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Unit notes and practice questions

Grade 9 History unit 7: States, principalities, population movements

Everything here is for unit 7 of the Grade 9 History textbook: what the chapter covers, the short notes, practice questions with their answers, and the lesson video where one exists.

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3
Cards
10
Practice questions on unit 7
121–155
The textbook pages for unit 7

What unit 7 covers

  1. 1.The "Solomonic" Dynasty & the Christian Kingdom, 13th -16th C
  2. 2.The Muslim Principalities
  3. 3.Relationship Between the Christian Kingdom
  4. 4.Political and socio-economic conditions of southern
  5. 5.Population Movements, Expansion and Integration in Ethiopia
  6. 6.Gada System of the Oromo
  7. 7.Moggasa and Guddifacha
  8. 8.Egalitarian System of Governance

Short notes for unit 7

The cards filed under this chapter on the Grade 9 History page. Open one at a time.

YearBattleCombatantsHistorical Outcome
1529Shimbra KureImam Ahmad vs. Lebne-DengelDecisive victory for Adal, opening the interior of the Christian kingdom.
1542OflaImam Ahmad (Ottoman aid) vs. Portuguese and Christian forcesDefeat of the allied Christian army, Christopher da Gama captured and killed.
1543Woyna-DegaGelawdewos (Portuguese aid) vs. Imam AhmadImam Ahmad killed in battle, restoring Christian control over the highlands.
1559AwashEmir Nur Mujahid vs. Emperor GelawdewosEmir Nur victorious, Emperor Gelawdewos killed in confrontation.

When you use it

Use this to sequence the major armed conflicts between the Christian Kingdom and the Sultanate of Adal between 1529 and 1559.

Watch out

Do not confuse the early victory of Adal at Shimbra Kure (1529) with the final defeat of Imam Ahmad at Woyna-Dega (1543).

Drafted from Grade 9 History, pages 121-155, then checked twice before it went up

Tenure TypeLegal BasisHereditary StatusKey Function and Obligation
RistCommunal birthright to landHereditaryPeasants cultivate and pay tribute (gibber) to the state.
GultState conditional grant to officialsNon-hereditaryRight to collect tribute and levy troops, acting as salary substitute.

When you use it

Use this to distinguish between customary peasant land rights and state revenue rights in the medieval Christian kingdom.

Watch out

Do not confuse Gult with land ownership. Gult was a temporary right to collect tribute given to officials in return for state service, not inheritable land.

Drafted from Grade 9 History, pages 121-155, then checked twice before it went up

GradeAge Range (Years)Primary Role and Function
Dabale0 - 8Socialization and early childhood upbringing.
Game9 - 16Socialization and basic learning.
Folle17 - 24Military training and agricultural duties.
Qondala25 - 32Active military service and defense.
Raba-Dori33 - 40Preparation and candidacy for political leadership.
Gadaa (Luba)41 - 48Active leadership and governance of the society.
Yuba49 - 80Senior advisory, education, and ritual oversight.

When you use it

Use this to outline the sequential eight-year age grades and the corresponding social, military, and political functions in the Gadaa system.

Watch out

Do not confuse the ruling stage (Gadaa/Luba at 41 to 48 years) with the preparatory candidate stage (Raba-Dori) or the military service stage (Qondala).

Drafted from Grade 9 History, pages 121-155, then checked twice before it went up

Practice questions on unit 7

10 multiple-choice questions written against this chapter, each with its answer and the reason. Try one before you open the answer.

Question 1

Who was the founder of the "Solomonic" Dynasty that came to power in 1270?

  1. A.Amde-Tsion
  2. B.Yekuno-Amlak
  3. C.Widim-Ra'ad
  4. D.Gelawdewos
Show the answer and why

Answer: B Yekuno-Amlak

Why

Yekuno-Amlak was a local ruler in Amhara who founded the "Solomonic" Dynasty in 1270 by claiming descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.

Question 2

According to Oromo oral traditions, what was the political and religious centre of the Oromo settlement before the sixteenth century?

  1. A.Madda Walabu
  2. B.Mount Hazalo
  3. C.Amba-Gishen
  4. D.Dakar
Show the answer and why

Answer: A Madda Walabu

Why

Madda Walabu, situated on the Bale-Sidama borderlands, was the original political and religious centre of the Oromo people.

Question 3

In traditional Oromo society, what is the practice where a parent adopts a child who then enjoys equal rights with a biological child called?

