Rural Life: Africa v.s. U.S.A.
By: Skylar Mize
Introduction
When comparing rural life in Africa with the rural life in the United States, you will find some of the same things but you will find more differences than anything. In my findings on this topic, I found that the U.S. has privileges over Africa as you will see in the following information.
A home in rural Africa.
What rural America commonly looks like.
A map showing that there is more rural land in Africa than anything.
Causes and Contributing Factors: Africa
- not a very wealthy rural area
- may have machines and technology but in small amounts
- economic hardships throughout the rural region if it isn't a good crop-growing season
- history of Africa hasn't had as strong of a background as the U.S.
- Africans give more time and dedication to their crops since their lives and the lives of their family and even their whole village depend on a good crop season
- Africans live in villages and huts
- villages in Africa have never really had the advantage of having technology
- inside their villages, all the people are very close to one another and help each other raise children, help each other cook, and pretty much help each other do almost anything and everything
- very big on trading
- only sell their livestock when they need the money
- community ceremonies: first rains of the growing season, the planting of crops, and harvest time.
- depend on seasonal rain
- nomadic herding is common in the rural region of Africa
Causes and Contributing Factors: United Sates
- more agricultural skilled and educated
- Americans have more machines that help them complete agricultural tasks much faster than Africa
- new technology to help advance living standards in rural America
- economic hardships come more often to the rural part of the U.S. because they have to depend on a good rain season and have to count on having enough crops to make profit
- America has been on top
- more education
- live in houses, not huts
- usually live in large family homes with large families to help on the farm
- unlike in Africa, rural Americans do not live near each other because they want their own space for their farms
- like urban America, rural America has a wealthy, middle and lower class of society
- 1900's brought new technology that brought farm families closer: the telephone, roads, etc. (Africa does not have these advantages)
- both women and men help on farms and work equally
Effects: Africa
The effects on Africa are that they don't have as great as advantage as America because they don't have as much technology as rural America has. That doesn't mean Africa is at a disadvantage at their farming. They can farm just as much as Americans can, just not as quickly as they can. My opinion is that they have greater family values because they live in villages. It brings a community closer and makes hard work easier. Africa's rural land differs from America because they work as communities and they do not work for profit as much as Americans do. Effects on rural Africa are not bad at all. They have many good things about their rural community.
Effects: United States
The effects on rural America are that they have many technology and education advantages over Africa. America also has advantages of having electricity in rural areas when Africa does not have this advantage in its rural areas, only in its urban areas. All effects are good on rural America except they have the worst economic hardships because they have depend on the weather and then depend on their crops to make profit. They also can have amazing economic times when the growing season is on their side. Africans have an advantage over America because they live in villages and Americans live in large family homes. Living in villages gives the Africans the advantage of having a lot more hands to help. A large family, mom, dad, and children, can get the job done, but having a whole village of people to help out with anything and everything is definitely an advantage for Africa.
Solutions
Solutions for the comparison of the rural areas in Africa and America are maybe one day Africa will be just as technologically advanced and can work as fast as rural America and will then be able to supply Africa or their village even faster.
Conclusion
My conclusion on the comparison of rural Africa and rural America is obviously America has an advantage over Africa. Both countries have very strong rural areas and are both successful. Each have their downfalls and differences but both have a positive output on the world.
America
Even though the rural areas have their differences they still have the same purpose.