History Lesson Notes JSS1(Basic 7) Second Term

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History Note for Secondary School – Edudelight.com

Historical sites in Nigeria

History Scheme of Work JSS1 Second Term

Week 1– 4: Historical sites in Nigeria

NOK

1. Location of NOK on the map of Nigeria

2. The Nok culture

Meaning
Artifacts
People
Occupational activities etc

3. Significance of Nok culture in the Nigeria

Week 5 – 7: Historical sites in Nigeria

ILE IFE

1.Location of Ile Ife on the map of Nigeria

2. Culture and tradition :

The place of Ife in Yoruba History

Ife :

Figures/artifacts
- The people
- Occupational activities etc

3. Significance of Ife culture in Nigerian

Week 8 – 10: Historical sites in Nigeria

BENIN

1. Location of Benin on the map of Nigeria

2. The Edo (Benin) culture and history:

Figures/artifacts
- The people
- Occupational activities etc

3. Significance of Edo (Benin) culture in Ni

Week 8 – 10: Historical sites in Nigeria

IGBO-UKWU

1. Location of Igbo Ukwu on the map of Nigeria

2. The Igbo Ukwu culture and history:

Figures/artifacts
- The people
- Occupational activities etc

3. Significance of Igbo Ukwu culture in Nigerian History

Week 11 – 13: Revision and Examination

WEEK 1-4

TOPIC; NOK CULTURE;

NOK, culture is described by Wikipedia as an early iron age population whose material remains, were named after NOK, a village in the present Kaduna state of Nigeria, it existed as evidence showed, as early as 1000BC in central Nigeria,

it has also been described as a culture which provides evidence of earliest Nigeria ancient civilization. NOK art works were named after the NOK village by BERNARD FAGG .Archaeological studies of NOK culture had produced evidence of extensive iron work in the form of furnace and the production of terracotta (baked clay ), figure of a great artistic styles and values.

The findings of various figures in NOK had established and proved what NOK culture looked like;

THE PEOPLE; The people of NOK are Nigerians found between Niger and Kaduna rivers in the north central geopolitical zone of Nigeria.

According to historical evidence, Nok people were very skillful in iron work and this is proved by complex iron tools produced by them. The site of this evidence is in Taruga which is located in the present day federal territory Abuja.

Besides, they were also great sculptors, the NOK people had the oldest sculpture (terracotta i.e baked clay ) in Nigeria and the entire black Africa.

From various findings pertaining to NOK culture, the prominent occupations were;

IRON AND TIN MINING; It could be seen that the people were involved in the processing of iron and tin mining which they smelted for the production of tools and implements for domestic uses

IRON AND TIN SMELTING; NOK people were producers of objects such as bracelets, ornaments, necklaces, tools made from iron etc.

FARMING; Apart from the above activities, Nok people were also farmers producing both food and cash crops such as millets, guinea corn etc., they also grew fruits.

FEATURES OF NOK CULTURE

It is regarded as the first place where the use of iron in Nigeria was identified.
the figurines are called “terracotta”
They have the oldest culture
Like that of Ife culture, Nok culture is characterized by figurines that are not perfect.
Most of the figure have pieced lips,eyes and nose

SIGNIFICANCE OF NOK CULTURE

NOK culture has shown the people of NOK were the first people to make use of iron to produce objects such as implements for domestic uses and tools for farming.
The discovery of terracotta objects have also revealed NOK people have engaged in the production of figurine of distinctive artistic styles and beauty.
moreover, the discoveries in NOK have also shown that Nigerians have been engaging in local technology before the coming of Europeans

ARTIFACTS; The first known NOK artifact was discovered in 1028, by colonel Dent Young in mining site near the village of NOK in Kaduna state .in 1943,tin miners again accidentally discovered a head similar to that found by young. Further excavations around NOK have led to discoveries of objects of wrought iron, red ocher, quartz, hammer stone and many other materials.

