804 N. 2nd Ave. E.Rock Rapids, IA 51246-1759

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GEOGRAPHYHISTORY &STUDENT BOOK

6th Grade | Unit 7

LIFEPAC Test is located in the center of the booklet. Please remove before starting the unit.

HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY 607Africa

INTRODUCTION |3OVERVIEW |5

1. NORTHERN AFRICA 10GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY |11 NORTHERN COASTAL COUNTRIES |12 INLAND COUNTRIES OF THE SAHARA |18 SELF TEST 1 |21

2. CENTRAL AFRICA 25GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY |26 WESTERN COUNTRIES |27 EQUATORIAL COUNTRIES |33 SELF TEST 2 |42

3. SOUTHERN AFRICA 45GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY |46 SOUTH CENTRAL COUNTRIES |46 SOUTHERN COUNTRIES |50 SELF TEST 3 |54 MAP |57

Unit 7 | Africa

Section 1 |1

804 N. 2nd Ave. E. Rock Rapids, IA 51246-1759

© MMXI by Alpha Omega Publications, a division of Glynlyon, Inc. All rights reserved. LIFEPAC is a registered trademark of Alpha Omega Publications, Inc.

All trademarks and/or service marks referenced in this material are the property of their respective owners. Alpha Omega Publications, Inc. makes no claim of ownership to any trademarks and/or service marks other than their own and their affiliates, and makes no claim of affiliation to any companies whose trademarks may be listed in this material, other than their own.

Author: Theresa K, Buskey, J.D.

Editors: Alan Christopherson, M.S. Rachelle Wiersma, M.S.

Africa| Unit 7

2| Section 1

ObjectivesRead these objectives. The objectives tell you what you will be able to do when you have successfully completed this LIFEPAC. When you have finished this LIFEPAC, you should be able to:

1. Identify the main problems of modern Africa and their causes.

2. Identify several countries of northern Africa, their products, government, and history.

3. Describe the geography, religion, problems, and history of northern Africa.

4. Identify several countries of central Africa, their products, government, and history.

5. Identify several countries of southern Africa, their products, government, and history.

6. Identify the major geographic features of Africa.

7. Explain the history of the relationship between Africa and Europe.

8. Understand the vocabulary words and how they relate to Africa.

Europeans knew so little about Africa that for years it was called the “Dark Continent.” There were several large cities and empires in Africa. However, it was mostly a land still divided into small tribes or ethnic groups as Europe had been before the time of Rome. The Europeans came first along the coast to trade, especially for slaves. Eventually, they set up trading post and forts. Gradually, they explored more of the interior and by the late 1800s had claimed all of it for themselves. After World War II, the Africans refused to be governed by the Europeans and sought their independence. Today, most of Africa is independent. It also suffers from deep tribal divisions created when the Europeans made “nations” out of people who were of very different cultures.

In this LIFEPAC® you will study the countries and history of Africa. You will learn of their governments, geography, and culture. You will also study the products and crops that come from these countries. You will learn of the difficult problems faced by the African people as they work to modernize their nations and use their resources to benefit their people.

Africa

Introduction

NOTE TO TEACHER: Every effort has been made to be accurate with the information that is presented in this unit. Unfortunately, political changes might have taken place since the material was written which would make some of the information out of date. A research project on current events might be an appropriate assignment for the student.

Unit 7 | Africa

Section 1 |3

Survey the LIFEPAC. Ask yourself some questions about this study and write your questions here.

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OVERVIEWGeography. Africa is the second-largest con-tinent in the world. At its greatest length, it is five thousand miles (8,000 kilometers) long. At its widest, it is forty-six hundred miles (7,360 kilometers) across. The middle of Africa lies right across the equator, in the Tropical Zone. This makes the climate far hotter than Europe or North America. North of Africa are the Strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea. On the east are the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean. On the west is the Atlantic Ocean which meets the Indian Ocean at the Cape of Good Hope on Africa’s southwestern corner. Africa is in the Eastern Hemisphere, and since the equator crosses it, it is in both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere.

History. The many kingdoms of Africa which existed before the Europeans came will be mentioned later in the LIFEPAC. This is the history of Colonial Africa.

The Portuguese were the first Europeans to explore Africa in the late 1400s. They were look-ing for a way around Africa to India. They con-quered cities on the coast and set up trading posts. The most important trade good for all of the European nations quickly became slaves. The African people were (and still are) divided into thousands of small tribes or ethnic groups who considered each other to be foreigners. The strongest of these tribes gladly captured and sold the weaker tribes to the Europeans for modern goods, especially weapons. The captured people were packed into the bottom of ships shoulder to shoulder and shipped to the Americas. The survivors—many died on the way—were sold at a huge profit. This hateful trade was eventually ended in the 1800s. Great Britain took the lead in first outlawing the cap-ture of new slaves, and later, slavery itself.

