YEAR 7

What are the challenges and opportunities facing Africa?

Lesson 3

LEARNING AIM

To identify the effects of European colonialism in Africa from the fifteenth to twentieth centuries

To understand the differences in levels of development across African countries

The history of European exploitation of Africa still influences the geography of the continent.

In this lesson you will explore the damaging impact of the slave trade from the 1600s, followed by the colonisation of Africa by a range of European nations from the 1880s.

The slave trade

Between the 1600s and the 1800s, 12–15 million Africans were sold into slavery. Europeans bought people in West Africa in exchange for goods. Over the years a triangle of trade developed between Europe and the New Worlds, shown below.

Describe what is happening on the above map._______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After abolishing slavery from 1833, European nations began to develop a new form of exploitation of Africa, through colonisation.

The Scramble for AfricaBritish explorers, such as David Livingstone, conducted expeditions to Africa and reported their findings to excited audiences at geographical conferences across Europe. In 1884 to 1885 – Fourteen European countries met at something known as the Berlin Conference and divided Africa out amongst themselves.

Q. Why do you think other countries wanted parts of Africa?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________KEYWORDS – match the definitions

Colonisation To make use of people or a place for your own benefit

Independence When someone else takes control of a country

Exploited When a country takes back its freedom

Before 1860, Africa had a rich history and culture. It was divided into thousands of small areas and kingdoms, based on different languages and cultures, see Map.

The Belgian Congo

King Leopold II of Belgium took control of a region of tropical rainforest in the Congo Basin, 75 times the size of Belgium. He promised to make a better life for Africans in the area. The reality was very different. With the development of the bicycle, worldwide demand for rubber boomed. Leopold encouraged companies to collect rubber from the many rubber trees in the rainforest, but these companies brutally exploited local peoples by forcing them to collect sap from the rubber trees. It has been estimated that as many as 10 million Congolese died due to the abuses inflicted during Leopold’s rule.

Q. Do you think Leopold II made a better for the Africans? Explain your answer.

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The legacy of colonialism

African countries began to gain their independence from Europe in the 1960s. Still struggling with the legacy of colonialism, many have found the road to a strong and stable nation to be a difficult one.

Activity

Create an annotated timeline to summarise the events affecting Africa from 1600 to the 1970s.

Timeline should include the following events: 1600–1800: 12–15 million Africans sold into slavery; 1833: slavery abolished; 1852–56: David Livingstone explores Africa; 1880s: colonisation of Africa begins; 1884–85: Berlin conference divides Africa between 14 European nations; 1960s: African countries begin to gain independence

Lesson 4

LEARNING AIM

To understand the pattern of climate zones and biomes across Africa

There are 54 countries in total in Africa - which is a lot, but are they all the same?

In this lesson you will investigate these interactions and explore each biome to identify characteristic features.

The climate graph for Kano shows how the temperature and rainfall patterns relate to each other – the hottest temperatures come just before heavy rainfall, and the coolest time of the year comes just after the rains. Further away from the Equator and its heavy rainfall, the grassland becomes drier and drier, and gradually the climate and biomes change.

From the following diagram. Name the four main climate zones and biomes.

1 Desert / semi desert – little rain

2 ____________________________________

3 ___________________________________

4 ___________________________________

Describe the Savannah landscape using the geographical enquiry questions

(what does it look like? Why does it look like this? etc)

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What type of climate would the Savannah landscape have?

Refer back to the climate graph and include details about temperature / rainfall (HINT: the Savannah is the second graph shown)

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Additional Activity:

Go on YouTube and watch the videos below about the Savanna and Tropical Rainforest Biomes.

Savanna Biome: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubTehDZWPRETropical Rainforest Biome:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIbplCn8-zs&t=80s

Lesson 5

Is there a future for the Sahel?LEARNING AIM

To identify the causes and consequences of desertification in the Sahel

To explore solutions to desertification in the Sahel

The Sahel region in North Africa, is shown below. ‘Sahel’ is an Arabic word meaning ‘edge’ or ‘shore’. It lies at the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. This is one of the most vulnerable places to drought on Earth.

A drought is a period of abnormally dry weather that lasts long enough to lead to a serious lack of water, and crop failure. It has frequent famines which have led to the death of millions of its inhabitants.

TASK Name the 11 countries that are part of the Sahel

1 7

2 8

3 9

4 10

5 116

Desertification is the process by which land becomes drier and degraded.

Droughts happen when there is dry weather for a long period of time, leading to shortages of water

Above and below rainfall averages in the Sahel region, 1950–2017

Study the graph above. When was: a) the highest above average rainfall? _______________________b) the longest spell of above average rainfall? __________________c) the longest spell of below average rainfall? ___________________

d) Count the number of years below average and then above average, levels of rainfall. Below = ____________ Above = ___________

e) Write a paragraph to explain why this rainfall pattern makes life so difficult for people in the Sahel.

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ActivityRead the article.

a) Who is Yacouba Sawadago? ________________________________________________________________________

b) Identify and explain two approaches to farming he developed that stopped desertification on his farm._______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

c) Why do you think these approaches have worked? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Write a paragraph to explain how the Great Green Wall offers hope for the future in the Sahel.

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