africa
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Africa
Geography• Geography: The
Continent of Africa– After Asia, Africa is the
second largest continent, covering 1/5 of the Earth’s land surface
– Geography is varied, certain features had a major impact on its development
• Climate Zones– Tropical rainforests cover less than 5% of the land
(mostly on the equator)• Trees and roots make it unstable for farming
– Savanna: Grassy plains, that stretch north and south of the forest zone• Largest and most populated climate zone• Generally has good soil and enough rainfall to support farming• Irregular patterns of rainfall cause long deadly droughts• Cattle herding is a common occupation
• The Sahara Desert: In the northern part of Africa, it is the world’s largest desert– Size and harsh terrain limited
movement– The Kalahari & the Namib are
in the south• Smaller but equally forbidding
• Mediterranean Coast of the North and South– Fertile farmland
• Movement– Africa is surrounded by
Oceans and Seas– Rivers → Zambezi, Congo,
Niger, and Nile all serve as open highways
– Despite some geographic barriers, people were able to migrate, both within Africa & to neighboring continents • Red Sea & Indian Ocean
linked Africa to the Middle East
• North Africa allowed for travel to Europe
• Resources– Wealth of minerals has spurred
trade in many regions• Salt, Iron, Gold & Copper
– In the 1800’s, desire for Gold and Diamonds was once cause that led Europeans to seek control of territories in Africa• More recently, nations such as
Nigeria and Angola have exported large quantities of oil
• Migration of Peoples– Archaeologists have
uncovered evidence to pinpoint the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, as the home of the earliest people• Gradually their
descendants, traveled to almost every corner of the Earth
• Stone Age Cultures– In Africa, Paleolithic people developed skills as hunters
and gathers– By 5500BC, Neolithic farmers had learned to cultivate
the Nile Valley & to domesticate animals• Settled into permanent villages that eventually supported the
great civilization of Ancient Egypt– Farming spread across North Africa – Neolithic villages even appeared in the Sahara region (At
the time, it was a well watered zone)• Ancient paintings show the Sahara filled with forests and rivers
• The Sahara Dries Out– About 2500BC, climate change
dried out the Sahara– As the land became parched
the desert spread• This process of desertification,
had continued to the present, devouring thousands of areas of cropland each year
– As the region dried, people retreated• Some moved North to the
Mediterranean coast, others migrated south to the Savannah or Rain Forests
• The Nile Kingdom of Nubia– Also referred to as Kush, was located in present day
Sudan• Archaeologists & historians have just begun to document
shifting tides of Nubia’s 4000 years old history
• Nubia and Egypt– From time to time, ambitious Egyptian pharaohs
subdued Nubia, but Nubia would always gain their independence• As a result of conquest & trade, Nubian rulers adopted many
Egyptian traditions• Built palaces & pyramids, modeled on Egyptian styles
• North Africa in the Ancient World– Early African
civilizations had strong ties to the Mediterranean World• Trade linked Egypt
with Greece and Mesopotamia• Later Egypt was ruled
by the Greeks and the Romans
• Carthage– Rose as the great North African power• Wealth came from trade
– Created by Phoenician traders, Carthage came to dominate the Western Mediterranean
– Between 800BC-146BC, it forged an Empire that stretched from Maghreb (present day Tunisia, Algeria & Morocco) to southern Spain & Sicily
– As Rome expanded, territorial & trade rivalries erupted between the two powers • Despite efforts of Hannibal, Rome eventually crushed Carthage
• Roman Rule– Romans built roads,
dams, aqueducts & cities across North Africa• Imported lions and other
fierce animals from North Africa, to do battle with Gladiators• Also provided Roman
soldiers– Christianity spread to
cities of North Africa
• Camel Revolutionizes Trade– By 200AD, Camels had been brought to North Africa
from Asia– Traders had earlier made attempts across the desert in
horse drawn carriages • Camel caravans created new trade networks
• Spread of Islam– In the 600s Arab armies carried Islam into North Africa• Islam replaced Christianity, which was the dominant religion of
