CW1 – p7 Vocab

Africa

• Huge, diverse land

• 2nd largest continent on earth

• Rainforest, savannah, desert

• Sudan – “land of the black people”

Birthplace of Humanity

• Anthropologists have concluded that the origins of humanity lie in the savannah regions of Africa (all are descendants)

Hominids

australopithecines First hominids

Homo habilis Used tools, larger brains

Homo erectus Used fire, stood all the time

Homo sapiens Modern humans

Ancient Civilizations

• Some of the earliest civilizations in world history began in Africa

• Egypt has a lasting impact on Western Civilization.

• Race of the Egyptians has long been debated.

• Other civilizations were: Kush, Meroe and Axum.

Egypt• Founded along side the Nile River (“Gift of the Nile”)

• Leaders of the unified Egyptian kingdom were known as pharaohs. (several were female)

• Religion shaped every aspect of Egyptian life (immortality, mummification)

Kush

• South of Egypt, Sudan, region of Nubia (black people)

• Smaller population than Egypt.

• Egypt subjugated (ruled militarily) Kush to control their copper, gold, slaves and ebony.

• After this period, the Nubians formed the kingdom of Kush.

• Not the slang term for marijuana…

• After Egypt conquered the Kush, many of the people moved south to form a new capital at Meroe

• Soon after the fall of the Roman Empire (400 AD), a neighboring empire of Axum invaded and conquered Meroe.

• Axum becomes the first Christian state in Africa. (modern day Ethiopia)

Meroe & Axum