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AP AAS exam > unit 1 > Flashcards

unit 1 Flashcards

1
Q

What is the primary focus of African American studies?

A

History, culture, and contributions of the African American community

It emphasizes interdisciplinary analysis, including early African history.

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2
Q

What characterizes the interdisciplinary approach of African American studies?

A

Includes history, culture, and contributions

Focuses on people of African descent and the African diaspora.

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3
Q

What misconceptions about Africa does African American studies aim to dispel?

A

Misleading notions of primitive people with no history

It affirms Africa’s historical significance and diversity.

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4
Q

What is a key feature of early African societies?

A

Diversity with thousands of ethnic groups

No single African culture or way of life.

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5
Q

How many ethnic groups are present on the African continent?

A

1,000 ethnic groups

Cultures vary by language, economics, and lineage.

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6
Q

What was the significance of the African diaspora?

A

Dispersion or spread of a people from their original homeland

It has led to shifting perceptions of Africa.

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7
Q

What are some similarities found in various African cultures?

A
  • Communal interests
  • Polytheism
  • Polygamy
  • Respect for elders
  • Oral-aural tradition
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8
Q

What is the Out of Africa theory?

A

Homo sapiens migrated from Africa to the Middle East and Southern Europe

This occurred between 200,000 and 100,000 years ago.

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9
Q

What key developments did early African societies achieve?

A
  • Art
  • Architecture
  • Technology
  • Politics
  • Religion
  • Music
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10
Q

What was the role of trade in the Sahel and savannas?

A

Facilitated movement of people and goods

Supported agricultural expansion and livestock trading.

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11
Q

What were the primary climate zones of Africa?

A
  • Desert
  • Semiarid
  • Savanna grasslands
  • Tropical rainforests
  • Mediterranean zone
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12
Q

What drove the Bantu migrations?

A

Expansion of kingdoms and search for arable land

Densely populated areas led to migrations.

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13
Q

What impact did Bantu expansion have on linguistic diversity in Africa?

A

Spread of the original Bantu language into hundreds of unique languages

Languages like Swahili, Xhosa, and Zulu have Bantu origins.

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14
Q

What were the main items traded in ancient West African societies?

A
  • Gold
  • Salt
  • Ivory
  • Cloth
  • Slaves
  • Metal goods
  • Beads
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15
Q

What characterized the ancient civilization of Nubia?

A

Source of Egypt’s gold and luxury trade items

Established the 25th dynasty of the Black Pharaohs.

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16
Q

What was the significance of the Great Pyramids of Giza?

A

Built to protect the bodies of the kings of the Old Kingdom

Represents ancient Egyptian architectural achievements.

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17
Q

What was the Aksumite Empire known for?

A

First Christian state and major maritime trade networks

Developed its own currency and script of Ge’ez.

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18
Q

What was the role of Timbuktu in ancient Mali?

A

Major hub for trade and Islamic learning

Home to the Sankore Mosque and numerous schools.

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19
Q

What was the impact of Mansa Musa’s reign?

A

Mali reached its peak in wealth and influence

Made Mali famous during his pilgrimage to Mecca.

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20
Q

What were the two main religious traditions in ancient West Africa?

A
  • Islamic
  • Indigenous
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21
Q

What were griots in West African societies?

A

Storytellers and historians who preserved community history

Both men and women served as griots.

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22
Q

What is syncretism in the context of African religions?

A

Combining different beliefs and schools of thought

Seen in the blending of Christianity and Islam.

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23
Q

What is Great Zimbabwe known for?

A

Large stone architecture that served as a hub for trade

It offered military defense and symbolized Shona kings’ power.

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24
Q

What contributed to the rise and fall of city-states on the Swahili Coast?

A

Geographic, cultural, and political factors

Trade and connections influenced their development.

