MC_A Concise History of Africa

A Concise History of Africa

larger, more structured groups, such as the Bantu-speaking people of central and southern Africa; the heavily-structured clan groups in the Horn of Africa; the large Sahelian kingdoms and autonomous city- states, such as those of the Yoruba in West Africa; and the Swahili coastal trading towns of East Africa. Light was shed on the Dark Continent by the great explorers of the 18th–19th centuries: Mungo Park, Livingstone, Stanley, Burton, and Speke. But the harsh climate and endemic diseases made large- scale settlement unattractive to Europeans over huge areas of the continent, and West Africa came to be known as the “white man’s grave.” Exceptions were the area settled by the Dutch and then the British from the 17th century, now South Africa; the highlands of Kenya, settled by the British; North Africa (Algeria) by the French in the 19th and 20th centuries; and Libya by the Italians in the 20th century. The desire for colonies and the promise of acquiring rich resources then led to the Scramble for Africa in the 19th century, with Belgium, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and predominantly Britain and France, being the main protagonists. OPPOSITE ABOVE: Djemaa el Fna Square, Marrakech, Morocco is a large public square where small merchants, hawkers, and entertainers work. It is popular with tourists and locals alike. OPPOSITE: The Habib Bourguiba Mausoleum portico, Monastir, Tunisia. RIGHT: The minaret and courtyard of the Great Mosque, Kairouan, Tunisia.

Text-Dependent Questions 1. What countries claim to be the origin of civilization?

2. The Sahara has not always been a desert. What was it originally?

3. Ancient populations followed three river valleys. Name the rivers?

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