Hawassa University

College of Social Sciences and Humanities

Department of Anthropology; History Unit
Course Name: History of Ethiopia and the Horn Course Code: Hist 1012
Course Offering Department: Anthropology Cr. Hrs: 3
Year: II/IV/V Semester: II Academic Year: 2023 (2016 EC)
Instructor’s Name: ___________________________
Course Description

This course focuses on major topics in the history of Ethiopia and the Horn including social, cultural,
economic, and political developments and their interrelations thereof. It describes history, its importance, and
how it is studied. It explains peoples and cultures including human evolution, Neolithic Revolution and
settlement patterns, and religion and religious processes, ancient states, external contacts, economic formations
and cultural achievements in terms of architecture, writing, calendar, etc. It discusses political developments,
religious, trade and external relations of the region. It also explains how the Christian Kingdom and the
Muslim sultanates evolved in the region; the interaction between states, foreign interventions, religious
controversies, population movements, and how these contributed to the integration of peoples across ethnic
and religious diversities; the major conditions and achievements of the Gondarine period, and the Zemene -
Mesafint (Era of Princes). The social, cultural, economic, and political experiences of Ethiopia and the
Horn in the nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries that played significant role in shaping the modern
history of the region are given space. External relations, foreign threats and major battles, centralization and
modernization attempts, Italian occupation and patriotic resistance, and socio-economic conditions are
discussed. The developments since liberation in 1941 to the ratification of the FDRE Constitution (1995) are
also explained.

Objectives of the Course

The main objective of the course is to introduce students to the diverse histories of Ethiopia and the
Horn the extent to which interaction between peoples throughout the region and with the outside
world have shaped history of the region.

The specific objectives of the course are to enable students to:

 distinguish the nature and uses of history;

 identify pertinent sources for the history of the peoples of Ethiopia and the Horn;
 describe changes and continuities that unfolded in Ethiopia and the Horn;
 elucidate the causes, courses and consequences of events that happened in the region;
 explain the nature of the region’s external contacts and their effects;
 appreciate peoples’ achievements, heritages and cultural diversities of the region.

Course Contents
UNIT ONE: INTRODUCTION UNIT TWO: PEOPLES AND CULTURES
1.1. The Nature and Uses of History IN ETHIOPIA AND THE HORN
1.2. Sources and Methods of Historical Study 2.1. Human Evolution
1.3. Historiography of Ethiopia and the Horn 2.2. Neolithic Revolution
1.4. The Geographical Context 2.3. The Peopling of the Region
2.4. Religion and Religious Processes UNIT FIVE: POLITICS, ECONOMY AND
UNIT THREE: POLITICS, ECONOMY AND SOCIAL PROCESSES FROM THE EARLY
SOCIETY IN ETHIOPIA AND THE HORN TO THE SIXTEENTH TO THE END OF THE
END OF THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY EITEENTH CENTURIES
3.1. Emergence of States 5.1. Conflict between the Christian Kingdom
3.2. Ancient States and the Sultanate of Adal and After
3.3. External Contacts 5.2. Foreign Intervention and Religious
3.4. Economic Formations Controversies
3.5. Socio-Cultural Achievements 5.3. Population Movements
UNIT FOUR: POLITICS, ECONOMY AND 5.4. Interaction and Integration across Ethnic
SOCIETY FROM THE LATE THIRTEENTH and Religious Diversities
TO THE BEGINNING OF THE SIXTEENTH 5.5. Peoples and States in Eastern, Central,
CENTURIES
Southern and Western Regions
4.1. The “Restoration” of The “Solomonic’’
5.6. The Gondarine Period and Zemene-
Dynasty
Mesafint
4.2. Power Struggle, Consolidation,
UNIT SIX: INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
Territorial Expansion & Religious AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS OF ETHIOPIA
Processes AND THE HORN, 1800-1941
4.3. Political and Socio-Economic Dynamics 6.1. The Nature of Interactions among Peoples
in Muslim Sultanates and States of Ethiopia and the Horn
4.4. Rivalry between the Christian Kingdom 6.2. The Making of Modern Ethiopian State
and the Muslim Sultanates 6.3. Modernization Attempts
4.5. External Relations 6.4. Socio-Economic Developments
6.5. External Relations
UNIT SEVEN: INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS, 1941–1995
7.1. Post-1941 Imperial Period
7.2. The Derg Regime (1974-1991)
7.3. Transitional Government
Teaching Methods: Gapped Lecture, Question & Answer, Group Discussion & Reflection, reading and
written Assignments

Modes of Evaluation:
Modes of Assessment Portion Coverage Weight Remark

Test Chapter 1, 2 and 3 25% Please note that contents covered in this
Assignment Chapter 2, 5, 6 and 7 25% assignment will be tested or quizzed on over the
Final Chapter 4, 5, 6 and 7 50% course of the written exam.
NB: please note that contents covered in this assignment will be tested or quizzed on over the course of the written exam.
References (Here are few samples but for further look at reference part in your module)
Asmarom Legesse. Gada: Three Approaches to the Study of African Society. New York: The Free Press,
1973.
Bahru Zewde. A History of Modern Ethiopia 1855-1991. AAU Press, 2002.
Mohammed Hassen. The Oromo of Ethiopia 1570-1860. Cambridge, 1990.
Rubenson, Sven. The Survival of Ethiopian Independence. London, 1976.
Sergew Hable-Selassie. Ancient and Medieval Ethiopian History to1270. Addis Ababa: Haile-Selassie I
University Press, 1972.
Taddesse Tamrat. Church and State in Ethiopia. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1972.
Trimingham, J. Spencer. Islam in Ethiopia. London: Oxford University Press, 1952.
Vansina, Jan. Oral Tradition as History. James Curry Publishers, 1985.