Africa is central to human history. It is the continent where our species arose, where some of the greatest
ancient civilizations throve, and where dynamic, complex, and innovative cultures confronted a variety of
social, political, and environmental challenges. Many African states and societies were materially
wealthier than their European counterparts until the 1700s, and Africa has always been connected—
however tenuously at times—to the wider world. Yet in the popular, Eurocentric historical imagination in
the U.S. and Europe, there is sparse knowledge of Africa’s history, and it was rarely even considered a
subject for historical study until the 1950s. For the period before European political dominion in Africa
(c.1880-1960), this lack is even more pronounced. In this course we will explore the history of Africa
between the 800s and the late 1800s, while at the same time discovering the logic behind African
historical developments and tracing the broader implications of Africa’s history.
