Study Guide

African Landscape
Deserts -
2/5 of African continent is covered with desert
Sahara –
in North Africa
Kalahari –
in South Africa
Savanna -
Vast tracts of land characterized by wet seasons and dry seasons.
Covered by grasses and shrubs.
Mountains
Atlas Mountain Range –
Africa’s longest mountain range
Mt. Kilimanjaro –
Africa's tallest mountain
Nile –
Longest River
Lake Victoria –
Africa’s largest lake
Great Rift Valley -
Largest rift in the Earth’s surface
African History
Began after the Flood
Ebed Melech -
Helped prophet Jeremiah when he was cast into prison by King Zedekiah
Unnamed Ethiopian -
Most famous Cushite in World History!
Treasurer for Queen Candace of Cush.
Philip led this treasurer to Christ.
Edesius and Frumentius -
Circa 300 AD, these 2 were shipwrecked and taken to Ethiopia as slaves.
Preached the Gospel there.
Credited with bringing Christianity to Africa.
Early Christianity in Africa
Alexandria, Egypt -
Home to Clement of Alexandria (150-215) and Origen (185-254)
Carthage, Tunisia -
City of early church fathers Tertullian(160-230) and Cyprian (200-248)
Both were martyred
Simon of Cyrene -
Carried the CROSS for Jesus
Clement of Alexandria -
Note: Clement’s hymn, “Shepherd of Tender Youth”, is the oldest surviving Christian hymn
African Trade
Sea Trade -
As early as 1500 BC, Africans were trading with Asians
Africa provided: Iron, Ivory, and Gold
Asians provided: Porcelain, Precious Stones, and Silk
Inland Trade -
Between 300 and 1200 AD, Ghana was trading with Middle East Arabs
Ghana provided: Gold, Ivory, and Slaves
Middle East Provided: Salt, Copper, and Dried Fruits
Mali Empire -
Lasted from 1200-1500AD
Modern day Gambia, Guinea, Mali & Senegal
Timbuktu -
Important trading center for Mali Empire
Famous center for learning & culture
Songhai Empire -
Dominated West Africa in 1500s
Monopolized trade across the Sahara
Exploration & Missions
"The White Man's Grave"
Name for Africa during the 19th century(1800s)
Explores in Africa faced many obstacles:
Intense heat
Malaria Sleeping
Sickness
Yellow fever
Mungo Park -
Explored Africa from 1805-1806
Traced most of the Niger River
Hugh Clapperton -
Explored Africa from 1822-1824
First European to cross the Sahara Desert
Alexander Laing -
Explored Africa from 1825-1826
First European to reach Timbuktu
Robert Moffatt -
Explored Africa from 1795-1883
One of the first missionaries to Africa
Moffatt said: “I can see the smoke of a thousand villages where the name of Christ has never been heard”
David Livingstone -
Went to Africa in response to Moffatt’s call for more missionaries
First European to see Victoria Falls, Africa’s largest waterfall
Worked in Africa many years; went missing
American newspaper dispatched a reporter, Henry Stanley, to find him
Africa in Modern Times
European Rule -
By WWI(1914) only 2 African states were independent
Ethiopia and Liberia
Progress - what kind?
1. Law and Order
2. Schools founded
3. Road/Railroads constructed
4. Hospitals established
5. New cities built
1950s and 1960s -
A move toward independence from European rule
Began with GHANA in 1957
General Idi Amin -
Seized power in Uganda
Ruled until 1979
Devout Muslim
Killed and tortured as many as 300,000 people