A History of Sub-Saharan Africa

by Robert O. Collins, James M. Burns

Overview

In a trawl through the entire sweep of sub-Saharan history, the authors, both teachers of African history and experienced travelers to the region, have written an accessible and comprehensive introduction for students and general readers. The opening chapter on geography and climate frames the discussion, demonstrating how the environment has shaped the societies and cultures of those living in the region. Thereafter they describe the rise of states and empires in the classical period, the slave trade within Africa and beyond to the Americas, and the European conquest. The concluding section focuses on Africa in the twentieth century as it gains independence and searches for a new identity beyond colonialism. While the authors mull over the debates which have shaped the study of African history over the last decade, at the center of this story are the tragedies, triumphs, and resilience of the African people. The book is illustrated with photographs, maps and sidebars which feature the salient points on either side of a debate, and lists of further reading for those who want to delve deeper.

About the Author:
Robert O. Collins is Emeritus Professor of History at the University of California, Santa Barbara

About the Author:
James M. Burns is Associate Professor of History at Clemson University

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521687089
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	02/01/2007
Edition description:	Older Edition
Pages:	417
Product dimensions:	6.89(w) x 9.69(h) x 0.98(d)

About the Author

Robert O. Collins (1933–2008) began his career in Africa in 1956 when he travelled to the newly independent nation of Sudan. He earned graduate degrees from Oxford and Columbia Universities. He taught African history at the University of California, Santa Barbara for forty years. He is the author of over twenty books on African history.

Table of Contents

List of illustrations     vii
List of maps     viii
List of boxes     ix
List of tables     x
Preface     xi
Conversion table     xii
Introduction     1
Foundations
The historical geography of Africa     7
Kingdoms on the Nile     23
The peoples of sub-Saharan Africa: society, culture, language     40
Crops, cows, and iron     52
Northeast Africa in the age of Aksum     64
Empires of the plains     78
East Africa and the Indian Ocean world     96
The Lake Plateau of East Africa     114
Societies and states of the West African forest     128
Kingdoms and trade in Central Africa     142
The peoples and states of southern Africa     159
Africa in world history
The arrival of Europeans in sub-Saharan Africa     175
Diseases and crops: old and new     191
Slavery in Africa     202
The Atlantic slave trade     213
The Asian slave trade     228
Imperial Africa
Prelude to the European conquest of Africa     251
The European conquest of Africa     265
Africans, Dutch, and the British in South Africa,1486-1910     280
European colonial rule in Africa     296
The colonial legacy     309
Independent Africa
Nationalism and the independence of colonial Africa     331
The Union of South Africa and the apartheid state     344
A decade of hope     357
Cold war Africa     366
Africa at the beginning of the twenty-first century     377
Index     390

Editorial Reviews

"The clear writing and strong narrative drive in this text will be attractive to instructors looking for a one volume history of Africa that students will read. Supplemented with other texts, it will work well in the classroom as it gives a solid academic presentation of key issues and themes in African history, such as the slave trade and slavery over the long term. This history will also appeal to a more general audience, as it offers them a lively discussion of African geography and environment, a history that includes named individuals and politics, and a clear narrative. Substantive issues are treated in a clear way that will engage students and a wider audience." - James Searing, University of Illinois, Chicago

From the Publisher