3.1 'darkest africa' lures many adventurers

Social sciences: history

Grade 6

Exploration in africa

Module 10

‘darkest africa’ lures many adventurers and risk their lives

Activity:

To study the sources that are provided and report on what you have learnt

[lo 1.1, 1.2, 1.3]

Use the following ten sources (or obtain more sources) that will enable you to do the activity.

SOURCE A - Discovering the world in sequence

• Europe and the British Isles
• North America
• China
• America
• Australia
• The African Interior
• North and South Poles

SOURCE B - Discovering Africa

SOURCE C - Discoveries in Africa

SOURCE D - Exploration of Southern Africa

SOURCE E - Francois le Vaillant (1753 – 1784)

He visited Mossel Bay, Plettenberg Bay, Namaqualand, Damaraland, Bechuanaland and the Kalahari

SOURCE F - Thunberg(1771– 1779)

He visited the following places: The Berg River, Knysna, the Gamtoos River, Saldanha, St Helena Bay, the Hex River Mountains, Swellendam, the Krom River, the Sundays River.

SOURCE G – Mungo Park (1805 – 1806)

People were first attracted to Africa because of what they had heard about the fabulous riches of Timbuktu, and also to find the source of the River Niger. In 1794 Mungo Park (from Scotland) was selected to clarify these secrets. His journey started off well, but he was robbed and thrown into prison by some local rulers. After he had managed to escape, he did find the source of the Niger. His recorded his experiences in the book: Travels in the Interior Districts of Africa. His second expedition was started in 1805 but ended in a tragedy when he and his men drowned after being attacked by soldiers. The attempt to find the source of the River Niger continued without success until 1830.

SOURCE H – René Caillié (1827 – 1828)

The Frenchman René Caillié took up an offer of a reward of 10 000 francs for finding Timbuktu. He was successful and arrived at this city in April 1828, but found that it had become impoverished because traders had stopped visiting the city with their caravans of camels. René did receive his reward, though.

SOURCE I: –1740 – 1838

Six people died in the search for the source of the Niger River:

• D. Hughton
• M. Park
• F. Hornemann
• J. Ritchie
• W. Oudney
• H. Clapperton

SOURCE J – BURTON, GRANT AND SPEKE

The river Nile has been an important source of life for the millions of people who have lived along its course. but the source of this river from which they used water every day remained a mystery. Since the earliest times, though, people tried to find the river's source, but their attempts came to nothing because of the great length of the river, the extreme heat and fever that overcame explorers. Ptolemaeus's map of the mountains of the moon, however, kept enticing adventurers to go in search of the source.