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25
What is Great Zimbabwe best known for?
Large stone architecture that offered military defense and served as a hub for long-distance trade.
26
What was the Great Enclosure used for?
A site for religious and administrative activities; the conical tower likely served as a granary.
27
What do the stone ruins of Great Zimbabwe symbolize?
The prominence, autonomy, and agricultural advancements of the Shona kings and early African societies.
28
Why were city-states on the Swahili Coast able to rise?
Due to its location on the Red Sea and Indian Ocean, facilitating trade with Asia and the Middle East.
29
What common factors contributed to the stability of kingdoms on the Swahili Coast?
Shared language (Swahili) and religion (Islam).
30
What was the impact of the Portuguese on the Swahili Coast in the 16th century?
They invaded major city-states and established settlements to control Indian Ocean trade.
31
Who was Prince Henry the Navigator?
He funded science and navigation and stole technology from the Arabs.
32
What was the main reason for the Portuguese exploration of Africa?
To acquire African gold and slaves for sugar production.
33
How did the adoption of Christianity initially help the Kingdom of Kongo?
It opened up trade with Christian states that favored other devout states.
34
What were the primary goods traded by the Kingdom of Kongo after adopting Christianity?
Ivory, salt, copper, and textiles.
35
What was African Catholicism?
A blend of Christianity and local traditions that emerged in Kongo.
36
What role did Kongo nobles play in the Atlantic Slave Trade?
They participated in the slave trade and were unable to limit the number of captives sold to European powers.
37
What were the roles of women in early West and Central African societies?
Women could be spiritual leaders, political advisors, market traders, educators, and agriculturalists.
38
Who was Queen Idia of Benin?
The first iyoba (queen mother) who served as a political advisor and was known as a fierce warrior.
39
What was Queen Njinga's primary focus during her reign?
To maintain sovereignty and control of her kingdom against the Portuguese.
40
What were the reasons for Africans going to Europe before the transatlantic slave trade?
To serve as ambassadors, for educational and religious reasons, and some worked as domestic labor.
41
What did the Portuguese establish on the Atlantic islands of Cabo Verde and Sao Tome?
Cotton, indigo, and sugar plantations using enslaved Africans.
42
What characterizes African American studies?
An interdisciplinary analysis of the history, culture, and contributions of the African American community.
43
What is the significance of early Africa in relation to humanity?
It is considered the birthplace of humanity and the ancestral home of African Americans.
44
What are the five primary climate zones of Africa?
* Desert * Semiarid * Savanna grasslands * Tropical rainforests * Mediterranean zone
45
What was a major reason for the emergence of population centers in the Sahel and Savannas?
Major water routes, fertile land, and connections for trade.
46
What were the hypothesized causes of the Bantu expansion?
* To expand kingdoms * To alleviate densely populated areas
47
What impact did the Bantu expansions have on Africa's linguistic diversity?
It spread the original Bantu language into hundreds of unique languages.
48
What were key features of complex societies in ancient East and West Africa?
* Organization of agriculture * Management of cattle * Control of trade * Propagation of culture
49
What was the primary trade item that made empires like Ghana and Mali wealthy?
Gold.
50
What was Nubia's significance in relation to Egypt?
It was the source of Egypt's gold and luxury trade items and established the 25th dynasty of the Black Pharaohs.
51
What was the significance of the Aksumite Empire?
It became the first Christian state on its own terms and developed its own currency and script.
52
What were the major items traded in ancient West African empires?
* Gold * Salt * Ivory * Slaves * Metal goods * Beads
53
How did gold trade influence the political development of West African empires?
It allowed economies to flourish and represented power and wealth.
54
What was the significance of the gold trade in West Africa?
It allowed the economies of many West African kingdoms to flourish, especially Mali, and connected these kingdoms to the Middle East. ## Footnote Gold represented power and wealth, and many kingdoms paid handsomely for it.
55
What were the main exports of the Ghana Empire?
* Pepper * Salt * Slaves * Gold ## Footnote Slaves could be war captives, farmers, or people in debt.
56
What role did the Asian Camel play in the Ghana Empire?
It enabled long journeys with small amounts of water, crucial for controlling the Trans-Saharan trade route.
57
What were the two main religious traditions in early West African societies?
* Islamic * Indigenous ## Footnote Islam was introduced by Arab traders, while indigenous religions remained strong in the forest region.
58
What was the significance of Timbuktu in the Mali Empire?
It was a major hub for trade in gold, slaves, and salt, and a leading center of Islamic learning.
59
Who was Mansa Musa and why is he significant?
Mansa Musa was the wealthiest ruler in history and made Mali famous during his pilgrimage to Mecca.
60
What was the function of the Sankore Mosque?
It was the first African university and a center for Islamic learning.
61
What was the role of Griots in West African societies?
They were storytellers, historians, and musicians who shared community history and traditions.
62
How did the adoption of Christianity affect the Kingdom of Kongo?
It initially strengthened trade relationships with Portugal but later led to increased enslavement of Kongo’s people.
63
What was the Kingdom of Zimbabwe known for?
It is best known for its large stone architecture and its role in long-distance trade.
64
What contributed to the rise of city-states on the Swahili Coast?
Its location on the Red Sea and Indian Ocean facilitated trade with Asia and the Middle East.
65
What were the primary goods traded by the Kingdom of Kongo?
* Ivory * Salt * Copper * Textiles ## Footnote These goods contributed to Kongo's wealth through trade.
66
What was the role of women in West and Central African societies?
Women could be griots, political advisors, market traders, educators, and agriculturalists.
67
What was the impact of the Portuguese colonization of Cabo Verde and Sao Tome?
It established cotton, indigo, and sugar plantations using the labor of enslaved Africans.
68
What were the early plantation economies characterized by?
They relied on enslaved Africans for labor and became models for slave-based economies in the Americas.
69
How did kinship ties function in early West African societies?
They served as the basis for political alliances and economic powers.
70
What was the significance of Queen Idia in the Kingdom of Benin?
She was the first iyoba and served as a political advisor and fierce warrior.
71
True or False: The Swahili language is a Bantu language.
True
72
Fill in the blank: The Great Enclosure in Great Zimbabwe served as a site for _______.
[religious and administrative activities]
73
What was the significance of the Atlantic Slave Trade for West Central Africa?
Kongo became the largest source of enslaved people, heavily impacting its population.
74
What is syncretism in the context of African religions?
The practice of combining different beliefs and various schools of thought.

AP AAS exam (1 decks)

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