Throughout the process of historicizing the past, women are primarily left out of the history books and stories for their contribution to civilization. However through the unearthing of antiquity it is clear that women were prominent in both the advances and declines of human society and culture. Using examples from three different regions of Africa this essay will discuss the influence that women had in shaping the history of African politics, culutre, and society. Ancient Egypt is an African civilization that has gained historical notoriety for its political and technological advances, with Pharaohs at the forefront of its success. Hatshepsut, a Pharaoh who ruled during the Eighteenth Dynasty, was, according to Dr. Joseph Holloway, one
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According to Christopher Ehret, Queen Nzinga was militaristically ambitious and fought off the Portuguese intervention until her death. During her reign the Portuguese engaged in slave trading with the intention of expanding their network of domination, something Queen Nzinga would not allow on her watch. She engaged in diplomatic meetings with the Portuguese and demanded equality. As a woman in a man 's world, Queen Nzinga stood her ground and executed her military might if necessary. She provides a great example of a female ruler who not only challenged men, but white men. She is a symbol of power and was the backbone and protector of her people. Protectors are typically associated with males and masculinity, but Queen Nzinga destroyed that barrier through her military might and resistance against slavery. She remains to this day one of the most striking and influential female figures who shaped Africa’s history. The women discussed in this essay only produces a small window into the importance of female participation in Africa’s history. These women were fighters, and survived in a world that privileged male authority over women. This provides insight into how influential these women must have been to endure institutional oppression, but still have the power to assert their authority on a specific historical outcome. Historians must not forget the power of women and their essential contribution to history, or rather
According to Christopher Ehret, Queen Nzinga was militaristically ambitious and fought off the Portuguese intervention until her death. During her reign the Portuguese engaged in slave trading with the intention of expanding their network of domination, something Queen Nzinga would not allow on her watch. She engaged in diplomatic meetings with the Portuguese and demanded equality. As a woman in a man 's world, Queen Nzinga stood her ground and executed her military might if necessary. She provides a great example of a female ruler who not only challenged men, but white men. She is a symbol of power and was the backbone and protector of her people. Protectors are typically associated with males and masculinity, but Queen Nzinga destroyed that barrier through her military might and resistance against slavery. She remains to this day one of the most striking and influential female figures who shaped Africa’s history. The women discussed in this essay only produces a small window into the importance of female participation in Africa’s history. These women were fighters, and survived in a world that privileged male authority over women. This provides insight into how influential these women must have been to endure institutional oppression, but still have the power to assert their authority on a specific historical outcome. Historians must not forget the power of women and their essential contribution to history, or rather