During the 1800s, the European nations began to explore and conquer areas of Africa. They

wanted the wealth of ivory, gold, rubber, wood, and other resources found there. The different nations soon found themselves fighting over African territory. To avoid war in Europe over the land in Africa, almost all of the nations met at the Berlin Conference in 1884. There, they sat down at a table and divided Africa among themselves. No African representatives were present.

The main goal of the Europeans was to make money in their colonies. They thought the African people were better off under European rule. Many devout Christians set up schools and hospitals for the Africans. Eventually, the number of educated Africans began to grow. These people began to seek an end to rule by the Europeans. After World Wars I and II had exhausted the nations of Europe, they began to free their former colonies due to pressure from their own people as well as from the Afri-cans. Most of the countries of Africa became independent in the 1960s after a period of preparation.

After World War II, the Soviet Union (Russia) and the United States fought the “Cold War.” It was a period of time from 1945–1991 when these two “super powers,” as they were called, never quite fought a war. However, they did help different sides in little wars all over the world. The super powers tried to make friends in Africa. Many dictators who disagreed with the United States received help from the Sovi-ets to stay in power. Others got help from the United States because everyone knew they could always get help from the Soviets if the U.S. refused. When the Cold War ended in 1991, the African rulers could no longer get help to stay in power just by choosing a side. As a result, in the 1990s, many African nations had their first free elections because the dic-tators could no longer get help from the super powers.

Unit 7 | Africa

Section 1 |5

TROPIC OF CANCER

TROPIC OF CAPRICORN

EQUATOR

RenueRiver

LakeChad

CongoRiver

ZambeziRiver

Plateau

Plateau

DrakensbergMountains

Cape of Good Hope

KalahariDesert

MountKilimanjaro

ZanzibarIsland

IndianOcean

SouthAtlantic Ocean

NigerRiver

NileRiver

RedSea

Suez Canal

Gulf of Aden

EthiopianHighlands

Congo BasinGreatRift

ValleyLake

Victoria

LakeTanganyika

LakeNyasa

AtlasMountains

Sahara Desert

Strait ofGibralter

Mediterranean Sea

CameroonHighlands

NigerBasin

NorthAtlanticOcean

Map 1 PHYSICAL REGIONS OF AFRICA

Africa| Unit 7

6| Section 1

Map 2 OUTLINE MAP OF AFRICA

Unit 7 | Africa

Section 1 |7

Answer or complete the following.

1.1 How did the Cold War hurt the people in Africa? ______________________________________________

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1.2 How does Africa rank in size as a continent? __________________________________________________

1.3 What was the most important “product” taken from Africa by the Europeans before it was

outlawed in the 1800s? _______________________________________________________________________

1.4 List the bodies of water that surround Africa. _________________________________________________

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1.5 Who were the first modern Europeans to explore Africa? _____________________________________

1.6 What happened at the Berlin Conference in 1884? ____________________________________________

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1.7 Is Africa in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere? Why? _____________________________________

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1.8 When were most African nations given their independence? _________________________________

Problems facing many African nations.Tribalism is probably the largest single problem in modern Africa. The “nations” created by the Europeans contain many smaller nations, tribes, who do not trust each other. They are not willing to share power with another tribe or be ruled by a president from another group. Differences in religion make the fighting worse. (NOTE: The words tribe, ethnic group, and people group all refer to the same thing, a group of people with the same culture and a common history). Also, in much of Africa the people

can barely grow enough food to survive. The little they do grow can be lost if the rains do not come or if war occurs. Disease and lack of good medicine are also major problems. In particular, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syn-drome (AIDS) is killing many adults, leaving their orphaned children in the care of elderly relatives or completely alone. African nations have also borrowed billions of dollars from the wealthier countries to feed their people and start industries. In many cases, there is no way the money can ever be repaid.

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Answer or complete the following.

