African Kingdoms: An Encyclopedia of Empires and Civilizations

(Hardback)

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Description

This history-rich volume details the sociopolitical, economic, and artistic aspects of African kingdoms from the earliest times to the second half of the 19th century. Africa has a long and fascinating history and is a place of growing importance in the world history curriculum. This detailed encyclopedia covers the history of African kingdoms from antiquity through the mid-19th century, tracing the dynasties' ties to modern globalization and influences on world culture before, during, and after the demise of the slave trade. Along with an exploration of African heritage, this reference is rich with firsthand accounts of Africa through the oral traditions of its people and the written journals of European explorers, missionaries, and travelers who visited Africa from the 15th century and onward. Alphabetically arranged entries cover a particular kingdom and feature information on the economic, cultural, religious, political, social, and environmental history of the regime. The content references popular culture, movies, and art that present contemporary reenactments of kingdoms, emphasizing the importance of history in shaping modern ideas. Other features include primary source documents, a selected bibliography of print and electronic resources, and dozens of sidebars containing key facts and interesting trivia.

Reviews

This encyclopedia provides an insightful introduction to the continent's history and demonstrates how its rich past continues to influence Africa today. * ARBA *
The work will be useful for both public and university libraries' reference collections. Summing Up: Highly recommended. High school through upper-level undergraduate students; general readers. * Choice *
A useful reference guide for senior high students needing information for world history and cultural studies. * School Library Connection *

Author Bio

Saheed Aderinto, PhD, is associate professor of history at Western Carolina University.