North Africa• Arabic replaced Latin as the language• North African traders carried Islam to West Africa
Kingdoms of West Africa
• The West African Landscape– When the Sahara dried out,
Neolithic people migrated southward into Western Savanna• Farmers grew beans, melons, & a
wide variety of cereal grains• By 100, settled farming villages
were expanding along the Senegal & Niger rivers around Lake Chad– In time some villages grew into
towns
• Trading Patterns– Villages traded any surplus food they produced– Gradually, a trade network linked the Savannah to forest
lands in the south• Then funneled goods across the Sahara to the Mediterranean
and the Middle East – From West Africa caravans crossed the Sahara, carrying
leather goods, Kola nuts, cotton cloth and slaves– Gold For Salt: Gold and Salt dominated the Sahara trade• Gold was plentiful in present day Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal• Salt, from West Africa, is an abundance in the Sahara
– Needed to prevent dehydration, preserve food– Built homes from Salt Blocks
Trading Kingdoms of West Africa
• Ghana– King was semi-divine figure• Dispensed justice, kept order, had
a huge army of foot soldiers with Calvary
– Women in Ghana had a high status & played an active role in the economic life of the empire• Some held positions in the
government
– Influence of Islam• Muslim merchants formed
their own communities• Islam spread slowly at first• The King employed Muslims
as counselors and officials• Muslims introduced their
written language, coinage, business methods and styles of architecture– City dwellers adopted Islam
• Mali– Greatest Emperor was Mansa Musa
• Came to the throne in 1312– Expanded Mali’s borders westward to the Atlantic Ocean– For 25 years he worked to restore peace and order in his
empire– Converted to Islam and based his system of justice on the
Quran• Didn’t adopt all customs, women were not secluded to the home
– The Emperor’s Hajj• Journeyed across the Sahara• Musa was accompanied by 500
slaves, each bringing a Gold staff– Had 100 camels decorated with
gold• Musa spent so lavishly that the
value of Gold in Cairo dropped for 10 years• Finally got to Arabia, reaching
Mecca and visited the Kaaba and prayed– Made long journey back across
the Sahara to Mali– The Hajj had taken over a year
– Results of the Hajj• Mansa Musa showed his devotion to
Islam• Made new trading and diplomatic
ties with Muslim states, such as, Egypt and Morocco• Returned home with scholars and
artists– Newcomers introduced Arab styles in
the palaces and Mosques of Mali• Word of Mali’s enormous wealth
spread across the Muslim World– European rulers developed an interest
in African Gold» Recently began using Gold coins
• Songhai– In the 1400’s, civil wars weakened Mali– By 1450 a new West African Kingdom, Songhai had emerged– Sonni Ali used his powerful army to forge the largest state
that had ever existed in West Africa• Did not adhere to practices of Islam• Followed traditional beliefs
– Askia Muhammad became Emperor after Sonni’s death• Set up a Muslim dynasty
– Further expanded the territory of Songhai and improved government
– Set up a bureaucracy with separate departments for farming, army, & the treasury• The King appointed officials to supervise each department
– Also made a pilgrimage to Mecca– Prospered until 1586, due to civil war• Ruler of Morocco sent his armies south to seize the West
African Gold mines• Moroccans'’ were unable to rule an empire across the Sahara
Trading Kingdoms of East Africa
• Axum– Ruled: 900BC- 600– Religion: Christianity– Traded: Ivory, hides,
rhinoceros horns, fur, slaves, and gold
• Great Zimbabwe- “Great Stone Building”– Ruled: 900-1500– Religion: “God-King”– Traded: Gold
• Ethiopia – Ruled: 1275-1550– Religion: Christian– Traded same as the Axumiles• Were their ancestors
• City States: Mogadishu, Kilwa, Zanzibar– Ruled: 1000– International trade created a
mix of cultures• Traded with Arabia• Blend of cultures created the
language, Swahili
• The Kingdom of Kongo– Reached its height in 1500’s– Consisted of many villages
grouped in districts and provinces• Governed by officials appointed
by the king• Each village had it’s own chief
– King was chosen by a board of electors and governed traditional laws
– Portuguese eventually obtained many of their slaves from the Kongo
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