Ethiopia

The history of Ethiopia is a broad topic for a research paper. Paper Masters suggests you narrow your research on Ethiopia to just one aspect of this country's rich history in the world today. Here are a few topic suggestions for you on the history of Ethiopia:

• The anthropological history of Ethiopia
• Ethiopian history in various religions
• Imperialism in the history of Ethiopia
• Modern day Ethiopia and war

The African nation of Ethiopia has a history that dates back to the emergence of the human race. Homo sapiens emerged in what is now Ethiopia during the Middle Paleolithic era, some 200,000 years ago. However, the recorded history of Ethiopia emerged during the 8th century BCE, with the kingdom of D'mt. The ancient Egyptians referred to Ethiopia as the Land of Punt, and by the first century AD the Aksumite Kingdom controlled a large section of area around the Red Sea.

Ethiopia and the Ancient Greeks

The ancient Greeks referred to the land south of Egypt as Aethiopia, and the Old Testament references to the Kingdom of Sheba are likely references to Ethiopia as well. Following the collapse of D'mt, the Kingdom of Axum united much of Ethiopia, extending as far east as Yemen by the 6th century. Christianity made inroads into Ethiopia by the fourth century, with contact between Ethiopians and Islam occurring during Mohammad's lifetime.
Around the year 1100, the Zagwe dynasty emerged in Ethiopia, creating an isolated,

Christian theocratic state. The Zagwe sent diplomatic missions to Europe during the Middle Ages, which brought the region to the attention of the Portuguese, the vanguard of the Age of Exploration.

The modern history of Ethiopia begins in the 19th century, with the ascension of Emperor Tewodros II. Unlike many other African areas, Ethiopia was never colonized, but it did come under Italian occupation during the 1930s. Following World War II, Emperor Haile Selassie attempted to modernize the nation.