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