African History
...about. Africa is where we originated from, and that is why I think it is very important to know about this subject. In order to know what happened in this time period the work of historians, archaeologists, and paleontologists is critical.
I think historians are very important in the study of the pre-colonial African past. If historians didn't do their job than nobody would know what happened in the beginning of time or anytime period that is wondered about. Everyone wonders what happened when there ancestors were growing up and when humans originated. It is a historian's job to study fossils and evidence to figure out when they were from and what they were. Historians use evidence such as this and sources such as archaeologists to help them in their study of the pre-colonial African past.
Archaeologists study the past of human life by the examination of remaining material. There have been many fossils found. Some of them date to millions of years ago such as the hominid fossil named Lucy found at Hadar, Ethiopia by Taieb and Johanson in 1974 (Gilbert & Reynolds, p.7) Archaeologists and historians have found out about the economies, societies, politics, and religion. They have discovered that people had indigenous beliefs for religion. Societies and rulers rose in volume of trade and production. They controlled their trade in raw materials to the coast. (States and societies in South-Central Africa lecture). The economy was developed by trade. Gold is traded for those who are rich. A lot of people farmed as well. Politics involved the ruler and him controlling the social organization and trade.
Sources such as the Sundiata Epic are important for many reasons. When we had the lecture over the Sundiata Epic as history we received a lot of information that is helpful with answering the question we were asked. I think that this oral source...
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