CHAPTER 24: SOUTHERN AFRICA
HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
HISTORY Fossils of first humans found in Tanzania and Kenya 1978: Mary Leakey and family discover bipedal footprints in Olduvai Gorge Later, uncover “Lucy”, the skeletal remains of an Australopithecus First people to live in Southern Africa were the San (20,000 yrs ago)
BANTU PEOPLES Originated in central Africa Spread across Africa 3,500 yrs ago Bantu refers to a group of 500 related languages spread across the continent Shona, a Bantu people, est. Great Zimbabwe This became a center of a huge trading empire 1400s: Great Zimbabwe is abandoned (no one knows why)
MADAGASCAR Population due to migration C. 800 A.D.: Malagasy ppl migrate from SE Asia to island Mix with migrants from African continent
EUROPEAN INFLUENCE 1480s: Portuguese sail into Kingdom of Kongo (northern Angola) Mid-1500s: slave trade runs through Southern Africa 1600s: other European countries come in, weakening the power of the Portuguese in Africa 1700s: Dutch, British, and local African forces control most of Southern Africa
BOER WAR 1652: Dutch East India Company settles on the Cape of Good Hope Dutch took land Called themselves “Afrikaners” (Africans) Also called “Boers” (Dutch for farmers) Used slaves on farms Mixed Dutch language with African dialects, creating a new language (Afrikaans)
BOER WAR CONT Early 1800s: British move in and outlaw the slave trade Afrikaners fight back after years of British dominance British win the Boer Wars South Africa gains independence shortly after WWI and is controlled by former Boer commanders
SHAKA ZULU One of the most important Africans in the history of this region Shaka takes control of Zulus in 1816 He reorganizes and trains the Zulu army Began taking territory from other clans 1828: assassinated 1879: British declare war on Zulus Zulus eventually defeated and divided into 13 small territories
CECIL RHODES One of the most important European figures in Southern African history 1891: starts De Beers (produced 90% of world’s diamonds) Prime Minister of Cape Colony from 1890-1896 Ruthless with indigenous ppl
NELSON MANDELA South Africa Society segregated btwn whites and blacks 1948: policy of apartheid adopted (separate but equal---not equal) Civil protests and international boycotts led to its end Nelson Mandela helped lead the fight against apartheid He was imprisoned for 27 years 1994: Mandela becomes South Africa’s 1st black president