NOK artifacts are also made up of excellent piece of human beings and animals figurines called terracotta, made into bracelets and ornaments around people legs, waist and others which were worn as necklaces and beads, other NOK artifacts are stone axe, grinding stones, stone rings, stone beads, pottery head and so on,

CLASS WORK

Where is Nok on Nigeria map?
Who were the NOK people?
Mention two NOK artifacts
What were the occupations of Nok people?

ASSIGNMENT

Narrate the history of Ile Ife

History Note for Secondary School – Edudelight.com

WEEK 5-7

TOPIC; ILE- IFE

THE PLACE OF ILE – IFE IN YORUBA HISTORY

Ife is an ancient city in the present Osun state in the south west geopolitical zone of Nigeria.it can be regarded as the oldest city in Yoruba land, it is widely regarded as the cradle and spiritual home of the Yoruba people in Nigeria.

Ile- Ife which literally means place of dispersion or point of spreading is also being regarded by the Yoruba’s as the cradle of mankind.

According to oral tradition of the history of Yoruba people and from the research carried out by an historian, it is believed that the Yoruba people left somewhere in the Middle East with Oduduwa as their leader and later settled in Ile- Ife .

all other Yoruba speaking people later migrated to other parts of Yoruba land including the Yoruba’s in the present republic of this development later led to the establishment of major Yoruba kingdoms in the 18^th century. These kingdom were, Ife as the head, Oyo kingdom, Ekiti kingdom, Egbado kingdom, Ijesha kingdom, Ondo kingdom, ketu kingdom, Owu kingdom, Sabe kingdom, as well as Ijebu kingdom

THE PEOPLE OF IFE

Ife people were the original or first descendants of oduduwa the father of the Yorubas .all other Yoruba kingdoms emerged from Ife people, Ife people reside in the ancient city of Ile- Ife which is the capital or the spiritual mecca of the Yoruba ,oduduwa was the first king of the people of Ife .

ARTIFACTS; like NOK, culture, Ife culture is made up of figurines known as terracotta (baked clay ), these figurines which are known as artifacts of Ife culture have similarities with NOK culture. The difference in both is that while Ife terracotta had tribal marks, also known as striation on their head, NOK’S did not have.

Ife terracotta is said to belong to method of discovery known as ‘lost wax’ (cire perdue ), Ife bronze head is one of the most popular artifacts of Ife .other remarkable objects were copper mask of Obalufon from Ife city, metallic figures in brass discovered by a German called frobenius, quartz pebbles for making glass beads among others.

FEATURES OF Ife CULTURE

It is the artistic home of the Yorubas.
Ife figurines known as terracotta belong to what has been regarded as ‘lost wax’ or cire perdue’ system believed to be oldest in west Africa.
Ife culture is also known for its l Ife style brass heads executed in naturalistic style.
Ife terracotta can be distinguished from that of NOK for their tribal marks called striation

SIGNIFICANCE OF IFE CULTURE

Ife culture revealed that Nigerians have had home grown technology which attracted some Europeans like Richard and John lander far back in 19^th century.
The presence of what was regarded as tribal marks on the heads of Ife culture differentiates it from other cultures particularly NOK culture,
Ife culture had also shown that there is historical link between Ife and Benin

CLASSWORK

Where is Ife on Nigeria map?
Who were the Ife people?
Mention two Ife artifacts.
What were the occupation of Ife people?
Identify some other remarkable objects, under artifacts of Ife culture.
Identify the people of Ile- Ife in relation to their occupation.
Identify two significance of Ife culture

ASSIGNMENT;

Narrate the history of Benin culture in Nigeria

History Note for Secondary School – Edudelight.com

WEEK 8-9

TOPIC; HISTORICAL SITES IN NIGERIA…… BENIN

The people of Benin who are also called Edo or bini are found in Edo state of Nigeria. They speak Edo language among many other languages ,they are known for beads, body marks, bangles, ankle as part of their dressing. The culture of Benin people depicts their true cultural activities and traditions, for examples, they give recognition and regard to the institution of obaship as in the case of Ife and their brass objects.

Artifacts

Benin culture and tradition have links with the use of brass objects to express their ingenuity in the works of art0,for example, brass objects from Benin depicted palace activities .,it also showed Benin relationship with Europeans particularly revealed how Benin people came in contact with European.

by 1959,one frank willet who worked on site in Benin discovered large quantity of POTTERY WORKS.

