The Sahel and Sub-Saharan Africa

For thousands of years, humans in the Sahel followed the moisture. Unencumbered by political borders, the nomadic Bedouin people migrated north in the summer and south in the winter. However, the colonial powers curtailed the seasonal movement of the bedouins and divided the groups by imposing political boundaries on the landscape. We can trace many of the ongoing conflicts in the Sahel to a clash between traditional practices and interference from outside powers.

In this unit, we analyze the physical characteristics of Sub-Saharan Africa and explore the region before colonization. Then, we consider the impact of European imperialism on the indigenous peoples and their culture. We continue our study of the familiar themes of income inequality and globalization. We cannot escape the cultural, political, and economic impact of European colonialism around the world. This is particularly true in Sub-Saharan Africa, where life for many people has not changed much since achieving independence.

Study this map of Sub-Saharan Africa in Figure 6.3 so you are familiar with the locations of the countries and some of the major geographic features.