AFRICA HWS FINNAL

definitions by Radha (with fun additions from Jackson) thx so much ur the best :):)

Sahara

Sahara

A desert in northern Africa

Mediterranean

Mild winters, very warm summers. The “perfect” climate. Exists around the very southern tip and the northern edge of Africa. Perfect

tropical desert

A tropical desert is located in the area between 20 and 30 degrees north and south of the equator. It is hot, with no rain, sparse populations, and little vegetation/moisture. The Sahara and the Kalahari desert. Barren and dry like your mom.

humid subtropical

A humid subtropical climate is located in the area between 10 and 30 degrees north and south of the equator. There is high humidity, moisture, and temperature. Lots of vegetation and people, many crops (peanuts, tobacco, sugar, rice, fruits). Hot wet people.

Sahel

A sahel/steppe is located in the area between 15 and 20 degrees north and south of the equator. It is the “transition zone” between high rainfall and desert areas of Africa. Rainfall is variable, nomadic lifestyle is common, and desertification is a huge issue. Arid transition.

Rainforest

A rainforest is located in the area between 10 degrees north and south of the equator, including the equator. It is hot, humid, wet, and moist, with lots of rainfall. Cash crops (rice, sugar). Ivory coast is a rainforest. Vegetation and rain

Marine

A marine climate is located in the area between 30 and 50 degrees north and south of the equator. It has a mild climate, with a cool winter/summer and lots of rain (Seattle). Between oceans and mountain ranges, southern Africa. Wet and cold like Ames.

Low climate zones

30°N & S of equator(near equator); warm climate - warm year round, snow only in high altitudes, 90% pop. are subsistence farmers(where almost all crops/livestock are used to sustain farmer/farmer's family --> not to sell)

middle climate zones

30°-60°; continental climates --> "seasonal" climates, most heavily populated areas, major agricultural production; moderates & extremes

Desertification

The turning of semiarid areas into desert. Not Dessertification.

Great Rift Valley

A giant fault running through East Africa, from the Red Sea to the Zambezi River. It is a series of mountains and valleys with natural resources and fertile land.

Gold-Salt trade

A route from the Middle East and North Africa to the West African savannah. The main goods exchanged were gold from West Africa for salt from the Sahara. Very important.

la traite des esclaves

The capturing, buying, and selling of slaves, particularly from 1500 to 1800. Europeans set up the Atlantic slave trade, or the “triangle trade”, from Africa to the US to Europe.

middle passage

The harrowing (ohh nice vocab) ship journey over the Atlantic Ocean that slaves bound for the Americas took. Many slaves didn’t survive this leg of the slave trade

Scramble for Africa

The occupation, division, and colonization of African territory by European powers during the period of New Imperialism (1881-1914 AD)

Berlin conference

A conference that regulated European colonization and trade in Africa during the New Imperialism period.

AIDS

Stands for Autoimmune Deficiency Syndrome. A virus that basically makes an autoimmune system nonexistent. Recently was a huge, deadly epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. You want it, I got it. -david Zhang

Mali

A kingdom that was basically the entire west “bump” of Africa, existing from 1230 to 1600 AD. Notable things include the Berbers, Mansa Musa, Ibn Battuta, and building of Timbuktu. (it's a real place? -jackson)

Ghana

A kingdom in the “bump” of Africa, existing from 300 BC to 1236 AD. Controlled the gold-salt trade.

Songhai

A kingdom running in a line across the middle of the west “bump” of Africa, existing from 1400 to 1586 AD. Notable things include Sunni Ali, Askia Muhammed, and “centre of learning”.

Greater Zimbabwe

Part of africas trade network, middleman between gold mines to city-states on the coast; 9th century AD

Nile River Civilization

An African civilization that developed approximately 7,000 years ago, the earliest known African civilization.

African Indpendence movements

A wave of struggles for independence in European-ruled Africa during the 20th century, including pan-Africanism and the negritude movement. It resulted in Ghana, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Kenya, Angola, and Mozambique becoming independent.

Apartheid

A system of institutionalized racial segregation in Africa from 1948 until the 1990s. It separated people into four categories of racial groups and gave them different rights and roles. White, Asian/Colored, Black

Union of South Africa

In 1910, the Bri’ish united Cape Colony, Natal, the Transvaal and the OFS to form the Union of South Africa, a self-governing dominion. (At same time in West Africa, the bri’ish was expanding trading stations into full scale colonies).

Diaspora

the movement, migration, or scattering of a people away from an established or ancestral homeland(spreading culture)

Timbuktu

City on the Niger River in the modern country of Mali. Major major terminus of the trans-Saharan trade and center of learning/art. Increased Islamic influence in West Africa(use of credit, written contracts, education for many new classes - eg. women and lower class)

Mansa Musa

A ruler of Mali who lived from 1312 - 1387 AD. He adopted Islam and made a pilgrimage to Mecca which earned him worldwide respect. The Jeff Bezos of Africa.

FW DeKlerk

The South African president from 1989 to 1996 during the fall of Apartheid. He released Nelson Mandela and legalized the ANC (largest anti apartheid group).

Nelson Mandela

The leader of the ANC, the largest anti apartheid group. He was also president from 1994 until 1999. He helped stop apartheid.

Ibn Batuta

A rich Moroccan Muslim traveler and scholar who documented much of what we know about the ancient Muslim world. He lived from 1304 - 1377 AD, during the kingdom of Mali.

Askia Muhammed

Ruler of the Songhai empire from 1493 to 1528 who expanded the empire and organized its government; sets up high functioning bureaucracy; spreading Islamic faith in West Africa.

Shaka Zulu

One of the most influential monarchs of the Zulu kingdom, he lived from 1787 - 1828 AD. He conquered surrounding nations and caused a great wave of migrating uprooted tribes.

Tippu Tib

A Swahili-Zanzibari slave/ivory trader, explorer, plantation owner, and governor who lived from 1832 - 1905 AD. He traveled deep into the African interior and helped establish some of the first British rulers.

Sunni Ali

First ruler of Songhai; rule lasted 30 years; many military campaigns/victories; conquered Timbuktu and Djenne, which gave Songhai control of trade; focus on trading empire; freeing Songhai from Mali Empire, making a powerful military system, and expanding the land.

FW DeKlerk

The South African president from 1989 to 1996 during the fall of Apartheid. He released Nelson Mandela and legalized the ANC (largest anti apartheid group).

African National Congress

An organization dedicated to obtaining equal voting and civil rights for black inhabitants of South Africa. Founded in 1912 as the South African Native National Congress, it changed its name in 1923. Eventually brought greater equality; social-democratic political party(opposition to apartheid). they copied the indians

Bantu

(people and religion)group of people who originally live in West Africa; migrated in search of fertile land, spread knowledge of farming, ironworking, & LANGUAGE across continent; almost 1/3 of Africans speak a language derived from this

Swahili

Bantu language with Arabic loanwords spoken in coastal regions of East Africa.