Second Take-Home Examination
 

Answer any TWO of the questions set out below. You are required to return your answer papers not later than two weeks from the date of this examination. Please make sure that your essays are well reasoned. The organization and presentation of your paper will be given some credit. You are free to make use of material from class lectures, readings from the recommended texts, and other sources that you may have consulted on your own. However, you should identify your sources whenever you incorporate the thoughts and words of authors, even from the internet.
 

1. "By every account Ethiopia has a unique history in Africa. It saved its Christianity from conquest by invading Muslims and its civilization from invading European imperialists."

Write an essay on ancient Ethiopia. How was Ethiopia able to overcome attempts to conquer it by alien forces to which other African state civilizations fell prey?
 

2. Assess the importance of the triple state system of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai in understanding the circumstances of ancient Africa. To what extent was the fall of Songhai responsible for political decay in the Western and Central Sudan?
 

3. "The Arab conquest and occupation of north Africa marked the beginning of the end of independence and autonomy for African state civilizations."
 

Examine the scope and consequences of the Arab invasion and conquest of north Africa and the Sahara. Include in your assessment the dispute between Morocco and Songhai at the end of the sixteenth century.
 

EITHER
 

4A. Write an essay on the interaction between Islam and Christianity in ancient Africa.
 

OR

4B. Write an essay on Christianity in ancient Africa. How was the fate of Christianity in ancient Africa related to its misfortunes in its original region of birth in Palestine and other areas of what is now called the Middle East?
 

5. What do you know about the "Forest States" of West Africa? Why were they so named? Discuss their characteristics
 

6. Write an essay on the political history of either OYO Empire or Benin City State in ancient Africa.