North Africa

19-2

Roots of Civilization in North Africa

• Ancient Egyptian Government– Monarchy– Led by god-kings called pharaohs

• Ancient world practices acquired from Egypt– Use of geometry to set boundaries– Medical treatments

• Muslims gain control of North Africa– Military conquest– By 750, all of Northern Africa Muslim controlled

Pharaohs

http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/pharaoh/story/main.htmlhttp://malaland.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/king-tut.jpg

http://www.touregypt.net/kings.htm

Economies of Oil

• North Africa’s economic base– Agriculture cash crops mining oil

• North African economies transformed by oil– Libya, Algeria, Tunisia

• Oil Industry and local workers– No benefit for local workers– No training or education– Forces oil companies to hire foreign workers

A Culture of Markets and Music

• Major influences in North African culture– Arabic– Traditional African ethnic groups

• Souks (marketplaces)– Prices are set for products sold by bartering

and haggling between buyer and seller

• Rai music– Transformed from carefree music for urban

youths into a form of protest

Pictures

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Souk in Tripoli, Libya

Changing Roles of Women

• Traditional role for women in North Africa– Stay at home– Eat and pray apart from men

• Marriage laws in Tunisia– Polygamy has been abolished– Pre-teen girls cannot marry– Spousal abuse is punished more severely– Either spouse can seek divorce

• Tunisian women outside the home– Hold professional jobs– Sit in Parliament– Run businesses