The History of Africa

• Arab Muslims conquered the region in 600s.

The Great Mosque of Kairauon

• Ottoman Turks ruled from 1500s to late 1800s.

• Europeans came in 1800s—French, Spanish, Italians, British.

History of Sub-Saharan Africa

Arab Slave Trade—began in 7th century.

Dhows were used to bring African slaves to India.

18 million slaves arrived in Arab countries.

• Explorers reached land by 1400’s

• 1500s—First Portuguese trading ports established

What aspects of Africa do you think caused

the Europeans to stay near the coast?

Mid-1800’s—explorers moved inward

Atlantic Slave Trade—16th to 19th centuries—12 million slaves arrived in the New World.

Triangular Trade

Colonial rule—Export economies (plantations, mines); building of modern cities

• exported to European countries• subsistence agriculture

• cities, hospitals, ports, roads,• schools

“The Dark Continent”

Scramble for Africa (late 1800’s to mid 1900’s—Imperialism—arbitrary borders

European countries sought out African products and minerals.Africans began working for wages, moving to cities, etc.

African Independence Movement

• Gained momentum after WWII, which left the major European powers weakened.

• 1950’s – 1970’s

Decolonization 1951-1993

• African countries were considered “immature” and democracy was only introduced at the local level.

• Group of small elite leaders who were received a Western education.

The decolonization of Africa followed World War II as colonized peoples agitated for independence and colonial powers withdrew their administrators from Africa.

Postcolonial Era

• Effects:• Worked in the new commercial economy.• Modern medicine and improved

infrastructure (in certain areas)• Low wages and unemployment• Rival ethnic groups forced to share power in

newly independent countries.