Britannica Student Encyclopedia - 2010

endangered, or in danger of dying out.

People are trying to save zebras by breeding

them in captivity and then releasing

them into the wild.

#More to explore

Horse • Mammal

Zapotec

The Zapotec are a group of American

Indians who live in the state of Oaxaca

in southern Mexico. Many Zapotec are

farmers.

The Zapotec have lived in what is now

Oaxaca since about 1500 BC. In about

500 BC they built a capital known as

Monte Alban. This city had flat pyramids,

temples, and elaborate tombs.

Like the Zapotec today, the early Zapotec

were farmers. They also made fine

pottery. In addition, they carved writings

onto slabs of stone. This was some

of the earliest writing in the Americas.

Zapotec lands once stretched from what

is now Puebla (the state north of Oaxaca)

to the Pacific Ocean. But after

about AD 500 Monte Alban began to fall

into ruin. A people called the Mixtec

took over the city. The Zapotec later

formed a number of small kingdoms. In

the 1500s Spanish conquerors took over

the region.

#More to explore

Mexico • Native Americans

Zeus

The most powerful god in ancient Greek

Zebras generally live in small groups. mythology was Zeus. He was considered

Zapotec in

different

villages sometimes

speak

different

Zapotecan

languages.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Zeus 103

 

the ruler of all the other gods as well as

of humans. Zeus was said to live on top

of Mount Olympus with the other

major gods. From there, he could see

everything that humans did. He sent

thunder, lightning, rain, and winds

down to Earth. Zeus is associated with

the Roman god Jupiter because they

shared many traits. Two of Zeus’s symbols

are the thunderbolt and the eagle.

He used the thunderbolt as a weapon.

Zeus was said to punish those who

angered him or did wrong. However, he

rewarded those who behaved well. Zeus

also was the protector of cities, the

home, property, strangers, and guests.

According to legend, Zeus was the son

of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. The

Titans were giants who once ruled the

world. Cronus heard that one of his

children would destroy him. To prevent

this, he swallowed his children right

after they were born. But when Zeus was

born, Rhea tricked Cronus. She had him

swallow a rock wrapped in cloth rather

than the baby. Rhea secretly sent Zeus to

a cave to live. After he grew up, Zeus led

a war to force the Titans from power.

After 10 years Zeus won and became the

chief god.

Zeus’s wife was the goddess Hera. They

had a stormy relationship. Zeus fell in

love with many other goddesses and

women, and Hera became very jealous.

Zeus was the father of many children,

including the gods Apollo and Ares and

the goddesses Artemis and Athena.

Athena was born from Zeus’s forehead.

#More to explore

Hera • Mythology • Titans

According to Greek mythology, Zeus ruled

over all the other gods as well as humans.

104 Zeus BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a country in southern

Africa. The British once ruled the land

and called it Southern Rhodesia. A

white government later called it just

Rhodesia. Zimbabwe gained independence

under a black government in

1980. The capital is Harare.

Geography

Zimbabwe shares borders with Zambia,

Mozambique, South Africa, and

Botswana. The country has a mild climate

with dry and rainy seasons.

Zimbabwe lies on a plateau, or area of

raised land. A ridge called the Highveld

stretches from southwest to northeast.

The Inyanga Mountains form Zimbabwe’s

eastern border. A line of hills,

called the Great Dyke, runs from north

to south through the middle of the

country.

The Zambezi River forms Zimbabwe’s

border with Zambia. This river contains

Victoria Falls, a huge waterfall. A major

dam on the river created Lake Kariba.

Plants and Animals

Savanna, or grassland with scattered

trees, covers much of Zimbabwe. Evergreen

forests grow in the east. The country’s

animals include lions, hyenas,

jackals, elephants, hippopotamuses,

giraffes, gorillas, chimpanzees, baboons,

antelope, and crocodiles.

People

Almost all of Zimbabwe’s population is

African. The main African groups are

the Shona and the Ndebele. Europeans

make up a tiny part of the population.

English is the language of government,

but the Shona and Ndebele languages

are more commonly spoken. They

belong to a large family of African languages

called Bantu languages. About

Matusadona National Park is home to

many animals, including herds of buffalo.

The park lies along Lake Kariba in northern

Zimbabwe.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Zimbabwe 105

 

half of the people follow Christianity.

Many people also follow traditional

African beliefs. Most people live in rural

areas.

Economy

Zimbabwe’s economy depends on agriculture.

The most important crop is

tobacco, which Zimbabwe sells to other

countries. Other major crops include

cotton, corn, and sugarcane. Farmers

also raise cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs.

Mining is also important to the

economy. Zimbabwe mines gold, nickel,

coal, and other minerals in the hills of

the Great Dyke. Zimbabwe’s industries

make food products, metals, clothing,

chemicals, and wood products.

History

Some of the earliest people in the region

were the San, or Bushmen. Bantuspeaking