HL Options: Depth Studies - History of Africa and the Middle East

1: The ‘Abbasid dynasty (750-1258)

• The fall of the Umayyads and the 'Abbasid Revolution; reasons for 'Abbasid defeat of the Umayyads, including the role of 'Abbasid military power; the consequences of the revolution; the shift of power from Syria to Iraq

• Political, social and economic aspects of the first century of 'Abbasid rule

• Religious aspects of 'Abbasid rule, the role of the Ulama

• The impact of other civilizations on the 'Abbasids; the Sassanian heritage

• Case studies: al-Mansur; Harun al-Rashid; al-Ma'mun

• Science, culture, philosophy and invention during the Golden Age of Islam

• Decline of the empire; breakdown of 'Abbasid authority; rifts and divisions; Mongol invasion

2: The Fatimids (909-1171)

• Foundation of the dynasty; political, economic and social factors

• Conquest of Egypt and the foundation of Cairo; reasons for, and impact of, the conquest

• Fatimid claims to the caliphate: the 'Abbasids and Umayyads of Spain

• Fatimid ideology and its historical impact; religious relations (Muslims, Coptic Christians, Jews)

• Economic developments including trade within the Fatimid realm of influence

• Height of the Fatimid Empire; government institutions; institutions of learning (Dar al-'Ilm)

• Decline of the Fatimids: internal dissolution; external challenges

• Case studies of two of the following: al-Mu'izz (953–975); al-Hakim (996–1021); al-Mustansir (1036–1094)

3: The Crusades (1095-1291)

• Origins of, and motives for, the Crusades: religious and secular; the holy places; pilgrimage and preaching; theory and practice of jihad

• The First Crusade (1096–1099); the Second Crusade (1145–1149), Third Crusade (1189–1192) and Fourth Crusade (1202–1204): causes; extent of success; consequences

• Foundation of the crusader states: Jerusalem, Antioch, Edessa and Tripoli

• Role and significance of key individuals: Godfrey de Bouillon, Richard I of England, Nur al-Din, Salah al-Din (Saladin) and Baibars

• Military aspects of the Crusades: tactics, major battles and weapons; Templars, Hospitallers, Assassins

• Reasons for successes and failures of both sides throughout the period of the Crusades

• Impact and importance of the Crusades in the Middle East and in the Byzantine Empire

4: The Ottomans (1281-1566)

• Rise of the Ottomans: Anatolia and the Balkans

• Effects of the foundation of the Ottoman Empire on Europe and Muslim lands

• Rise of the Safavids and contest with the Ottomans

• Ottoman expansion: reasons for; the conquests of Egypt and Syria; fall of the Mamluks—impact and significance

• Military and administrative nature of the Ottoman Empire; changes to the Islamic world; Ottoman contribution to Islamic culture

• Ottoman invasion and capture of Byzantium; reasons for, and consequences of, the fall of Constantinople (1453); its effect on transforming the Ottoman state

• Case studies of two of the following: Mehmet II (1451–1481); Selim I (1512–1520); Suleiman the Magnificent (1520–1566)

5: Trade and the rise and decline of African states and empires (800-1600)

• Types of trade: trans-Saharan trade in gold and salt—importance of different routes and control over these; impact of trade on the rise and decline of empires; Indian Ocean trade in slaves, ivory, spices and textiles

• Impact of trade on the spread of religion and culture: the Islamization of East and West Africa; influence of Catholicism in the Kingdom of the Kongo

• Ghana Empire (c830–1235): causes of the rise and decline of the Ghana Empire; system of government; social and economic organization; importance of trade; the Almoravid jihad

• Mali Empire (c1230–1600): causes of the rise and decline of the Mali Empire; social, economic and administrative reforms; military organization; importance of Islam; trade

• Rise and expansion of the Kingdom of the Kongo to 1600: political, social and economic organization

• Swahili city states: importance of the Indian Ocean trade in the rise and growth of the city states; emergence of a cosmopolitan Swahili culture

6: Pre-colonial African states (1800-1900)

• Rise of the Zulu under Shaka; the Mfecane/Difaqane—social, political and economic causes and effects; rise of the Sotho under Moshoeshoe

• Rise of the Sokoto Caliphate under Usman Dan Fodio, and its effects

• Rise of the Niger Delta trading states: Nana and Jaja

• Ethiopian unification and expansion under Tewodros II, Yohannes IV, Menelik II

• Rise of the Mahdist state in Sudan

• Case studies of the rise of two of the following: the Mandinka Empire under Samori Toure; the Lozi kingdom under Lewanika; the Ndebele kingdom under Mziklikazi and Lobengula; the Asante empire under Osei Tutu; the Unyamwezi under Mirambo; the Hehe state under Mkwawa

