Africa Unit Flashcards
Desertification in North Africa
The Sahara is expanding causing parts of the Sahel to become desert
Physical geography of North Africa
Sahara Desert, Sahel, ergs, regs
What are ergs?
Sand dunes
What are regs?
Rocky, dry earth
Where did most civilizations settle in North Africa?
Mediterranean shore, oases, and Nile River
What are the two ancient civilizations of North Africa?
Egyptians and Carthage
Cultural diffusion in North Africa
Muslim invaders, Greeks, Romans, Ottomans, Arabic influence
Arab spring
Started in Tunisia and spread throughout North Africa and eventually Southwest Asia
What are the positives of the Aswan High Dam?
Contains flood waters, helps with irrigation
What are the negatives of the Aswan High Dam?
No silt, too much salt, evaporation, and mosquitoes
Physical geography of West Africa
Sahara Desert, Niger River, Atlantic coastline, diverse vegetation and climate
What are the traditional cultures of West Africa?
Ghana, Mali, and Songhai; traded gold and salt
What is a stateless society?
A group of people with no central government, but are governed by family linages
What is historical about West Africa?
Major center for the African slave trade, Gorée Island served as a major export point
Physical geography of Central Africa
Congo River, Central African Rainforest
What is the main traditional culture of Central Africa?
Bantu
What is significant about the Bantu Migrations?
Spread their language, linked diverse areas together through common traits and language
What is colonialism?
The control of a group of people, dependent nation or territory by an exterior state
What happened in the Berlin Conference?
Divided Africa among 15 colonial powers
Physical geography of East Africa
Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Kenya, Rift Valley
How long is the Great Rift Valley?
6,000 miles
What two lakes were created by the Great Rift Valley?
Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyasa
What is the significant about the Olduvai Gorge?
Considered the birthplace of humanity, contains a continuous record of human history
What is the traditional culture in East Africa?
Aksum
Economics for East Africa
Agriculture and tourism drive the economics
When did South Sudan become an independent country?
2011
Physical geography of Southern Africa
Namib and Kalahari Deserts, valuable natural resources
What are the ancient empires of Southern Africa?
Great Zimbabwe and Mutapa Empire
What are the ethnic influences in Southern Africa?
Dutch, Great Britain, Asians
What is apartheid?
Complete separation of races, instituted in South Africa in 1948 and abolished in 1994
What are the current issues of Southern Africa?
Malaria, cholera, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDs
What is malaria?
Infectious blood disease passed by mosquitoes
What is cholera?
Intestinal infection that is transmitted by contaminated water supplies
What is tuberculosis?
Bacteria that attacks the lungs
What is HIV?
Virus contracted through unprotected sex and sharing of needles
What is AIDs?
HIV that escalated too far, destroys the immune system
What can solve the current issues in Southern Africa?
Education and medical care
What are the 8 Components of Genocide?
Classification, Symbolization, Dehumanization, Organization, Polarization, Preparation, Extermination, and Denial
What is classification?
Us and them
What is Symbolization?
Give names and symbols to the different groups
What is Dehumanization?
Group members are equated with animals, vermin, insects, or diseases
What is Organization?
Either by the state or by terrorist groups
What is Polarization?
Extremists drive the groups apart, laws may forbid inter-marriage or social interaction, propaganda
What is Preparation?
Victims are identified and separated out, death lists are created
What is Extermination?
Murder begins and becomes mass murder
What is Denial?
Attempt to cover up evidence, blame what happened in the victims