  1. A.Moggasa
  2. B.Guddifacha
  3. C.Luwa
  4. D.Sinqe
Show the answer and why

Answer: B Guddifacha

Why

Guddifacha is the Oromo practice of a parent adopting an individual child, whereas Moggasa refers to the adoption or incorporation of non-Oromo groups into a clan.

Question 4

In which decisive battle in 1529 did the army of Imam Ahmad defeat the Christian army led by Lebne-Dengel near present-day Mojo?

  1. A.Battle of Woyna-Dega
  2. B.Battle of Ofla
  3. C.Battle of Shimbra Kure
  4. D.Battle of Dago
Show the answer and why

Answer: C Battle of Shimbra Kure

Why

The Battle of Shimbra Kure took place in 1529 near Mojo, where Imam Ahmad's army decisively defeated the larger Christian force under Lebne-Dengel.

Question 5

What was the primary difference between rist right and gult right in the medieval Christian Kingdom?

  1. A.Rist was hereditary communal ownership of land, while gult was a non-hereditary right given to officials to collect tribute.
  2. B.Rist was given only to royal soldiers, while gult was granted permanently to church monasteries.
  3. C.Rist was a temporary payment in trade goods, while gult was permanent private land ownership.
  4. D.Rist was held only by the king, while gult was communal land shared among peasants.
Show the answer and why

Answer: A Rist was hereditary communal ownership of land, while gult was a non-hereditary right given to officials to collect tribute.

Why

Rist right was a communal, hereditary birthright to land, while gult right was a non-hereditary privilege given to officials as a medieval substitute for salary to collect tribute from peasants.

Question 6

The royal prison at Amba-Gishen was established around 1300 to solve succession disputes during the reign of which king?

  1. A.Yekuno-Amlak
  2. B.Widim-Ra'ad
  3. C.Amde-Tsion
  4. D.Gelawdewos
Show the answer and why

Answer: B Widim-Ra'ad

Why

The succession problem was partly resolved in 1300 during the reign of King Widim-Ra'ad (r. 1299-1314) with the creation of the royal prison at Amba-Gishen.

Question 7

When the Walasma family moved to the Harar plateau in 1367 to establish the Sultanate of Adal, what was their first centre called?

  1. A.Awsa
  2. B.Dakar
  3. C.Zeila
  4. D.Bulga
Show the answer and why

Answer: B Dakar

Why

The first centre of the extended Walasma Dynasty of Adal was at Dakar, located southeast of Harar, before the capital moved to Harar in 1520.

Question 8

In the traditional governance of the Sidama society, which cultural and ritual leader was considered a peacemaker and forbidden from participating in war or cattle raids?

  1. A.The Mote
  2. B.The Woma
  3. C.The Murricha
  4. D.The Abba Bokku
Show the answer and why

Answer: B The Woma

Why

The Woma was the Sidama cultural and ritual leader who performed sacrifices and handled peaceful cultural matters, while political leadership was held by the Mote.

Question 9

Which medieval Christian monarch incorporated the Agaw kingdom of Gojjam into the Christian state after defeating its ruler, Zhan Chuhay?

  1. A.Amde-Tsion
  2. B.Yekuno-Amlak
  3. C.Yeshaq
  4. D.Sartsa-Dengle
Show the answer and why

Answer: A Amde-Tsion

Why

Emperor Amde-Tsion (r. 1314-1344) dispatched forces against Zhan Chuhay after the monk Abba ZeYohannes was arrested, defeating Zhan Chuhay and incorporating Gojjam into the Christian Kingdom.

Question 10

In August 1542, the allied Christian and Portuguese forces were defeated at the Battle of Ofla in southern Tigray, resulting in the death of which leader?

  1. A.Vasco da Gama
  2. B.Christopher da Gama
  3. C.Mahfuz
  4. D.Emir Nur Mujahid
Show the answer and why

Answer: B Christopher da Gama

Why

Christopher da Gama, the youngest son of Vasco da Gama who led about 400 Portuguese soldiers, was killed and beheaded after the Battle of Ofla in August 1542.

The app holds 12 questions on this unit, marked as you go. These are the first 10.

The textbook pages for unit 7

Unit 7 runs from page 121 to page 155 of the Ministry of Education edition.

Ministry of Education edition, English, 217 pages

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All Grade 9 History short notes

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