1.9 What is the biggest problem that prevents Africans from working together?

Describe the problem in your own words. ____________________________________________________

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1.10 Name two problems that make living difficult for Africans. ___________________________________

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1.11 What problems are the African nations having with money? __________________________________

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Unit 7 | Africa

Section 1 |9

1. NORTHERN AFRICA

Section ObjectivesReview these objectives. When you have completed this section, you should be able to:

1. Identify the main problems of modern Africa and their causes.

2. Identify several countries of northern Africa, their products, government, and history.

3. Describe the geography, religion, problems, and history of northern Africa.

6. Identify the major geographic features of Africa.

7. Explain the history of the relationship between Africa and Europe.

8. Understand the vocabulary words and how they relate to Africa.

VocabularyStudy these words to enhance your success in this section.

animism (an’ i miz um) The belief that all things have a spirit living in them.

annex (a neks’) To join or add a smaller thing to a larger thing.

assassinate (u sas’ n āt) To murder, especially a well-known person, by a sudden attack or from ambush.

climate (klī mit) The kind of weather a place has.

coup d’état or coup (koo dā tä) A sudden change in government using force or illegal means.

desolate (des’ ō lit) Not lived in; deserted.

drought (drout) A long period of dry weather; continued lack of rain.

economy (i kon’ u mē) The way a country manages its resources.

eon (ē on) A very long period of time; many thousands of years.

export (ek spôrt’) To send goods out of one country for sale and use in another.

guerrilla (gu ril’ u) A member of a band of fighters who attack the enemy by sudden raids, ambushes, or the like. Guerrillas are not part of a regular army.

millet (mil’ it) The very small grain of a kind of cereal grass, grown for food or hay.

nomad (nō mad) A member of a tribe who moves from place to place to have food or pasture for his cattle.

oases (ō ā’ sēz) small fertile areas in deserts which usually include a spring or water source.

phosphate (fos fāt) A chemical found in certain rocks; used to make fertilizer.

protectorate (prō tek’ tėr it) A more powerful nation takes over protection and some control of a weaker nation.

Africa| Unit 7

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORYNorthern Africa includes eight coastal coun-tries and three inland nations. The culture and economics of these nations have been shaped by the geography of their land. Scientists tell us that eons ago northern Africa had plenty of rain and abundant vegetation. Today, however, the Sahara Desert covers most of North Africa. The Sahara is a land of sand and rocks. Small pockets of plant life called oases grow around the few sources of water like islands in a sea of sand. The land on either side of the Nile River in Egypt is a thin line of green in this barren coun-try. The Atlas Mountains run east to west along the northwest coastline. Along the southern edge of the Sahara is an area called the Sahel. The Sahel is an area of semi-desert where animals can live and a few hardy crops can be grown in the years when enough rain falls. Due to years of drought, the Sahel is steadily being turned into desert as the Sahara grows larger each year.

The people who lived in the huge Sahara Desert had a culture based on surviving in that harsh land. Food and water were difficult to find. People stayed and lived only in the few areas that had water and good soil for crops, such as on the Nile River. Across the rest of the desert, the people became nomads, moving whenever

they used up the small supplies of food and water they found. These nomads, usually of the Berber people group, were fierce warriors because they often fought over the small oases in their territories. They were forced to con-vert to Islam by the Muslim armies that swept across North Africa in the A.D. 700s. These people also had begun to use the camel as a beast of burden in the first centuries A.D. They used the camels to create very successful trade routes across the desert. They traded mostly salt, which was common on the northern coast, for gold from the Niger River area where salt was rare and valuable.

Control of the gold mines was the source of the great wealth of the black African empires of the Niger River in west Africa. Ghana, Mali, and Songhai were the names of these empires. They ruled the area of the Niger River from A.D. 300s–1500s. They were also converted to Islam. Mansa Musa of Mali showed off the wealth of his empire on a religious trip to Mecca, the center of Islam, in the 1300s. He took with him five hundred camels each carrying three hun-dred pounds of gold. The last of these empires was destroyed about the time the Portuguese began to explore the coast of Africa.

savanna (su van’ u) A grassy plain with few or no trees, especially one near the tropics.

sparse (spärs) Thinly scattered; occurring here and there.

terrorism (tãr’ ėr iz em) The use of fear and violence to accomplish something.

tourist (túr’ ist) A person traveling for pleasure.

Note: All vocabulary words in this LIFEPAC appear in boldface print the first time they are used. If you are not sure of the meaning when you are reading, study the definitions given.

Pronunciation Key: hat, āge, cãre, fär; let, ēqual, tėrm; it, īce; hot, ōpen, ôrder; oil; out; cup, pu·t, rüle; child; long; thin; /ŦH/ for then; /zh/ for measure; /u/ represents /a/ in about, /e/ in taken, /i/ in pencil, /o/ in lemon, and /u/ in circus.

Unit 7 | Africa

Section 1 |11

Answer or complete the following.

