MODULE 1-2: part I

• What is the origin of the word 'Africa'?

  It comes from the term 'Libya'
• How did the term 'Africa' evolve in its usage?

  It replaced 'Libya' for the whole continent
• What does the term 'African' refer to?

  Indigenous ethnicities of Africa
• How many distinct ethnic groups are there in Africa?

  At least 3,000 distinct ethnic groups
• What adaptations do Africans have to their landscape?

  Specific hair and skin adaptations
• Who were the two main races in early Africa?

  Berbers and Negroes
• What racial characteristics did the Berbers and ancient Egyptians have?

  Racially Caucasian with European features
• What are the small-statured people in Africa called?

  Pygmies
• Where do the descendants of the Pygmies currently inhabit?

  Forests of central Africa
• What was the Sahara Desert like before 8000 B.C.?

  It was a fertile grassland
• What major occupation is depicted in the rock paintings of the Sahara?

  Cattle keeping
• How did the peoples of the Sahara adapt as the desert spread?

  They emigrated or learned to live with little water
• What term relates to the wide strip of grassland south of the Sahara?

  Sudan
• What did the newcomers in the Sudan mix with to form Bantu-speaking peoples?

  Other Negro tribes
• When did the Kushite civilization in Nubia flourish?

  From the 11th century B.C.
• What was the capital of the Kushite civilization?

  Napata
• What happened around 750 B.C. regarding the Kushites and Egypt?

  Kushites began the conquest of Egypt
• What was the Kushite dynasty in Egypt misleadingly known as?

  Ethiopian Dynasty
• Why did the Kushite kings move their capital to Meroe?

  Meroe was rich in iron ore
• How long did the Kushite Kingdom of Meroe last?

  Eight centuries
• What led to the destruction of the Kushite Kingdom of Meroe?

  Conquest by the King of Axum
• What was the primary occupation of the Kushites?

  Great traders
• What was a significant feature of Meroe?

  A magnificent palace and Temple of the Sun
• What happened to the Nubian descendants of the Kushites around 200 years after Meroe's destruction?

  They were converted to Christianity
• What did Nubian Christians develop for their language?

  A modified form of Greek writing
• What influenced the Nubian Christians' relations with Egypt after the 7th century?

  The Moslem conquest of Egypt
• What led to the fading of Nubian Christian civilization by the 14th century?

  Invasions by Moslem Arabs
• What phenomena have African languages been subject to throughout history?

  Language contact, expansion, shift, and death
• What is an example of language expansion in Africa?

  Bantu expansion
• What role do trade languages play in Africa?

  They develop into languages of wider communication
• What are the major religions in Africa today?

  • Christianity
  • Islam
  • Traditional African religions
• How is African Traditional Religion characterized?

  Based on oral transmission and customs
• What is a key feature of African Traditional Religion?

  No intent to proselytize
• What is the main aim of current language policies?

  Multilingualism
• How has religion influenced African culture?

  It has influenced art, culture, and philosophy
• What are the major religions in Africa today?

  Christianity, Islam, and traditional religions
• What is syncretism in religious beliefs?

  Combining traditional beliefs with major religions
• What is the essence of African Traditional Religion?

  Oral transmission of beliefs and customs
• How does African Traditional Religion differ from other religions?

  It has no founders or missionaries
• What term refers to clergymen in East Africa?

  Waganga