This survey of African history takes up the continuing saga of African political, social and economic developments from the aftermath of the trans-Atlantic slave trade up to the present. It is divided into three sections. The first section of the course focuses on the consequences of the slave trade on African societies and on the interaction of Africans with European merchants, explorers, and missionaries in the decades preceding colonial conquest. The effects of the trade in human beings lingered long after the abolition of the slave trade across the Atlantic ocean. Many African societies were weakened, setting the stage for colonial conquest, while others were strengthened, often at the expense of their neighbors. During the second half of the nineteenth century, however, competition among Europeans for control over sources of raw materials for their nascent industries led to colonization, and in some cases, to white settlement in Africa. The second section of the course investigates the process of colonial conquest and the dynamics of colonial rule in Africa. It looks especially at the ways in which colonialism affected various Africans, and at the ways, both subtle and overt, in which Africans resisted or collaborated with colonial rule in order to achieve their goals. The colonial period, brief in time, yet profoundly significant in its impact, was ushered out partly by the rising tide of African nationalism. The last section of the course, then, examines the rise of new nation-states, their colonial legacies, post-colonial economies, and systems of justice, education and governance. The course ends by exploring the meanings of independence for African leaders, farmers, women, laborers, merchants, civil servants, and other groups. The course is structured around lectures and discussions. Course materials include historical writings, documents, novels and films. This is an introductory course and requires no prior knowledge of African history. Evaluation will be based on two short papers, an hour exam, and a final exam. Group C