HIS 175 Quiz 1

Identify and briefly explain one common western stereotype/myth about Africa

That Africa is a primitive, underdeveloped “country” that is violent and dangerous.

Give and explain one reason why we should not use the term “tribe” in African history?

The word “tribe” has a primitive connotation attached to it that gives a negative image of Africa. The word “tribe” is not necessarily incorrect, however it is an outdated term. The correct term would be “ethnic group”

What were Hugh Trevor-Ropper’s views on African history, and do you agree with his views?

He said that history is the written and recorded account of events from a region's past, and because Africans largely did not have written languages, their history is darkness.

I disagree because this is clearly untrue, there is much history that Africa has to offer. Due to ancient africans not having a spoken language, understanding their history and cultures can be difficult, but this does not mean it didn’t exist. There are other ways of discovering history that is not thru written texts and I think its a closed-minded viewpoint to have.

Identify the name of the first female president in Africa, the name of her country, and when she was president of that country.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

President of Liberia

Africas Iron Lady

She was president Jan. 16 2006 - January 22. 2018

What kind of vegetation zone is the “Tropic Equatorial Rainforest”, and where is it found in the African continent?

dense, humid forest vegetation zone primarily found in the Congo Basin region of Central Africa

It has three layers of dense canopy vegetation including plants like: palms, ferns, gingerworts, wild plantains, arums, orchids, and bamboo.

Spans 5 countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo

What country has the largest population of Africa today, and name one advantage and disadvantage of African population.

Nigeria 228,000,000

One advantage is its expanding economy, while one disadvantage is environmental degradations, as more space must be created to accommodate to a growing population.

Identify and explain the main reason why Africa is regarded as the home of humankind

The first and oldest human beings/ancestors are found in Africa. Human life originated in Africa. Africa is the only continent with fossil evidence of humans (Homo sapiens) and their ancestors at every stage of their evolution.

Identify two major theories of human origin, and briefly explain one of those theories

There are two major theories: Religious Theories (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) and Scientific Theories (Darwins theory of evolution)

According to Darwins Theory of evolution, humans first evolved in Africa, and most of human development occurred there.

The main difference between hominins and hominids.

hominids are all great apes, like humans, gorillas, orangutans, and chimpanzees, living or extinct.

hominins are any species of early humans, who walked on their feet, more closely related to modern humans than chimpanzees, such as Australopithecus.

What is one of the main characteristics of the Australopithecus africanus?

Australopithecus africanus is its leg and foot bones, indicating that this species could walk on two legs.

What is the main significance of the Homo habilis species

The main significance of Homo habilis is that it was the first human species to create and use stone tools.

What is the name of the human species that appeared after the Homo habilis species?

Homo erectus is the name of the human species that emerged after Homo habilis.

Explain the significance of the Laetoli footprints in the history of human beings in Africa

The Laetoli footprints are significant because they demonstrate that hominins were fully bipedal long before the evolution of the modern human brain and close to a million years before the earliest known stone tools were created.

One example/aspect of the Stone Age culture in Africa

during the Stone Age, Homo erectus began making more complex tools than Homo habilis, such as sophisticated stone axes, sharp stone cleavers, and finger-size scrapers used to slice off chewable sizes of meat.

The difference between the Paleolithic, and the Neolithic periods

Paleolithic humans were hunter gatherers who lived nomadic lives in small groups. Utilized primitive stone tools and their survival was highly dependent on their environment and climate.

Neolithic Humans developed agriculture and domesticated animals, enabling them to settle in one area

Why is sorghum very important in African agriculture?

is used for appealing and nutritious traditional foods such as semi-leavened bread, couscous, dumplings, and porridges.

Also used to feed livestock, make building materials, and produce beverages like alcohol.

Give one reason why livestock is very important among pastoralist communities such as the Maasai of Kenya/Tanzania

high value on livestock because, historically, the Maasai have relied on their cattle to provide food, clothing, and shelter.

For example, they consume beef and milk; cattle bones and horns are used to make knives, spoons, and bowls; and cowhide is used to build walls and roofs.

What is the laterite type of soil, what are its characteristics, and why is it a major problem to farming in Africa?

Laterite soil is rich in aluminum and iron, formed in wet and hot tropical areas. Almost all laterites are rusty red due to the presence of iron oxides

When exposed to dry conditions, laterite soil can become hard and compact, making it difficult for roots to penetrate

The porous nature of laterite soil can make it susceptible to erosion, especially during heavy rainfall, leading to further loss of topsoil and nutrients.

Give one major reason why it is important to study and understand African language groups.

Knowing the different groups of African languages is important because each one holds history, culture, and values.

People would gain a better understanding of African cultures and be able to communicate more effectively with Africans if they learned about African language groups. Additionally, people could comprehend and value African art, music, literature, and other forms of expression.

Name two language groups of Africa

Most languages natively spoken in Africa belong to one of the two large language families that dominate the continent: Afroasiatic, or Niger–Congo.

identify the cradleland of the Bantu.

the savannah and rainforest regions surrounding the Niger River in modern-day Nigeria, Cameroon, and Gabon.

identify and explain one factor that sparked off the Bantu migration from the cradle land?

Population pressure resulted in a shortage of land for agriculture and grazing. Hence, they moved in search of more land. Drought and famine might also have forced them to migrate.

Give one example of a Bantu ethnic community from east Africa, and another one from Southern Africa

a Bantu community from Southern Africa is the Zulu people of South Africa

Considered one of the most prominent Bantu groups in Southern Africa, the Zulu people are historically known for their powerful warrior culture and are primarily located in the eastern coastal region of South Africa

Besides Ancient Egypt, give one example of an ancient civilization in Africa and where it was based in Africa

Nubia, which was based in Sudan, is an example of an ancient African civilization.

Identify and explain one major factor in the rise behind the Ancient Egyptian civilization.

Egyptian civilization developed along the Nile River in large part because the river's annual flooding ensured reliable, rich soil for growing crops.

Who was Narmer or Menes?

Narmer, also known as Menes, was thought to be the same Egyptian pharaoh. Though Menes held an honorific title, Narmer had been his birth name.

Give and explain one major development during the Old Kingdom Period in ancient Egypt

The first royal pyramids were constructed in this period.

Old Kingdom is known especially as the era when ancient Egyptian civilization first rose to become a thriving nation. The whole country under a single ruler – the pharaoh.

Identify one major social group in Ancient Egypt, and explain very briefly their role in the Ancient Egyptian society.

Right below the pharaoh in status were nobles and priests.

Only nobles could hold government posts; in these positions they profited from tributes paid to the pharaoh.

Priests were responsible for pleasing the gods. Religion was a central theme in ancient Egyptian culture and each town had its own deity.

Identify and explain briefly one of the major achievements of the ancient Egyptians

- education such as algebra and the making of universities
- medical such as surgeries
- government such as a prime minister
- astronomy such as the 365 day calendar
- buildings/architecture such as the pyramids

What is the title of Chapter 26 of the main class, toying Fall and Steven Calm, Africa: … textbook? Who is the author of that chapter and what is the title?