African Societies (Day 2)

INTRODUCTION

Today we will finish our study of African societies in this time period. We will have a discussion of the video and podcasts you listened to and watched for homework. Then we will analyze some primary sources on Africa before European arrival. At the end of class you will write a body paragraph based on one of the arguments you developed in your introductory paragraph last class.

Question of the Day

How were African societies before 1700 similar and how were they different?

Focus Questions

1. What were the economic, social, political, and geographic characteristics of North and Central African societies?

2. What were the economic, social, political, and geographic characteristics of West African societies?

3. What were the economic, social, political, and geographic characteristics of East African societies?

4. What were the economic, social, political, and geographic characteristics of Southern African societies?

VOCABULARY

The vocabulary below is related to the work you are doing today and would be worth using in your paragraph.

1. Stateless societies

2. Patrilineal

3. Matrilineal

4. Maghrib

5. Ghana

6. Gold-Salt trade

7. Mali

8. Sundiata

9. Sahara

10. Mansa Musa

11. Ibn Batuta

12. Songhai

13. Sunni Ali

14. Askia Muhammed

15. Hausa

16. Yoruba

17. Benin

18. Swahili

19. Great Zimbabwe

20. Mutapa

WHAT IS DUE TODAY?

You should have watched the video and listened to the two podcasts linked below and recorded any details that could help you in writing today's paragraph.

• 1. Crash Course video on Mansa Musa and Islam in Africa

  2. BBC Podcast on a West African (Akan) drum found in the United States

  3. BBC Podcast on a Central African (Sudanese) slit drum

ASSESSMENTS AND ACTIVITIES

• 1. Artifact Speeches: Some of your classmates will give one-minute artifact speeches.

  2. Scored Discussion: We will have a scored discussion of the video you watched and podcasts you listened to for homework. You should use the transcripts of the podcasts as your text for the discussion. The transcripts ar linked below.

• • Akan Drum

  • Sudanese Slit Drum

• 1. Primary Sources: We will analyze some primary sources using this DBQ activity.

  2. Paragraph: You will write a body paragraph expanding on one of the arguments that you identified in the introductory paragraph that you wrote last class. This was the prompt: How were African societies before 1700 similar and how were they different?

Write your paragraph on the Google Doc for your class below

• • A1

  • A2

  • A3

WHAT IS DUE NEXT CLASS?

Please prepare a written outline for each of the four essays that you may have to write as part of the final exam. You can find the prompts here on the final exam review page.

ENRICHMENT

• Click here for more information on African history.