African Studies: The Continent and Diaspora

Course Syllabus
Instructor:
Kali Alford
Email:
alfordk@fultonschools.org
Room:
607
My Website: myalfordismyteacher.weebly.com

Course Description:
For many centuries the study of Africa has been shrouded in a cloud of misconception, insensitivity, and
discord. Much of Africas history has been excluded from World History or is only taught as a part of the
European colonial conquest creating an ethnocentric view of an otherwise rich history. This
interdisciplinary course seeks to examine Africas history and culture from the time preceding European
contact to now and emphasize Africas impact on the world. Through analysis of a variety of artifacts and
primary sources, students will be introduced to the diverse cultural, religious, and historical matters
relating to the African continent and those of African descent.

Units of Instruction:
Unit 1

Perceptions/ Misconceptions

One Week

The student will investigate the origins of misconceptions and perceptions of the African
continent and the cultures therein between the 15th century and modern day.
a. Assess modern media, movies, and textbooks for bias and Ethnocentrism.
b. Compare and contrast the European depictions of Africans before and after the
Renaissance.
c. Evaluate the importance of maps and the role of cartographers in the historical
inaccuracies of the African continent.
d. Determine the purpose behind the creation RACE and identify the effects it had on the
African continent.

Unit 2

Empires/ Contact with Europe

Two Weeks

The student will identify the political structures and most notable African Empires that
existed prior to major European contact.
a. Explain and examine people without Empire in pre-colonial Africa.
b. Describe and explain the empires of Ghana, Mali, Songhai and their culture, political
structure, and patterns of growth.
c. Investigate the remnants of Great Zimbabwe and what evaluate the validity of current
theories about the empire.
d. Distinguish and compare the various Swahili Kingdoms.
Unit 3

Religion and Gender in Africa

One Week

The student will explain and examine the spread of Christianity and Islam into Africa and
the lasting impacts these religions had on African culture.
a. Indentify and compare characteristics of various indigenous religions present in Africa.
b. Trace and tabulate the spread of Christianity and Islam throughout African from
Southwest Asia.
c. Evaluate the effects Christianity and Islam had on indigenous African religions and the
roles of women.
Unit 4

Captivity and Slave Trades

Two Weeks

The student will analyze and examine the establishment of the Trans-Saharan, TransAtlantic, and Indian Ocean mass slave trade systems and compare them to the prior
institutions of servitude present in Africa.
a. Examine specific examples and practices of indigenous servitude systems present in
Africa prior to mass slave systems
b. Describe the transition from gold and spices to humans as the main commodities in the
Trans-Saharan trade system.
c. Examine the origins of the Trans Atlantic slave systems and evaluate the various roles
that Europeans and Africans played in the system as well as describe the practices of
slave traders and the treatment of slaves in relation to the Middle Passage.
d. Describe the economic relations between the Swahili kingdoms of East Africa and
nations in Indian Ocean and South Asia.

Unit 5

African Diaspora

Two Weeks

The student will examine various destinations of Africans in the slave trade, the cultural
exchanges that have taken place, and the cultures that have developed.
a. Examine the North American plantation system and the role of enslaved Africans.
b. Investigate various case studies of slave systems in Brazil and the Caribbean and the
African response.
c. Examine the motivations of the various ethno-political divides that were created in Brazil
and the Caribbean.
d. Identify and explain Africanisms present in Indian Ocean and South Asian cultures
Unit 6

Colonialism

Two Weeks

The student will analyze the period of European colonization of Africa by examining the
various perspectives of the colonizing powers and the colonized peoples of Africa.
a. Describe the provisions and parameters for the partitioning of Africa during the Berlin
Conference.
b. Examine the political, social, and economic motivations behind the European
colonization of Africa.
c. Identify the various types of colonization practiced in African and investigate their role in
the current state of various African nations.
d. Describe the treatment African people by colonizing powers and methods of subjugation.
Unit 7

Africa and the World Wars __

One Week

The student will learn about Africas relevance in both World Wars and the impact of the
wars on various regions of Africa.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Describe the methods of recruitment by the various colonial powers during World War I.
Examine the allocation of Germanys colonies following the conclusion of World War I.
Explain the significance and strategic relevance of World War II battles in Africa.
Investigate the ties of service in the World Wars to decolonization and colonization resistance
movements.

Unit 8

Decolonization/ Freedom Movements

Two Weeks

The student will explore various freedom movements throughout Africa that contributed to
decolonization.
a. Consider African Nationalism by examining the writings and perspectives of Kwame
Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta, and Hastings Banda.
b. Compare and contrast the Pan African ideologies of the Eight African State African
Conference, Casablanca Group, and the Monrovia Group
c. Investigate the motivations behind, implementation, and response to the institution of
apartheid in South Africa.

Unit 9

Cold War & Contemporary Issues

Two Weeks

The student will examine the remnants of colonialism and investigate the roles of Soviet Russia
and the United States in post-colonial Africa.
a. Investigate the Congo crisis (1960-1965) and United States response to Soviet involvement
in the Congo.
b. Explore the influences and interest of Cuba, the Soviet Union, South Africa, and the United
States in the Angolan Civil War

Unit 10

Africas Contribution to the Global Community

One Week

The student will consider Africas contributions to the global community and examine Africas
current state in the global economy.
a. Canvass African movements of art, music, and literature, present on the global stage and
examine their continental influences.
b. Reflect upon Africas place in World History and infer about the economic, social, and
political future of the continent.

