Africa is the second largest continent, and filled with loads and loads of history to study. Despite the fact that most people think that African history began with slavery, you will find thousands of years of Africa history before slavery, which resemble other World’s history. Understandably, the continent began using iron more than 5000 years ago. The Kingdom of Ghana, which was the first African country to gain independence, was known for its excellent taxation system, and it hold monopolies over Gold for a long duration. Egypt, on the other hand is the home to ancient civilization.
The Study of Africa history helps in the understand the diversity of Africa, which has a great place in the learning of world‘s history. Africa diversity is pictured in its physical geography, plurality of cultures, religions, economic productions, political structures, consumptions, and distributions, among other practices. Since Africa has such a dynamic history , it being the birthplace of human societies, myriads of civilization, and the continent being shaped with contacts from the westerners, the latter concept are a need study in order to understand world history. The interaction between Africa and its colonial power lead to massive migration, slavery, cold war, colonialism, which affected state systems, and many world ‘s histories studies the latter issues.
African has been interacting with the outside world for several millennia, and positives have emancipated from this interactions. First, the interactions facilitated trade, and Africans were able to export minerals, agricultural products, as well as cultural expressions to the outside world. Africans on the other hand, we able to benefit from imports: expertise, technologies, machinery, etc. Therefore, studying African history helps understand the contribution of Africa to the global trade, which is a hot topic while learning world’s history.
In conclusion, Africa history goes beyond slavery and it is far more fetched that just a struggle of basic rights. It will be an instrumental matter if we could start to treat African history as important as other world’s history. Children from all over the globe need to know more about Africa history, and slavery should not be the only focus.
By Samson Ogaye
Africa Global News Publication