World History: 14. African Civilizations, Lessons 3–4

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. stele
    an ancient upright stone slab bearing markings
    A kind of grand stone pillar, called a stele, marked each grave of Axum's rulers.
  2. monk
    a male member of a religious community living under vows
    A monk is a man who dedicates himself to worshipping God.
  3. dynasty
    a sequence of powerful leaders in the same family
    Eventually a new dynasty (ruling family), called the Zagwe, emerged in what is now Ethiopia.
  4. tradition
    a specific practice of long standing
    The Zagwe rose to power in the mid-1000s, and continued the Christian tradition.
  5. influence
    a power to affect persons or events
    Under his influence, King Ezana became a Christian.
  6. caste
    a social class separated by distinctions of hereditary rank
    In West Africa a person's social class, or caste, determined that individual's place in the social structure.
  7. kinship
    relatedness or connection by blood or marriage or adoption
    In West Africa, family members shared a strong sense of kinship, or connection based on family relationships.
  8. lineage
    the descendants of one individual
    A lineage is a group of people descended from a common ancestor.
  9. ethnic
    distinctive of the ways of living of a group of people
    A region consisting of many villages shared a distinct culture, language, and identity. Such a social unit is called an ethnic group.
  10. oral
    using speech rather than writing
    Many African cultures also had a strong oral tradition; that is, Africans used oral history, poetry, folk tales, and sayings both to teach and to entertain.
  11. proverb
    a condensed but memorable saying embodying an important fact
    A proverb, or wise saying, provided a quicker way to share wisdom.
  12. diversity
    noticeable variety
    A great diversity of ethnic groups populated West Africa.
  13. transmission
    the act of sending a message
    Griots' main job was the transmission of their people's history and culture.
Created on Thu Jul 01 16:04:33 EDT 2021 (updated Thu Jul 08 16:21:20 EDT 2021)

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