Grading Percentages:

Grading Scale:
90-100

80-89

70-79

69 and below

Major Assessments: 40%

Projects and Test
Minor Assessments: 40%
Classwork and Quizzes
Final Exam: 20%

Projects: There will be a variety of group and individual projects and presentations throughout the
course.
Tests: Tests may be multiple choice, essay, or short answer in format.
Participation: Since there is no main text for the course the students will rely heavily on readings and
primary source documents during this study of Africa. Using these documents, students will participate in
small group discussions in class as well as online discussion outside of class. This class will be taught as
an upper level course. In similar fashion to many college courses, the instructor will employ Socratic
discussions which make class participation a key method not only for students to gain better
understanding of the content, but also as an observable medium of assessment for the instructor. Reading
quizzes will also be given to insure students are completing assigned readings.
Final exam: There will be a comprehensive final at the end of the course.
Classroom Policies:
Responsibilities: Students are expected to be on time for class and attend daily, come prepared, complete
all assignments, and respect themselves and others. Class will start on time, so you are to be seated and
ready as soon as the bell rings. Students are expected to follow the rules of Riverwood International
Charter School and the FCBOE.
Dresscode: The school dress code will be enforced.
Late Work: Late work is unacceptable. However, in the event a student plans on turning in an assignment
late, the expectation is that the student contacts the instructor beforehand to explain why the work is late.
Accepting work from students who repeatedly turn in assignments late will be up to the discretion of the
teacher.
Make-up Policy for Classwork: Attendance is important. Please come to class daily and on time. It is
the students responsibility to see their instructor regarding work that has been missed due to an absence.
You are encouraged to check the class website when you are absent. A make-up work request must be
made the day that the student returns from an absence. Please see me before school, after school or
during lunch. At that time I will determine when the work that you missed will be due. Students should
not interrupt class to get make-up work. If a student knows in advance of an absence, see me prior to the
absence to get any work that will be missed. Students may also email me at
mralfordismyteacher@gmail.com.
Make-up Policy for Tests and Major Assignments: If a student is absent on the day of exam, they are
expected email me to let me know about the absence so that arrangements for a make-up exam can be
made. The student will be expected to make up the exam when they return to school. In the case of
projects and papers, the student is expected to email me regarding the absence. The project (if it is on
Powerpoint) or paper should be attached to this email. All other projects should be brought to the school

that day, if possible. If not, they need to be turned in by 8:15 the following day. In the case of
presentations, a paper will have to be written in lieu of a missed presentation.
Recovery: In the event that a student is failing the course, opportunities for academic assistance are
available. An academic assistance plan is a second opportunity to demonstrate competence in the
originally evaluated objectives. In order to receive this opportunity for tests in which the student earned
an unsatisfactory grade, the STUDENT must attend a tutorial session prior to the test. Making up
assignments that were never completed is NOT an example of recovery; neither is retaking a test.
Students will have an appropriate time period to complete the work which corresponds to the recovery
assignment, however, this period will not exceed five (5) total days (not class periods). ALL REQUESTS
FOR ASSITANCE MUST BE INITIATED BY THE END OF THE 14TH WEEK OF THE SEMESTER.
Teacher Availability: The instructor is available before and after school on Wednesdays and some
mornings, by appointment only. IT IS THE STUDENTS RESPONSIBILITY TO SCHEDULE
APPOINTMENTS WITH THE INSTRUCTOR ON DAYS OTHER THAN WEDNESDAY.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: The Social Studies Mission Statement provides that teachers develop the whole
person by nurturing in students a sense of responsibility. Students need to be cognizant of what is right
and what is wrong. Honesty is one of our highest values. If we are to develop students as contributing
citizens of society, we as teachers need to ensure the moral honesty of our students and instill academic
integrity. We define a lack of academic integrity to be dishonest or deceitful behavior shown by students
who gain an unfair academic advantage through, but not limited to, some of the following methods;
plagiarism; copying another's work when it is not explicitly encouraged by the teacher; providing details
of a specific test or quiz before, during, or after the event; after the event; the use of unauthorized aids on
tests, such as cheat sheets or programmed calculators; or recycling/reusing a previous paper or project of
one's own or another's without the explicit consent of the teacher.
PREVENTATIVE MEASURES: Social Studies Teachers will use Turnitin.com as a tool to combat plagiarism.
All Students will be required to upload major papers to this website, or any other papers deemed
necessary by the teacher. At any time, teachers should be able to verify references by pulling them up on
the Internet (for web references), or books (confirmed through Amazon.com). If the teacher is unable to
confirm references, it shall be referred to the student to provide evidence of such references.
THERE WILL BE NO DISCUSSION OF EXAMS, QUIZZES, OR WRITING ASSIGNMENTS:
Students are NOT to discuss exam, quiz, or writing questions unless it is done so in class under the
direction of their teacher.
PERSONAL HONOR VERIFICATION: Each student will hand write the following pledge on
designated assignments prior to handing it in to the instructor, I have neither given nor received any
unauthorized assistance on this assignment followed by the students signature.
PLEASE REFER TO THE RICS HONOR CODE FOR DETAILS AND AN OUTLINE OF CONSEQUENCES.

Please read the syllabus and review it with your son or daughter. Some of the information that will be
covered in this course can be poignant in nature. Because of this it will be extremely important to take
into the feeling and views of classmates. If you have any questions, please contact me by phone at.
Please sign below to indicate that you have read the syllabus. Please provide your contact information as
well.