West Africa Dbq

In Basil Davidson’s video “Different but Equal,” he outlines the European perception of Africa upon their discovery of the continent. Claims that the Europeans were making about African culture, however, were far fetched and did not depict Africa in a positive manner. History according to pre-European Africa was rich and diverse, but once Europeans saw for themselves how different their continent was from Africa, they began to make up their own version of African history.

Black South Africans living in South Africa, had to endure fifty years of oppression and racial discrimination. Apartheid was a policy implemented by the South African government across South Africa. It was used to control the Black South African population since they make up the majority of the population. The government created Apartheid, due to their fear that the Black population will overthrow them. Living as a Black South African meant that they had to live a more oppressive and undesirable life.

Between 1948 and 1959, there was much opposition to Apartheid after its execution in 1948 by the National Party. Due to the apartheid laws being of a racial legislation, primarily promoting white supremacy and the discrimination of Black and colored individuals throughout South Africa, there would be no doubt that some form of opposition would be present. The opposition came in forms of the ANC and PAC primarily, two resistance parties in support of the improvement of Blacks throughout South Africa. Despite this however, it could be argued that their opposition was primarily unsuccessful due to their lack for de jure change in the system.

The motivations behind the civilization of Africa are viewed in documents 1, 4, 7 and 11. Economic motivations and political global power such as the advantages of

f. The music in South Africa reflects the country, and the history through the Mbube music. Either male vocalists, and or female vocalists sing such. When the lead singer is singing his or her part, they are said to be telling their stories. Mbube music is said to be traceable to furthest back the 1920’s. It was created in Africa when migrant workers begun holding singing competitions in a form of entertainment after long work days. This carried plenty of history about the country because of how old this form of music was. Dating back to the 1920’s, it was able to help preserve lots of memories, facts, and even stories about what has happened. This was mostly popular in the time that Africa was living in

The people of Ghana would go on to become priests, doctors, and more. People in Ghana always wanted to learn and would take pride in what they were learning. The people would go to great lengths for a good education and would work hard to make books for the people. In Document 4 it talks about how the people of Ghana would live good lives with good jobs they got with their high level education. In Document 7 it shows the way people valued the books they read and made them with love. As Document 4 states, “Here are many doctors, judges, priests, and other learned men that are well maintained at the king's costs” (Document 4). In Document 7 it says, “...there are in Timbuktu numerous judges, teachers and priests, all properly appointed by the king. He greatly honors learning. Many hand-written books imported from Barbary are also sold” (Document 7). Clearly all these citizens have such important roles in the town because they are well educated, and are trustworthy. People would not trust these people if they had little to no education; this is why the people of Ghana valued education. Also, the king loved books and wanted his people to be educated so they could get great jobs. This would boost the economy of Ghana and cause the empire to improve. Everyone in Ghana highly valued education and thought it was quite important everyone was well educated which helped make Ghana what people know

Ghana was no exception to this, as they were said to have food for all its citizens, advanced weapons, and a good government (doc 3). They were more than capable of living good lives and thriving. The city of Timbuktu in the empire of Mali valued written manuscripts and sold them for a higher price than that of any other good (doc 5). Mali also viewed security and justice as very important things to include in a society (doc 6). They were always fair and the citizens and tourists were never afraid. Finally, bronze was important, and went through a very lengthy process to make beautiful and amazing figures (doc 7). Aspects that make a society complex were valued and used during the reign of African

1. “The particular cultures and societies of Africa and of the Americas discussed in this chapter

In spite of their disparities, these Africans, mostly by outline, and incompletely by condition produced an African American society. So as to completely comprehend that culture we should first then again, inspect the history and societies of the different areas which were the tribal homes of African Americans. The vignettes included here portray African social orders at the season of the slave exchange, giving a connection to understanding the advancement of African American society amid the initial two centuries of the dark vicinity in British North America. The vignettes, The "Brilliant Age" of African History, Urban Civilization in West Africa, The Writers of Timbuktu, and Timbuktu: The Urban Center of West Africa, portray in subtle element the human advancements which

Another one of the stereotypes European historians had claimed was that Africa had no progress; nevertheless, Africa had been progressing so much over the centuries that passed. Indeed, a passage from Through African Eyes declares, “Ghana had superior technology… excellent organization” (Leon E. Clark). That is, Ghana had developed so many things, such as the art of iron work, in which it had came to a point where spears could be made as it gave Ghana an advantage in the field. Ghana had also an advanced and organized social structure where the subordinate kings and governors, who ruled throughout the empire, received protection and the right to rule their local areas as long as they paid their final allegiance and money to the king. So too,

A civilized society is when the culture has a social order characterized by a government, a system of justice, a social structure, and some kind of spiritual belief system. In the perception of people who do not live in Africa have deemed the continent uncivilized. In the story Things Falls Apart the Igbo society is uncivilized because they send twins to the evil forest to die, they give women no rights, and they band Okonkwo from Umuofia without a trial. The continent of Africa believes that all of these acts are civilized because it is apart of their culture.

A griot is known as a professional singer in West Africa during the 13th century and takes the role of a traditional bard through which music was transmitted.

Although many African societies have not been discussed, the societies presented reveal the dynamism and continuity of the African past and ancient times. African were able develop their own languages, political

Chapter 3 of Africans and their History

In studying the continent of Africa, a person simply cannot underestimate the importance and impact the time period 1770-1875 had on the shaping of pre-colonial Africa’s historical experience. By diving head first into Africa’s past and closely examining several themes and concepts of the time, one can fully comprehend just how much the colonization of Africa changed it forever, both for the better and the worse. The many reasons as to the “how and why” Africa was shaped into what it has become today can be seen within Thomas Getz’s book, Cosmopolitan Africa. Specifically, it is through the examination of the themes of the globalization of Africa in the oceanic era, the practice and belief of religions, and the significance of the Industrial Revolution, that the specific ways Africa was shaped from 1770-1875 can clearly be demonstrated.