African History

Question 1

African History

The genus Homo emerged from hominid ancestors in what general portion of Africa (north, south, east, west)?

Answer 1

East

Question 2

African History

What happens in the Sahara desert every 5,000 to 15,000 years?

Answer 2

It fluctuates widely in humidity

(from arid desert to farmable land and back)

Question 3

African History

Africa’s earliest evidence of agriculture was in the middle of __________ (location).

Answer 3

Africa’s earliest evidence of agriculture was in the middle of the Sahara (which was much more moist and densely populated than it is today).

Question 4

African History

Africa’s earliest evidence of written history was in __________ (location).

Answer 4

Africa’s earliest evidence of written history was in Ancient Egypt.

Question 5

African History

Name three of the most important trade goods that have played major roles throughout African history.

Answer 5

Gold,

ivory,

slaves

Question 6

African History

Name the three ancient civilizations (in chronological order) who invaded and ruled Northern Africa.

Answer 6

Phoenicians (East Mediterranean peoples)

Greeks

Romans

Question 7

African History

Name the three major cities/civilizations of North Africa which were ruled by the Phoenicians, then the Greeks, then the Romans.

Answer 7

Cyrenaica, Egypt, and Carthage

Question 8

African History

Following the invasion of the Roman-ruled regions of North Africa by the Vandals in the 5th century, what two major shifts happened next?

Answer 8

1. The Dark Ages and eventual transfer of control to the Byzantine (East Roman) Empire (based out of Constantinople)
2. The Arab invasion and Islamization of North and West Africa (followed by Turkish and Moorish invasions)

Question 9

African History

What was the Bantu expansion that occurred between 1000 BCE and 1 CE?

Answer 9

A spreading of groups from West-Central Africa across much of sub-Saharan Africa

(Spreading Bantu culture/language and pushing out or assimilating the Khoisan, indigenous South Africans)

Question 10

African History

Name some of the great empires of West Africa that existed prior to the the year 1880 CE.

Answer 10

Mali and Songhai (Mali)

Nok (Nigeria)

Oba and Yoruba (Benin)

Kanem-Bornu (Chad)

Ashanti (Ghana)

Question 11

African History

Name some of the great empires of Africa prior to 1880 CE outside of West Africa.

Answer 11

Egypt, Kush, Ethiopia (northeast)

Zulu (Zimbabwe)

Question 12

African History

The San [outdated alias - Bushmen] (hunter-gatherers) and the Khoi [outdated alias - Hottentut] (herders) are both parts of what group that is indigenous to South Africa?

Answer 12

The Khoisan

Question 13

African History

The Swahili cover which portion of Africa?

Answer 13

Eastern regions

Question 14

African History

Describe the racial breakdown of native African populations in 1400 CE.

Answer 14

Question 15

African History

Describe the geographic distribution of native African languages.

Answer 15

Question 16

African History

The initial European colonization of coastal Africa began in the __00s and was led by the _________, _________, and _________.

Answer 16

The initial European colonization of coastal Africa began in the 1400s and was led by the British, French, and Portuguese (followed by the Dutch, Spanish, Danish, German, etc.).

Question 17

African History

What stimulated a massive development of the African slave trade?

Answer 17

The 1492 discovery of the Americas

Question 18

African History

Many slaves in the trans-Atlantic trade were sold into slavery as a result of tribal warfare by kings in what regions?

Answer 18

Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Benin

(and along much of the West African coast)

Question 19

African History

The trans-Atlantic slave trade mainly took place between the ___00s and ___00s, resulting in the transfer of as many as _____ million slaves.

Answer 19

The trans-Atlantic slave trade mainly took place between the 1500s and 1800s, resulting in the transfer of as many as 15 million slaves.

Question 20

African History

What effect did the trans-Atlantic slave trade have on population growth in Africa as of 1850?

Answer 20

Some estimates say that the population of Africa would have been 100 million rather than 50 million in 1850

Question 21

African History

Some studies have shown a robust negative relationship between the number of slaves taken from a country during the trans-Atlantic slave trade and what?

Answer 21

That country’s subsequent economic development

Question 22

African History

What 1885 conference was organized by European powers to set international guidelines and avoid violence between European states while colonizing the African mainland (beyond the coast)?

Answer 22

The Berlin Conference

(under Otto von Bismarck)

Question 23

African History

Who was a leader in pushing European powers further and further inland into Africa? His forces occupied the Congo between 1885 and 1908, ruling under a brutal, brutal regime which may have resulted in as many as 10 million Congolese deaths.

Answer 23

King Leopold II

(Belgium)

Question 24

African History

What occurred during WWI in Africa?

Answer 24

All German colonies were conquered and taken over by France, Belgium, and the British Empire

Question 25

African History

Most of West Africa (and Madagascar) was under ___________ colonization during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Answer 25

Most of West Africa (and Madagascar) was under French colonization during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Question 26

African History

Most of Northeast Africa was under ___________ colonization during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Answer 26

Most of Northeast Africa was under British colonization during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Question 27

African History

Most of South Africa was under _______ colonization during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Answer 27

Most of South Africa was under British colonization during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Question 28

African History

Which African country is one of the only ones to remain largely free during the many centuries of invasions and colonization?

Answer 28

Ethiopia

(briefly occupied by Italy but never colonized)

Question 29

African History

Where did most WWII conflict occur in Africa?

Answer 29

North Africa and East Africa

Question 30

African History

When did African states first begin to plead for, fight for, and win their freedom from their European colonizers?

Answer 30

The 1950s

Question 31

African History

What were some of the major drivers of the decolonization of Africa in the post-WWII era?

Answer 31

Growing independence movements, indigenous political parties, and trade unions;

pressure from within the imperialist powers and from the United States and the Soviet Union

Question 32

African History

What factors explain much of the poverty and slow growth rate of wealth seen in African countries?

Answer 32

Poor head start (due to factors explained in Guns, Germs and Steel)

Effects of slavery, colonization and continued economic exploitation