Also between 1961 and 1964, the activities of Graham Connah led to excavation of various artifacts in form of iron smiting for the production of bracelets, glass beads, smoking pipes, etc.

occupational activities; Benin people are well known in the use of brass metals to produce objects which portray religious activities and obaship institutions as earlier mentioned, apart from their engagement in the works of art, Benin people are also known for the production and sale of both cash and food crops such as rubber, oil palm, yam, cassava.

This signifies that Benin people had contact with the various people of Nigeria.

FEATURES OF BENIN CULTURE IN NIGERIAN HISTORY

Benin people are known for the production and use of brass and bronze metal
Benin figurines usually have protruding eye balls
The head of the figurines are usually biggar than other parts
Benin arts are highly decorative
Most of the arts portray royal figures

SIGNIFICANCE OF BENIN CULTURE TO NIGERIAN HISTORY

Benin culture has revealed that some degree of specialization were achieved in the production of brass metals.
The discoveries in Benin also showed that the people had contacts with the Europeans and the introduction of Christianity.
Ivory mask of Queen idia was used as symbol of festac77

CLASS WORK

Where is Benin (Edo ) on Nigeria map?
who were the EDO people
Mention two Benin artifacts.
what were the occupation of Benin people in the pre-colonial era

ASSIGNMENT

Identify the location of Igbo-ukwu on the map of Nigeria

History Note for Secondary School – Edudelight.com

WEEK 10

TOPIC; HISTORICAL SITES IN NIGERIA

The people of Igbo-ukwu are one of the Igbo-speaking people in the south east geopolitical zone of Nigeria, They are specifically found in Anambra state of Nigeria.

Igbo ukwu used to be part of Uri kingdom which existed in the 10^th century.

The town is known for popular archaeological sites where for the first time sophisticated and precious bronze works were discovered.

FIGURES AND ARTIFACTS

The history behind the discovery of Igbo-ukwu culture can be traced to the excavation carried out by Professor THURSAN SHAWN in 1960 and 1964.

The discoveries in Igbo ukwu signifies things that showed the traditional burial sites of their rulers, i.e burial chambers, further more,the discovery of Igbo-ukwu culture which was achieved in 1938,led to the process of digging of small area in one of the seven quarters in Igbo-ukwu highly decorated bronze objects.

These sites were named after the compound where they were found, each sites had its peculiar discoveries, and they are the following;

Igbo-Isaiah; In ISAIAH ANOZIE compound a shrine was discovered ,the major artifacts in the shrine were a rope pot, an altar stand, beaded chains and crotals, a bowl on stand etc.

Igbo-Richard ;. In the compound of RICHARD ANOZIE, the tomb ( burial chamber ) of a priest king was discovered, The following were also found with this corpse, cooper anklets and strings of beads, breastplate, beaded head dress, bronze crown,bronze leopard skull, etc

Igbo-Jonah; in the compound of JONAH ANOZIE,a refuse dump where most decorated pot that was ever made by any potter before discovered.

OCCUPATIONAL ACTIVITIES OF IGBO UKWU

Igbo ukwu ancestors according to history were smithers of copper and its alloys, They were among the west African people that used lost wax casting method for bronze sculpture production

besides, like their other Igbos they were great farmers known for the production of mostly food crops like cassava, yam, cocoyam, etc. They were popular for tapping and sale of palm wine,

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF NOK, IFE ,BENIN,AND IGBO-UKWU IN RELATION TO NIGERIAN HISTORY

They showed beyond any doubt that the people of Nigeria had their own form of technology, i.e. civilization, e.g. the use of metals to produce tools and implements for various uses.
They also showed that the people of Nigeria before the arrival of Europeans enjoyed various degrees of development, e.g. settled l Ife.
The discoveries of various objects such as brass and bronze helped to promote the culture of the people of Nigerian to the outside world E.g., FESTAC symbols that was stolen by British soldiers when they invaded Benin in 1897.

CLASS WORK