1.12 What were the two goods traded between northern Africa and the Niger River empires?

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1.13 What covers most of northern Africa? _________________________________________________________

1.14 What was the religion of the Berber nomads and the west African Empires? __________________

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1.15 How were goods carried across the desert? ___________________________________________________

1.16 What is the Sahel? ____________________________________________________________________________

1.17 Name the three great empires of west Africa. _________________________________________________

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NORTHERN COASTAL COUNTRIESLearn to correctly pronounce the names of the modern coastal countries of northern Africa and their capitals.

COUNTRY CAPITALCape Verde (kāp vûrd) Praia (prīūh)

Mauritania (mawr ih tay’ neee uh) Nouakchott (nwahk shaht’)Morocco (muh rahk’ oh) Rabat (rah baht’)

Western Sahara (suh hair’ uh) (Occupied territory, no capital)Algeria (al jeer’ ee uh) Algiers (al jeerz’)Tunisia (too nee’ zhuh) Tunis (too’ nihs)

Libya (li’ bee uh) Tripoli (trihp’ uh lee)Egypt (ee’ jipt) Cairo (kī’ ro)

Sudan (soo dan’) Khartoum (kahr toom’)South Sudan (soo dan’) Juba (joo’ buh)

As you study each country, find it on Map 2 and color it very lightly. Use different colors next to each other so that you will be able to see the outlines of the countries. Underline the capitals of each nation.

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SELF TEST 1

Fill in each blank with the correct country (each country, 2 points).

Egypt Libya Morocco Algeria South Sudan Tunisia

1.01 The newest African nation is ______________________________ .

1.02 The ancient city of Carthage was in _______________________ .

1.03 The Nile River is the basis of life in ____________________________________ .

1.04 The Atlas Mountains run through the center of ____________________________________________ .

1.05 By the time ___________________ became free from France, 90% of its white settlers had left.

1.06 ___________________ supported terrorism all over the world under the leadership of Qadhafi.

Answer these questions (each answer, 3 points).

1.07 The European nations divided Africa among themselves in 1884 at ________________________

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1.08 What is the Sahel and where is it located? __________________________________________________

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1.09 What is one of the biggest problems for African nations today? _____________________________

1.010 The wealth and power of the West African Empires was based on the trade of _____________

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1.011 The major religion of North Africa is _______________________________________________________ .

1.012 What is the name of the island nation located near North Africa? ___________________________

1.013 What is the difference between a tribe and an ethnic group? _______________________________

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1.014 The large body of water north of Africa is _____________________________________ .

1.015 The first modern Europeans to explore Africa were _______________________________________ .

1.016 Many African dictators were able to get support from the Super Powers during the time

known as _______________________________ .

1.017 The Sahara is a ________________________________ .

1.018 The Nile River flows (direction) _________________ .

Africa| Unit 7

20| Section 1

Match these items (each answer, 2 points).

1.019 ________ coup d’état (coup)

1.020 ________ drought

1.021 ________ nomads

1.022 ________ exports

1.023 ________ protectorate

1.024 ________ guerrilla

1.025 ________ annex

1.026 ________ animism

1.027 ________ economy

1.028 ________ savanna

Write true or false (each answer, 2 points).

1.029 ____________ Africa is the world’s largest continent.

1.030 ____________ The Cape of Good Hope is located in North Africa.

1.031 ____________ The Indian Ocean is east of Africa.

1.032 ____________ Western Sahara is occupied by Morocco.

1.033 ____________ The Arab nations hate Israel and want it destroyed.

1.034 ____________ Slaves were what Europeans wanted most from Africa before the 1800s.

1.035 ____________ The Equator does not pass through Africa.

1.036 ____________ The Sahara Desert is growing bigger each year.

1.037 ____________ Many African nations owe huge debts they cannot repay.

1.038 ____________ Horses and donkeys were used to trade across the Sahara Desert.

a. things sold to another country

b. tribe with no permanent home

c. tropical grassy plain

d. long period with no rain

e. join a smaller to a larger

f. sudden, forcible change in government

g. all things have spirits living in them

h. way a country manages its resources

i. fighters who attack by sudden raid or ambush

j. stronger nation takes over protection and control of a weaker nation

Unit 7 | Africa

Section 1 |21

SCORE TEACHERinitials date

80100

Answer these questions in complete sentences (each answer, 5 points).

1.039 Did Europeans hunt and capture their own slaves? Explain. ________________________________

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1.040 Did the Europeans treat the Africans fairly? Explain. ________________________________________

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Africa| Unit 7

22| Section 1

804 N. 2nd Ave. E.Rock Rapids, IA 51246-1759

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GEOGRAPHYHISTORY &STUDENT BOOK

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