AFRICA

1. AFRICA INDEPENDENCE AND ITS CHALLENGES

2. GROWTH OF NATIONALISM • Nationalism – a feeling of pride in one’s homeland • Many Africans dreamed of independence in their homeland just as Jews have always dreamed of an independent homeland

3. Growth of Nationalism • Fight for independence difficult and sometimes violent • “The wrongs of the past must now stand forgiven and forgotten” – Robert Mugabe – Zimbabwe’s president (ironic) • African’s had to work together to build self-governing nations

4. Working together to fight colonialism • Leaders worked to encourage pride in being African • Colonial powers often put rival tribes in one land – they had to learn to work together • 1912 – African National Congress in South Africa began fighting for rights

5. PAN AFRICANISM • A movement that stressed unity and cooperation among all Africans • “Africa for the Africans” • Encouraged Africans to be proud of their own traditions and culture

6. WORLD WAR 11 • Africans fought and died alongside the allies in WW11 against Hitler • They were fighting for the freedom of Europe and the world • Yet they were not free • Now they wanted their own freedom

7. DIFFERENT PATHS TO FREEDOM • Colonial powers could no longer afford the empire • People all over (US too) spoke out against colonialism • “The winds of change are blowing across Africa” • Some gave up willingly, some violently

8. CHALLENGES OF INDEPENDENCE • New African leaders inexperienced in governing • Colonials left local people unprepared • New governments often unstable • Some countries – military government • Some countries – democracy like Botswana who were used to kgotla

9. DEMOCRACY TAKES TIME • Most African countries are less than 40 years old • The US has been a democracy for 200 years • “Let Africa be given the time to develop its own democracy”

10. ISSUES FOR AFRICAECONOMIC • Most Africans are farmers • Drought – creating migrant labor in Sahel’s dry season • Solution - Irrigation systems

11. ISSUES FOR AFRICAECONOMIC • Colonial powers built little infrastructure like factories • Little industry in Africa • Main African exports: Cash crops – cocoa, coffee, bananas Minerals – oil, coal, copper, gold, diamonds, uranium

12. ECONOMIC CHALLENGES • Specialized economies – dependent on one or two products • Sensitive to world rise and fall of price • African economies trying to diversify • Africa’s population growing – hard to feed • Hybrid plants – can double harvests

13. ISSUES OF AFRICASOCIAL -education • How do Africans educate for the modern world and still keep traditions? • African children needed to help farm or sell produce • Education often a sacrifice for parents

14. ISSUES OF AFRICASOCIAL - education • Schools overcrowded – shifts • Literacy varies • Mozambique – 10% before independence – now 33% • Tanzania – 15% before independence - now 90%

15. ISSUES OF AFRICASOCIAL - health • Life expectancy varies greatly • Insects carry diseases in tropical climates • Progress on malaria, sleeping sickness, smallpox, river blindness, typhoid • Vaccination programs

16. ISSUES OF AFRICATHE ENVIRONMENT • Desertification • Deforestation causes soil erosion • Reduction in arable land • Threats of starvation

17. AFRICA STILL FACES MANY CHALLENGES • Scientific solutions: irrigation, hybrids, water holding plants • Africans are working hard to resolve their problems • Education is one key