Modern Africa (saylor.org)

Please note: this legacy course does not offer a certificate and may contain broken links and outdated information. Although archived, it is open for learning without registration or enrollment.

We will survey African history from the “Scramble for Africa” in the late nineteenth century and the establishment of colonial rule to the challenges of independence spanning roughly the last five decades, learning about the major political, economic, and social changes that took place in Africa during these periods. In exploring the dominant trends and patterns in African history during these time periods, we will focus primarily on sub-Saharan Africa. While the northern African states of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt share many of the same experiences with sub-Saharan Africa, the histories between northern Africa and sub-Saharan Africa (as exemplified by the strong Arab influence in northern Africa and the natural dividing line of the Sahara desert) are significantly different to warrant this separation. Nonetheless, an occasional reference to events in northern Africa will assist our exploration of sub-Saharan Africa. The course will be chronologically and thematically structured. Each unit will include representative primary-source documents that illustrate important overarching political, economic, and social themes in modern African history, such as the effects of World War I and World War II, the rise of African nationalism, decolonization and wars for independence, the influence of the Cold War, the problems of development, and the causes and consequences of the civil wars that have plagued African countries in the latter twentieth century. By the end of the course, you will understand the historical origins of the challenges faced today by independent African states.

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Place the events and dynamics that defined Africa in the twentieth century into the broader context of African history.
• Explain and analyze the causes of European imperialism and its short and long-term effects on African societies.
• Compare and contrast key African responses to colonial rule.
• Identify and describe the effects of the First and Second World Wars on Africa.
• Discuss the causes and processes of decolonization in Africa.
• Identify and describe the major political, economic, and social challenges to African states and societies after independence.
• Recognize and expound upon the linkages between Africa’s history and its current challenges.