What was rinderpest, and how did its arrival in Africa in the late nineteenth century affect the lives of Afr…

Question

What was rinderpest, and how did its arrival in Africa in the late nineteenth century affect the lives of African peasants and their ability to resist colonial labour demands?

Accepted Answer

## Model Answer Rinderpest was a devastating cattle plague that swept across Africa in the 1890s, killing 90% of cattle. This destroyed African livelihoods, forcing peasants into the colonial labour market as they lost their primary means of sustenance and independence. *Source: Chapter 3, Section 2.4 – Rinderpest, or the Cattle Plague* ## Explanation For a 1-mark question, examiners expect: (1) a brief definition of rinderpest, and (2) its key consequence — loss of cattle forced Africans into wage labour. Avoid writing more than 1–2 lines. The critical link is: cattle loss → destroyed livelihoods → Africans compelled to work for colonisers.

Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question