Africa, the cradle of mankind, is a continent of extraordinary beauty and endless fascination. Africa's history has seen the rise and fall of empires and kingdoms. It has experienced the power of religion and the injustice of slavery. It has endured the struggle against colonialism and the celebration of independence. Modern Africa has enormous manpower and resources at its disposal, and is modernizing at a rapid rate, so fast that the next few decades will see great benefits to the continent as a whole and its population. Each title in this series includes a map of the countries in each volume, color photos throughout, and back matter including: an index and further reading lists for books and internet resources. Key Icons appear throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books. Key Icons in this series are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are set in boldfaced type in that chapter, so that readers are able to reference back to the definitions--building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Text-Dependent Questions are placed at the end of each chapter. They challenge the reader's comprehension of the chapter they have just read, while sending the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there.
