Choose the Swahili Coast OR the Western Sudanic Empires.
Then, write an approximately 3-paged paper (750 words) to answer the following questions using one of the primary source documents listed for your chosen region. Even though you are answering the question prompts provided, organize your answers into an essay with an introduction, several body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Please limit yourself to our textbook, the information available in this section’s supplementary materials, and the linked primary sources as you work on your paper. Don’t forget to cite these sources in your paper’s internal citations/footnotes and bibliography! Refer to the Guidelines for Writing Essays found in your syllabus.
Questions to address in your paper:
o What does the primary source tell historians about the described society in terms of political organization, lifestyles/values, religious practices, the economy and/or its connections with the rest of the world?
o What potential silences or misinterpretations are present in the primary source?
o Overall, is the primary source a useful tool for historians hoping to learn about this society? Explain.
Option 1: The Swahili City-states
Primary source Options (choose one to analyze in your paper):
• Fordham sourcebook, “On the Zanj” by Abu Uthman al Jahiz,(c. 860 CE)
• Duarte Barbosa, “The East Coast of Africa at the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century,” (1540 CE)
• Ibn Battuta, “The East African Coast,” (1331 CE) Battuta in East Africa
OR
Option 2: The Western Sudanic Empires
Primary Source Options (choose one to analyze in your paper):
• The Description of Africa, (1526 CE) “Leo Africanus: Description of Timbuktu”
• Ibn Battuta, “Mali,” (1352) Battuta in Mali
Guidelines
Please use the following guidelines for writing your essays:
1. Essaysshouldbetypedin12-pointfont.Pleaseuseasimple,cleanfontsuchas Times New Roman or Palatino. Use 1” inch margins on all sides. Refer to the individual assignment directions (in the Dropbox tool) to determine the minimum length for each essay. The length may vary for each assignment.
2. Essaysaretobewrittenfollowingtherulesofcorrectgrammarandspelling, both of which will be taken into consideration in the evaluation of the essay. Be sure to proofread your essays as grammar and spell checks typically do not catch words used in incorrect contexts.
3. Essaysmustbeoriginalandanalyticalandmustbecarefultoincludewell- thought-out responses to the questions posed in the assignment. Make sure to address ALL parts of the question.
§ Introduction which does ALL of the following: states the purpose of the essay; frames the era by providing pertinent dates for the subject; provides a solid historical background moving from general statements about the subject to increasingly more specific ones; introduces the author of the document by providing some specific information important for better understanding why the author wrote what he or she did.
§ A thesis which specifically explains how the primary and/or secondary sources (as directed by the instructor) reflects the issues and developments of the historical period when it was produced.
§ Abodyofevidence,thisisthemainpartofyouressayanditis where you defend your thesis by referring to several major aspects of the primary and/or secondary sources, explaining how they reflect the concerns and issues of author in the context of the period when it was written. You rely on direct analysis of the primary and/or secondary source material to back up your assertions.
§ A conclusive summary that briefly reiterates your main points, but more important, suggests how the primary and/or secondary source points to later historical developments. How might it be a bridge to a later time in Greek history–do not just jump to the present and make a superficial remark about how everyone was better.
4. Youmustciteyoursourcesintextandprovideacompletebibliographyatthe end. REMEMBER: Any information or idea that is not your own MUST BE CITED.
§ Youmustgivespecificexamplesfromthesecondaryand/or primary sources used in the development of the paper and must cite these sources following the MLA style, the University of Chicago Press’s Chicago Manual of Style or Kate L. Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. Refer to the online resources Guide to the MLA Style or Turabian and Chicago Styles Citations. Your instructor will specify the preferred style. You should use footnotes or endnotes and provide a full bibliography at the end of your paper.
§ If you use direct quotations, you must not only cite your source, but must also use quotation marks. Example: Columbus explains that the weapons of the natives he encountered in the islands of the Caribbean were unsophisticated, and that their javelin, a much-used weapon, was “no more than sticks” joined together.
Please include the text and bibliography in one paper–not separate documents.
READ INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY
Unit 7 Essay: Using Written Sources to Study African History
Introduction
Historians who study the continent of Africa often run into problems acquiring and interpreting primary sources when they study Ancient and Medieval Africa. Considering these issues, this assignment asks you try your hand at interpretation and articulate some potential challenges with using the available written historical record to discuss African pasts.
One reason that historians of Africa struggle is the dearth of historical accounts written by Medieval Africans themselves. From about 800 to 1500 CE, many African cultures relied primarily on oral traditions (for example, see: griots), and did not emphasize written recorded histories. Therefore many of the written accounts we have regarding African societies during this time frame were recorded by visitors to the continent. Relying on accounts written by outsiders means that there aren’t necessarily, but there can be misunderstandings of African practices, glaring silences, and even overt judgment casting African societies in a negative light.
This paper assignment intends to have you engage with some of the available written sources so you can assess the available information, explaining what conclusions you can draw about the relevant African society and also recognizing the limitations of using the provided primary sources. Most historians who study Africa combine their interpretation of these sorts of primary sources with in-depth knowledge of the region and the use of archaeology, linguistic evidence, and oral testimonies.
Instructions