Pre-colonial period: Africa and India

Here's the video we watched in class. It summarises the main differences between isolated and connected societies and main benefits/drawbacks.

Africa is a curious place. On the one hand the continent IS connected to Europe and Asia, and indeed some exchange between nations did happen (especially in the northern and north-eastern parts), but its geography, climate and sheer size isolated many of its main ethnic groups and forced them to evolve in (partial) isolation.

This is the presentation we had in class:




The two maps in larger sizes: MAP 1 and MAP 2

India on the other hand fully benefited from its closeness to Mesopotamia in the west and China in the east. The Hindu evolved into a well balanced society with its vibrant culture and advanced science. Three religious systems had laid the basis for that civilisation before it came into contact with the British: Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam.

The video below shows the impact of Hinduism on social classes, but it also provides information about the beginning of the Hindu India society and its technical advances. You are welcome to watch the entire clip, but the obligatory watching are only parts 1 and 3.

Part 1: 1:35-3:55, 5:10-5:30 

Part 3: 8:45-12:13