Things Fall Apart:
Background
Published in 1958
Chinua Achebe
 Born in Ogibi, Nigeria
 Raised with traditional values of Ibo
(Igbo) culture, mixed with Christianity
 Born to a teacher of a missionary school
 Witnessed Nigerian civil war that resulted
in Nigerian independence and then
became disappointed with what Nigeria
had become
 Worked as a college professor, author
Nigerian History
 1800s: British trade impacts Nigeria
 1897: British delegates are massacred as
a result of campaign against tribal customs
 British troops then burned the village of Benin City
 1900: Britain takes control of a Nigerian
region—causes split in country
 1950s: Political structure established
 1960: Nigeria gains full independence
 Tensions in country still high
Nigerian History, cont.
 1960s: continuous unrest and assassination of
govt leaders
 New leader decides to divide country more; creates Ibo
hostility since one state is cut off from the sea
 Causes bitter civil war
 1970: Biafra surrenders and ceases to exist
 Modern times:
 Continent’s most populous country
 Still tensions between religious and ethnic groups
Geography & Agriculture
 Nigeria is on Atlantic Coast in Central Africa
 Wide range of climatic variations and
vegetation
 250 different ethnic groups
 Agriculture is main producer of jobs
 Diverse crops and livestock
British Colonialism
 1850-1960: Nigeria was a British colony
 Introduced Christianity to Islamic region
 Ibo region had desirable resources
 Many taxes imposed on the native people
 Led to riots and uprisings
 Missionary education introduced
Missionary Involvement
 Colonization led to demand for education
and proliferation of schools
 Focus was on conversion to Christianity
 Created conflict between tribal and
European customs
Tribal Life
 Marriage customs
 Men of status have multiple wives
 Religion
 Egwugwu (ancestral spirits)
 Communal Living
 Traditions and Celebrations
 Centered around agriculture and the
seasons