#AP African American Studies: Night Before Review 🚀

Hey! Let's make sure you're feeling super confident for tomorrow. We're going to break down the key stuff, make it stick, and get you ready to rock this exam! 💪

#1. The Transatlantic Slave Trade: A Global Catastrophe 🌍

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Scale and Scope

• Forced Migration: The largest forced migration in human history, with more Africans arriving in the Americas than people from any other region before the 19th century.
• Duration: Lasted over 350 years, from the early 1500s to the mid-1800s.
• Numbers: Over 12.5 million Africans were forcibly transported. 🤯
  • Only about 5% (around 388,000) came directly to the U.S.
• Destination: Majority went to the Caribbean and South America.

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• Charleston, SC: The main U.S. slave-trading port, receiving 48% of all Africans brought directly to the U.S. 🚢
• Other Ports: New Orleans, LA, and Newport, RI were also significant.

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• Big 5: Portugal, Great Britain, France, Spain, and the Netherlands.
• Portugal: First to engage, transported the most.
• Great Britain: Dominated in the 18th century, carrying about 3.1 million Africans.

This map shows the vast scale of the transatlantic slave trade, illustrating the routes and impact on both African and American societies.

#2. African Origins: Diversity is Key! 🌍

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Primary African Regions

• Nine Main Regions: Enslaved Africans in North America came from nine contemporary African regions:
  • Senegambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Angola, and Mozambique
• Senegambia & Angola: Provided nearly half of the enslaved people in North America.
  • Senegambia: Present-day Senegal, Gambia, parts of Mali and Mauritania.
  • Angola: Present-day Angola, parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• Other Key Regions: Gold Coast (Ghana) and Bight of Biafra (Nigeria).

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• Cultural Contributions: Diverse origins led to varied cultural contributions in the U.S. 💡
• Cultural Mix: Multiple combinations of African-based practices, languages, and beliefs.
• Gullah Language: Example of blended languages in the Sea Islands of SC and GA.
• African Influences: Music (blues, jazz), dance, cuisine (okra, gumbo), and religion (voodoo, hoodoo).

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• Numerous Groups: Ancestors came from groups like the Wolof, Akan, Igbo, and Yoruba.
• Religious Diversity: Many were Muslim or Christian before enslavement.
  • Muslims from Senegambia.
  • Catholics from the Kingdom of Kongo (Angola).

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• Distinct Communities: Different ethnic distributions created unique Black communities across the South.
• South Carolina & Georgia: Strong Central African influence due to many from Angola and the Congo.
• Virginia & Maryland: Mix of West African cultures from Senegambia and the Bight of Biafra.

This map highlights the diverse regional origins of enslaved people forcibly transported to North America, emphasizing the variety of cultures that contributed to the African American experience.

#3. Final Exam Focus & Last-Minute Tips 🎯

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High-Priority Topics

• Transatlantic Slave Trade: Understand the scale, duration, and key players.
• African Origins: Know the main regions and their cultural impacts.
• Cultural Diversity: Recognize the variety of African cultures and their influence on the U.S.

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• Multiple Choice: Focus on factual recall, understanding of timelines, and cause-and-effect relationships.
• Short Answer: Be concise, use specific examples, and directly address the prompt.
• Free Response: Develop a clear thesis, use evidence from the provided sources, and analyze the broader historical context.

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• Pacing: Don't spend too long on one question. Move on and come back if you have time.
• Outline: For FRQs, quickly jot down a basic outline before you start writing.
• Review: If time allows, quickly review your answers for any errors.

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• Generalizations: Avoid making broad generalizations about African culture. Be specific!
• Ignoring Sources: Use the provided sources in FRQs to support your claims.
• Rushing: Read questions carefully and don't rush through your answers.

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• Use the mnemonics we discussed to recall key concepts.
• Visualize the maps to remember the geographic locations.
• Connect the information to what you already know to make it stick.

#Practice Questions

Practice Question

#Multiple Choice Questions

1. Approximately what percentage of enslaved Africans transported during the transatlantic slave trade were brought directly to what became the United States? (A) 5% (B) 25% (C) 50% (D) 75%

2. Which of the following was the primary port of entry for enslaved Africans brought directly to the United States? (A) New Orleans (B) New York City (C) Charleston (D) Boston

3. Which two African regions provided nearly half of the enslaved Africans transported to mainland North America? (A) Ghana and Nigeria (B) Senegambia and Angola (C) Cote d'Ivoire and Liberia (D) Mozambique and Sierra Leone

#Free Response Question

Question: Analyze the impact of the transatlantic slave trade on both African societies and the development of African American culture in the United States. In your response, be sure to refer to the provided maps.

Scoring Breakdown:

• Thesis (1 point): A clear, defensible thesis that addresses the prompt.
  • Example: "The transatlantic slave trade had a devastating impact on African societies, leading to demographic shifts and cultural disruption, while also shaping the diverse and resilient African American culture in the United States through the forced migration and mixing of various African ethnic groups."
• Evidence: African Societies (2 points):
  • Mention of the scale of forced migration and the loss of life.
  • Discussion of the disruption of African societies due to the removal of large populations.
  • Reference to the map showing the origin points of enslaved Africans, highlighting the widespread impact on various regions.
• Evidence: African American Culture (2 points):
  • Explanation of how the diversity of African origins led to a variety of cultural practices in the U.S.
  • Examples of cultural contributions like music, language, and religion.
  • Reference to the map showing the regional origins of enslaved people in North America and how it led to the development of distinct cultural communities in different parts of the South.
• Analysis (2 points):
  • Explanation of how the transatlantic slave trade was a major factor in the development of African American culture.
  • Analysis of the interplay between African traditions and American context in the formation of African American cultural practices.
• Synthesis (1 point):
  • Discussion of the long-term effects of the transatlantic slave trade on both continents.
  • Connection of the impact on African societies with the development of African American identity and resilience.

You've got this! Relax, take a deep breath, and go show them what you know! 🎉