7: The slave trade in Africa and the Middle East (1500-1900)

• Reasons for the expansion of the Atlantic slave trade from the 16th century: technological factors and the growth of maritime commerce; impact on the slave trade of plantation agriculture; existing practice of slavery in African societies; rivalries and warfare between African states

• Reasons for the expansion of the East African slave trade from the late 18th century: existing slave trade between Arabia and the Swahili coast; expansion of the Sultanate of Oman into East Africa; rising international demand resulting from the ban on the Atlantic trade

• Nature of the slave trade: its social and economic impact in Africa and the Middle East; role and significance of individuals

• Causes of the decline of the Atlantic slave trade: industrialization and economic changes; role of the abolitionist movement; rise of legitimate commerce

• Causes of the decline of the East African slave trade: humanitarian factors and the influence of missionaries; colonial expansion and the closing of the markets; decline of slavery in the Ottoman Empire

• Impact and significance of anti-slavery Acts in the 19th century; including 1807 Slave Trade Act, 1833 Abolition of Slavery Act, 1885 Berlin Act

8: European imperialism and the partition of Africa (1850-1900)

• Growth of European activity in Africa: opportunities presented by the decline of the Ottoman Empire; traders, missionaries and explorers; creeping colonization

• Economic causes of partition: economic weaknesses in Europe; raw materials; search for new markets; role of chartered companies

• Strategic causes of the partition: the sea route to the east; British actions in Egypt and South Africa, and the responses of other European powers

• Other causes: national rivalry; humanitarian factors

• African background to partition: military, technological and administrative weaknesses; political and cultural disunity; collaboration

• German annexation: factors facilitating the annexation; the Berlin West Africa Conference and its impact

• Activities of King Leopold II of Belgium and De Brazza in the Congo region

9: Response to European imperialism (1870-1920)

• Factors influencing decisions to resist: determination to preserve independence; brutality and inflexibility of the colonizing power; political structures; military strength; access to firearms

• Ethiopian resistance under Menelik II: reasons for success

• Mandinka resistance to French rule: reasons for success and failure

• Herero and Nama resistance in Namibia: reasons for failure

• Cetshwayo and the conquest and destruction of the Zulu kingdom

• The Asante Wars (1873, 1896, 1900): reasons for Asante resistance and British intervention

• Factors influencing decisions to collaborate: pragmatism; willingness of the colonial power to negotiate; social, political and economic gains including protection; lack of alternative

• Collaboration: Lewanika and Khama with the British

• Resistance and collaboration in Buganda: Kabaka Mwanga and Apolo Kagwa, reasons for failure and success

10: Africa under colonialism (1890-1980)

• British rule in Kenya: colonial administration; economic and social development to 1963

• Tanganyika under German and British rule to 1961

• Nyasaland, Northern Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia under British rule: economic and social development to 1965; the creation and collapse of the Central African Federation; Ian Smith and the Unilateral Declaration of Independence

• Angola/Mozambique under Portuguese rule: economic and social development to 1975

• Nigeria: direct and indirect rule; factors that promoted the choice of administrative system in Nigeria; economic and social development; regional rivalries; constitutional developments to 1960

• Gold Coast: colonial administration; economic, social and political development to 1957

• Senegal: colonial administration; economic, social and political development to 1960

11: 20th-century nationalist and independence movements in Africa

• Angola: liberation war; Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) to independence in 1975

• South-West Africa: South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) to independence for Namibia in 1990

• Kenya: trade unions; Mau Mau; Jomo Kenyatta and Kenya African National Union (KANU) to 1963

• Gold Coast to Ghana: Nkrumah and the Convention People’s Party (CPP) to independence in 1957

• French West Africa: nationalism, political parties and independence in Senegal in 1960

• Tanganyika: Tanganyika African National Union; Julius Nyerere to 1961

12: The Ottoman Empire (c1800-1923)

• Challenges to Ottoman power in the early 19th century: Greek War of Independence; Muhammad Ali in Egypt

• The Eastern Question: European challenges and Ottoman responses; Crimean War; causes and outcomes of 19th-century crises in the Balkans

• Decline of Ottoman power in the Middle East and North Africa: Egypt, Libya, Algeria; Lebanon

• Attempts at internal reform and modernizations: causes, aims and effects of Tanzimat reforms; Abdul Hamid—reaction and reform

