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larger, more structured groups, such
as the Bantu-speaking people of
central and southern Africa; the
heavily-structured clan groups in the
Horn of Africa; the large Sahelian
kingdoms and autonomous city-
states, such as those of the Yoruba in
West Africa; and the Swahili coastal
trading towns of East Africa.
Light was shed on the Dark
Continent by the great explorers of
the 18th–19th centuries: Mungo
Park, Livingstone, Stanley, Burton,
and Speke. But the harsh climate
and endemic diseases made large-
scale settlement unattractive to
Europeans over huge areas of the
continent, and West Africa came to
be known as the “white man’s
grave.” Exceptions were the area
settled by the Dutch and then the
British from the 17th century, now
South Africa; the highlands of
Kenya, settled by the British; North
Africa (Algeria) by the French in the
19th and 20th centuries; and Libya
by the Italians in the 20th century.
The desire for colonies and the
promise of acquiring rich resources
then led to the Scramble for Africa in
the 19th century, with Belgium,
Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and
predominantly Britain and France,
being the main protagonists.
A Concise History of Africa
OPPOSITE ABOVE:
Djemaa el Fna
Square, Marrakech, Morocco is a large
public square where small merchants,
hawkers, and entertainers work. It is
popular with tourists and locals alike.
OPPOSITE:
The Habib Bourguiba
Mausoleum portico, Monastir, Tunisia.
RIGHT:
The minaret and courtyard of the
Great Mosque, Kairouan, Tunisia.
Text-Dependent Questions
1. What countries claim to be the origin of civilization?
2. The Sahara has not always been a desert. What was it originally?
3. Ancient populations followed three river valleys. Name the rivers?
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