“I Saved My People”: State Building in Africa, 1200 - 1450

Discussion of teaching African state-building between 1200 and 1450

9 Sep 2024 — 2 min read

Painting of Amda Seyon I from an 18th century Ethiopian church. Source: Alamy.

From page 44 of the AP World History Course and Exam Description

As with the Americas in this period, covering “continuity, innovation, and diversity” in African state-building between 1200 and 1450 can be challenging. Instead of trying to address all the examples, I focus on Ethiopia. We have lots of resources that can be used to illustrate state-building.