Chapter 21 East Africa

7th Grade Social Studies

CHAPTER 21

Section 1: Physical Geography

Section 2: East Africa’s History and Culture

Section 3: The Countries of East Africa

Section 4: The Horn of Africa

East Africa

Section 1: Physical Geography

Great Rift Valley Mount Kilimanjaro Lake Victoria White Nile Blue Nile

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Why Study East Africa?

Many Scientists believe the human species has its origins in East Africa. Some of the most important fossil remains of humans come from the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania.

The U.S. imports agricultural products from the area.

The region contains wildlife not found elsewhere. This wildlife is of interest to people around the world.

Events in the region have influenced the foreign policy of the U.S., including the use of armed forces and economic aid.

Sec 1: Vocabulary

Rifts – long deep valleys with mountains or plateaus on either side

Main Ideas, sect. 1

The major landforms of East Africa include high plains, eastern and western rift, and volcanic mountains.

Lake Victoria, Lake Nakuru, the White Nile, the Blue Nile, and the Nile river are located in East Africa; these rivers meet in Khartoum, Sudan.

Volcanic mountains are found in parts of East Africa because the land is splitting along the rift valleys

Ethiopia’s agriculture has suffered from 30 years of drought.

SECTION 1

Physical Geography

EAST AFRICA

Mountains and Plains

Great Rift Valley

Rivers Lakes

Mount Kilimanjaro, many volcanic peaks, famous

wildlife preserves

two large rifts; steep walls stretch from Tanzania to the Red Sea

Nile, White Nile, Blue Nile, Ruvuma River

Lake Victoria, Lake Nakuru, Lake Tanganyika

Section 2: E. Africa’s History/ Culture

Vocabulary: Swahili – a language that is widely spoken in

East Africa

Main Ideas

The countries that influenced the history of this area include Portugal, Great Britain, and Germany.

The main religions practiced in East Africa include Christianity and Islam.

Ethnic conflicts have made it difficult for East African governments to establish a sense of national identity among its citizens.

In northern East Africa, Christians and Muslims are often in conflict.

SECTION 2East Africa’s History and Culture

EAST AFRICA’S HISTORY

• Arabic speaking nomads spread Islamic faith

• Christianity from Ethiopian Kingdoms

• slaves traded to Arabia

• Portuguese start European slave trade

Religion Trade Colonization

• Italy annexed Ethiopia

• Great Britain

• Germany

Section 3: The Countries of E. Africa

Section 3: Vocabulary

Gorge – a narrow, steep-walled canyon

Section 3: Main Ideas

The highlands of Kenya are important because they offer good farmland, refuge for wildlife, and they are an important tourist destination.

Early East African civilizations traded gold and ivory.

Tourist attractions of East Africa include Kenya’s wildlife refuges, Mount Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti Plain, and the Olduvai Gorge.

SECTION 3

The Countries of East Africa

Physical Features Challenges

Rwanda

Burundi

Uganda

Sudan

fertile highland

fertile highland

fertile plateau

Sahara, dry savannas, the Sudd

violence between ethnic groups

violence between Tutsi and Hutu

violent dictatorship, collapsed economy

Conflicts between Arab and traditionally African cultures

Kenya (20:15)

Section 4: The Horn of Africa

ANSWER EACH OF THESE:How important are these camels for the Afar?_______________________________________What purpose do they serve? _______________________________________

What theme of geography do they represent?_______________________________________

Sec. 4: Main Ideas

The mountains protect Ethiopia from foreign invasion.

Eritrea broke away from Ethiopia in 1993.Most of Europe’s East African colonies gained independence in the 1960’s.

Google Earth

Zanzibar has the“Swalhili Coast” Somalia is “A failed State” Ethiopia has “The Blue Nile”

SECTION 4

The Horn of Africa

Eritrea

Ethiopia

Somalia

Djibouti

mountains and plateaus

on Red Sea

deserts and dry savannas

on Bab al-Mandab, partly below sea level

agricultural, poor, suffered droughts

independent since 1993, improving economy

mainly herders, less diverse culture, troubled by

civil war and drought

independent since 1977, port provides income,

depends on Ethiopian agriculture

CountryCountryLocation or

Physical FeaturesLocation or

Physical FeaturesKey CharacteristicsKey Characteristics

Review Time

A – Blue Nile B – Bab al-Mandab C – Mt. Kilimanjaro D – Great Rift

Valley E – Lake Victoria F - White Nile

Let’s Play Jeopardy

Sec. 4: Vocabulary

droughts – periods when little rain falls and crops are damaged

Hotel Rawanda

We will be watching the movie Hotel Rawanda

You must have the permission slip signed in order to watch the movie

If you do not have a permission slip you will do another activity

In the 1990’s, Hutu’s in Rwanda tried to destroy the Tutsi people.

Chapter Wrap-Up

1. What are East Africa’s main natural resources?

2. What caused the formation of the Great Rift Valley of East Africa?

3. How have Arabs, Portuguese, the British, and the Kikuyu affected Kenya?

4. What factors have slowed Tanzania’s economic growth?

5. How have droughts in the Horn of Africa affected its people and their relationship with the rest of the world?

1. What are East Africa’s main natural resources?

2. What caused the formation of the Great Rift Valley of East Africa?

3. How have Arabs, Portuguese, the British, and the Kikuyu affected Kenya?

4. What factors have slowed Tanzania’s economic growth?

5. How have droughts in the Horn of Africa affected its people and their relationship with the rest of the world?

CHAPTER 24