Description
Dear Learner,
This teaching material is prepared for a history course given to Students of Grade Twelve. The purpose is to help students understand a history of Ethiopia and the horn from modern times to 1990s as a base for shaping and bettering the future. The module generally focuses on major topics in the history of Ethiopia including social, cultural, economic, and political developments and their interrelations thereof. The contents of the module consider the chronology and thematic relations of events in time and space.
The module is divided into four units each of which has its own specific objectives. The first unit discusses the main historical developments in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa from 1855 to 1941. This unit includes long-distance trade and people’s interaction in the 19th century, power rivalry and consolidating central government, 1855–1913. The shift of the political center from the north to Shewa, the territorial expansion, external relations, challenges and threats, and the victory of Adwa are also issues to be treated in this unit. In addition, the religious doctrinal controversies within the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the birth of Eritrea as an Italian colony, he birth of Djibouti as a French colony, the power struggles among the ruling elite, 1906–1936, Italian aggression on Ethiopia and the patriotic resistance will be addressed in this Unit.
Based on these historical backgrounds the second unit discuss about the Re-establishment of the Imperial Rule, external influence, and the territorial issues of the Ogaden and Eritrea, the socio-economic conditions from 1941 to the 1974 Revolution, the role of the agricultural sector, the different land tenure systems, the issue of land reform, and the role of trade and industry in the national economy, you will learn about the Emperor’s absolutist state and decades of various forms of oppositions which eventually led to the down fall of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974, the 1974 Ethiopian Revolution and the coming to power of the Derge, the various socio-economic and political measures taken by the military regime after it had asserted its authority through bloody measures, the internal and external factors for the decline and downfall of the Derge regime.
Then the third unit discuss about the important political concerns of the transitional period, including the preparation and approval of the FDRE constitution, developments in Ethiopia following the 1995 constitution, socio-economic issues in Ethiopia, and worldwide issues. Lastly this module Ethiopia’s indigenous knowledge systems and historical heritage. The definition and unique characteristic features of indigenous knowledge, as well as Ethiopia’s indigenous knowledge systems, will be dealt with in detail.
Key Terms
- Modern Ethiopian History
- Indigenous knowledge
- Historical heritage
The period since 1855 is also called the modern period of Ethiopian history
Indigenous knowledge refers to understandings, skills, and philosophies developed by local communities with long histories and experiences of interaction with their natural surroundings according to the UNESCO’s programme on Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems
Historic heritage are places of significance to people on account of historical, physical (i.e, technological, archaeological, architectural) and cultural values.
Competence
After the successful completion of this module you will be able to:
- Analyze Ethiopia’s Indigenous Knowledge Systems
- Examine Indigenous Knowledge Types
- Evaluate the Impact of the 1995 FDRE Constitution
- Understand Socio-Economic and Political Transformations Post-1991
- Study the Post-Liberation Period and Foreign Relations
- Evaluate the Struggles for Independence and Sovereignty
- Examine the Ethiopian State’s Unification and Centralization Efforts
Activities
This module is comprised of knowledge, values and skills, and aims to prepare students for active, responsible participation. It extends learning beyond the curriculum and classroom to all activities inside and outside school. In addition, it is highly dependent on interactive teaching, which requires discussion, debate and the creation of many opportunities for students to participate effectively.
Contents
5. Social, Economic, & Political Changes in Ethiopia
Lesson 1: Long-Distance Trade and Interaction in Ethiopia
Lesson 2: Power Rivalry & Consolidating Central Government
Lesson 3: Territorial Expansion & Incorporation of Kingdoms
Lesson 4: External Relations, Challenges and Threats
Lesson 5: Italy and Ethiopia
Lesson 6: Power Struggle among Ruling Elites
Lesson 7: Italian Aggression and the Patriotic Resistance
6. Ethiopia: Internal Growth & External Impacts
Lesson 8: Restoration of Imperial Rule and Influences
Lesson 9: Socio-Economic Conditions and Organizations
Lesson 10: Consolidation of Autocracy
Lesson 11: Oppositions to the Imperial Rule
Lesson 12: The 1974 Revolution
Lesson 13: Military Regime’s Reforms
Lesson 14: Decline & Downfall of Dergue Regime
7. Post 1991 Developments in Ethiopia
Lesson 15: The Transitional Government of Ethiopia
Lesson 16: Ethiopia after the 1995 Constitution
Lesson 17: Socio-Economic Issues
Lesson 18: Ethiopia’s Role in Peacekeeping
8. Ethiopia’s Indigenous Knowledge and Heritage
Lesson 19: Indigenous Knowledge
Lesson 20: Indigenous knowledge and Development
Assessment
- Quizzes, Tests and assignments
- Mid-term exam
- Final exam
All assessments consist of automatically graded multiple-choice questions with explanatory feedback. Each question offers four answer choices, marked by small square checkboxes. While the options may not always be labeled A, B, C, or D, you can interpret the checkboxes in that order.
Materials
- History Grade 12 Student Text Book Based on New Curriculum
- Extreme History for Grade 11-12
- Alpha History for Grade 11-12
- Bahru Zewde, A History of Modern Ethiopia, 1855–1991, Ohio University Press, Second Edition,2002.
