Africa Africa is mostly a huge plateau Africa has the world’s longest river Africa has the world’s largest desert For our purposes, Africa has five regions: North, West, East, Central, and South

Africa The sub-Saharan regions have some similar social characteristics The Bantus migrated throughout Africa which spread their language Many African languages have Bantu roots

Africa Africa was a continent of different tribes – none powerful enough to stand up to European invaders Africa was slowly taken over by Europe. By 1900 only two countries escaped colonization: Ethiopia and Liberia The Europeans even had a meeting – the Berlin Conference – to set rules for dividing up Africa

Africa The Europeans divided up Africa based on their goals and did not take into account tribal differences These differences later caused problems when African countries gained their independence and tribes fought against tribes

Africa The European powers exploited Africa for its natural resources In some places, like Kenya and South Africa, Europeans moved in in large numbers and established farms and cities using the native people for labor Lands where whites came to live permanently were called “Settler Colonies”

Africa Agriculture changed as Europeans planted cash crops These cash crops are still relied upon by African countries for revenue Why is reliance on one cash crop risky?

North Africa North Africa consists of Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, and Sudan The oldest African civilizations were in North Africa such as Egypt, Carthage, and Axum North Africa today is mostly Muslim and is considered part of the Arab world

North Africa North Africa was the breadbasket of the Roman Empire and later was colonized by the Europeans The Europeans built the Suez Canal in Egypt in the 1800’s – it was vital to Britain and its empire North Africa gained its independence from Europe after WWII

North Africa Oil has helped the economies of Libya, Algeria, and Tunisia in the 20 th century but most high- paying jobs went to better educated foreigners Right now all of North Africa except Morocco is experiencing political and social turmoil as Islamic fundamentalism spreads What is the “Arab Spring”?

East Africa East Africa includes Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Seychelles Today, Somalia has become a failed state and different parts are under the control of different groups Most of the pirates that operate off the African coast are Somalian

East Africa Most scientists believe that human life began in East Africa Homo Habilis – “handy man” Homo Erectus – “erect man”

East Africa East Africa has always been an important part of the Indian Ocean trade network This made East Africa a cultural crossroads Example: Swahili is a language found in East Arica that has Bantu and Arabic roots

East Africa Tensions between tribes in Rwanda caused a genocide Tutsis and Hutus Presidents of Rwanda & Burundi killed Hutus massacred 800,000+ Tutsis using clubs and machetes

East Africa The Masai  Herders and farmers  Live in Kenya and Tanzania The Kikuyu  Largest tribe in Kenya  Organized the Mau Mau against British rule which eventually resulted in independence

East Africa Biggest health problem in East Africa is HIV / AIDS Ignorance over transmission and treatment Numbers growing US providing medicine

West Africa

Land of three successive great trading empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai Trade based on gold for Salt

West Africa

Stateless Societies – society is ruled through family and not government Families cooperate and share power

West Africa Many countries like Ghana had difficult times after independence Civil War helped cause issues like blood diamonds

Central Africa Democratic Republic Of The Congo

Central Africa Although millions of Africans were sold into slavery from West Africa, the slave trade began in Central Africa Most slaves were sold to the Portuguese by Africans

Central Africa Colonialism  The “Scramble for Africa”  King Leopold II of Belgium brutally controlled Congo  Colonialism often destroyed stateless societies and drew borders regardless of ethnic concerns

Southern Africa

White Clash for South Africa  Dutch settled South Africa around Cape  British won territory causing Dutch (Boers) to move inland  Dutch discovered gold and diamonds in new home

Southern Africa  British fought two wars to conquer Dutch  South Africa became British colony but run by Dutch  Dutch began policy of Apartheid (segregation)  Blacks (ANC) fought back in guerrilla war  Nelson Mandela  Continued poverty African National Congress

Southern Africa British and Dutch came into contact with powerful Zulu tribe during 1800’s British fought two wars to subdue Zulus Zulus now a powerful political force in South Africa

Southern Africa Zimbabwe  Formerly Rhodesia  White settler colony  In 1970’s blacks won rule  Mugabe became president  Mugabe forced whites off farms  Farms went to ruin and Zimbabwe became failed state