• Growth of the Committee of Union and Progress to 1908–1909; reforms of the Young Turks; Balkan Wars (1912 and 1913)

• Ottoman Empire in the First World War: reasons for entry; impact of war; rise of Ataturk and collapse of empire

13: War and change in the Middle East and North Africa 1914-1945

• Allied diplomacy in the Middle East: McMahon–Hussein correspondence; Sykes–Picot; Arab Revolt; Balfour Declaration

• Effects of Paris peace treaties: territorial and political impact; mandate system; British and French administration in Iraq, Transjordan, Syria and Lebanon

• Egypt after the First World War: nationalism; emergence of Wafd Party; Declaration of Independence; British influence

• Palestine mandate: economic, social and political developments; impact of Jewish immigration and settlement; British responses and policies

• Ataturk and the Turkish Republic: aims and policies; impact on Turkish society; successes and failures

• Case study on Iran, Saudi Arabia or a North African state: economic, political and social developments; western influences; attempts at modernization

14: Africa, international organizations and the international community (20th century)

• League of Nations: Abyssinian Crisis (1934–1936); causes and consequences of the failure of the League of Nations to deal with Italian aggression

• Organization of African Unity (OAU) and African Union (AU): objectives, structure, successes and failures

• Regional organizations: East African Community (EAC) (1967–1977); Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC)/Southern African Development Community (SADC); successes and failures

• Africa and the UN: Congo, Mozambique, Somalia and Rwanda: reasons for successes and failures; wider impact

• UN specialized agencies: a case study of the impact of any two agencies

• The Cold War and its impact on Africa: a case study of the impact on any two African countries

15: Developments in South Africa 1880-1994

• Discovery of diamonds and gold: political, social and economic consequences

• South African War (1899–1902): causes—economic, political, strategic; course and consequences; the Treaty of Vereeniging and developments leading to the Act of Union (1909)

• Policies of Smuts and Hertzog (1910–1948); segregation, discrimination and protest

• National Party: reasons for the election victory of 1948; nature and impact of apartheid policies of Malan; Verwoerd and Grand Apartheid: the Bantustan system

• Resistance to apartheid: radicalization of resistance; the African National Congress (ANC); Sharpeville and the decision to adopt armed struggle; Steve Biko and the Black Consciousness movement; Soweto massacre; township unrest in the 1980s

• International opposition to apartheid: the impact of the economic boycott

• The end of the apartheid system: De Klerk’s lifting of the ban on the ANC; release of Mandela and his role in the transition to democracy; the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA); the 1994 elections

16: Social and cultural developments in Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries

• Factors promoting and inhibiting the spread of Islam and Christianity in Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries

• The African Independent Churches movement; reasons for the creation and growth of Africanist churches

• Changing social and cultural values

• Changing role of women

• Social and cultural impact of technological developments

• Impact of immigration and emigration

• Developments in the arts: the impact of colonialism on art and culture

• Developments in education

17: Post-war developments in the Middle East (1945-2000)

• Origins of the state of Israel: post-war tensions and instability in the mandate; causes and effects of the 1948–1949 War

• Arab–Israeli conflicts: Suez Crisis, Six Day War, 1973 War; effects of conflicts—occupied territories, intifadas, Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO); attempts at peacemaking up to, and including, Camp David (2000)

• Post-war Egypt: Nasser, Sadat, Mubarak—political developments; economic and social policies; Pan-Arabism and the United Arab Republic (UAR)

• Post-war Iran: modernization and westernization under Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi; western influence; White Revolution; origins and effects of the 1979 Revolution; post-revolution Iran and effects of the Iran–Iraq War

• Lebanon: civil wars; outside interference and reconstruction; Confessional state; economic, religious and social tensions; growth of militias and the PLO

18: Post-independence politics in Africa to 2005

• Causes of ethnic conflict, civil war and military intervention: including ethnic tensions, economic problems, destabilization by outside forces, inefficiency of civilian governments, ideology, and personal ambition

• Impact of ethnic conflict, civil war and military intervention; impact of military rule

• Social and economic challenges: disease, illiteracy, poverty, famine; neo-colonial economic exploitation

• Establishment of single-party states; reasons for establishment, including personal ambition, failure of democracy, and need for effective government

• Return to multi-party democracy in the 1980s and 1990s: reasons for successes and failures

• Economic growth and development to 2005: reasons for growth, including political stability and multi-partyism; leadership; infrastructural development; investment; economic reforms