

The "Glorious Victories of Amde-Tsion", written in the $14^{th}$ century.

What significant information did Abba Bahrey’s 1593 Geez script provide?

First-hand information about the Oromo population movement and the Gada System.

Which 16th-century document recorded the conflict between the Christian kingdom and the Muslim Sultanates?

"Futuh al Habesha", composed by Shihab al-Din.

Who wrote "The Prester John of the Indies" after accompanying a Portuguese mission in 1520?

Francisco Alvarez.

Who is considered the founder of Ethiopian studies in Europe?

Hiob Ludolf ($1624\text{--}1704$), author of "Historia Aethiopica".

Which Ethiopian writer authored "Atse Menilekna Ityopia" and "Mengistna Yehizb Astedader"?

G/Hiwot Baykedagn.

Which historian formed a bridge between the pre-1935 writers and the professional historians after liberation?

Tekle-Tsadik Mekuria.

What methodological shift was required for the decolonization of African historiography?

The critical use of oral data and the use of ancillary disciplines like archeology, anthropology, and linguistics.

What are the five principal drainage systems of Ethiopia and the Horn?

The Nile River, Gibe/Omo–Gojeb, Genale/Jubba-Shebele, the Awash River, and the Ethiopian Rift Valley Lake systems.