Answer to Question #207655 in History for Thabisile

Question

Hugh Trevor Roper vigorously argued that Africa, prior to European contact, was ‘without the wheel, the plough, or transport animal; without writing and without history’. Drawing on the views of American thinkers Carter G Woodson and WEB DuBois, as well as any  relevant information from learning units 1 and 2, critically discuss Roper’s assertion.

Answer 1

Hugh Trevor Roper's assertion could be true or not based on an individual understanding of the concept of history. It is admitted that there were no written records for keeping history during the precolonial period but African still had there unique ways of keeping history. According to Carter G woodson on the issue, history can be transmitted not necessarily through written records but orally and through the use of artifacts. On the other hand, WEB DuBois supports Roper's assertion that Africa really had no history before writing materials were invented and brought by the colonies an idea which he disagrees with.