Civilization in AfricaChapter 8Chapter 15

African Geography“Geography is the mother of history. Nowhere in the world is this more powerfully illustrated than in Africa. The most [powerful] force in Africa’s experience is Africa’s environment… Africa has been a continent of abundant life but speedy death. Partly because of this… Africa has been the first habitat of man but the last to become truly [livable].”

– Ali A. Mazrui (African scholar)

Sub-Saharan African Culture Animism : religion in which spirits play

an important role in regulating daily life Spirits are present in animals, plants, and

other natural forces, including the souls of dead ancestors

Lack of written language – oral history told by griots (storytellers)

Early West African Civilization Djenne-Djeno – oldest known city in

sub-Saharan Africa (250 BCE) Linked to other towns by the Niger River

and overland camel routes = bustling trading center

Nok people – earliest known culture (500 BCE – 200 CE) Smelted iron Skilled in sculpture and pottery

Aksum and East Africa (300-700 CE) Modern-day Ethiopia Ezana expanded the

kingdom into the Arabian peninsula

AD 451, a split in Christianity

Coptic Church Ethiopian Orthodox

Spread of Islam severed link to the rest of the Christian world, forced the decline of Aksum

Kingdom of Mali (1235-1400 CE) 1st emperor (mansa) is

Sundiata Promoted agriculture Re-established gold-

salt trade Mansa Musa (grand-

nephew) Most famous Muslim

mansa Made Timbuktu into the

major trading city in the empire

Visit of Ibn Battuta Traveled for 27 years Visited every country in

Muslim empire.

Bantu-speaking peoples Group of over 900 languages that

originated in central Africa Made one of the greatest migrations in

history and populated the southern third of the African continent

Effects of the Bantu Migration Territorial wars with the small groups

who had lived in southern Africa Intermingling of Bantu

culture/languages with “natives” = great diversity of culture

Similarities within the hundreds of Bantu languages = unifying influence in southern Africa