DEVEL

OPMEN

T

OF AFR

ICAN

CIVIL

IZATI

ONS

CHAPTER 7

-1

THE IMPACT OF GEOGRAPHY

After Asia Africa is the largest continent stretching some 5000 miles & is almost completely surrounded by two oceans & two seas

Africa is also made up of several distinct geographical zones

-The Northern part of Africa is washed by the Mediterranean Sea & is very mountainous

-South of the Med is the worlds largest desert, the Sahara

-To the East is the Nile River, Egypt, & the Red Sea

The tropical rain forest gradually gives way to plateaus & eventually deserts in the south

CLIMATEAfrica contains four different climate

zonesA mild climate zone stretches across

the northern coast & southern tip of the continent

The moderate rainfall & warm temperatures provide ideal conditions for farming

Deserts form another zone which cover approximately 40% of Africa

The two largest deserts are the Sahara in the north & the Kalahari in the south

A third zone is the rain forest that stretches across the equator & makes up about 10% of the continent

A fourth zone would be the savannas

This zone is covered in broad grasslands, small trees, & shrubs

This zone covers 40% of Africa

EMERGING CIVILIZATIONS & RELIGIONS

Between seven & eight thousand years ago hunter, gatherers began to domesticate animals & grow crops

This was called the Agricultural Revolution, which would give rise to Africa’s first civilizations, the Kush & Axum, as well as to Egypt

By 2000 B.C. a busy trade had been established between Egypt & an area to the south known as Nubia

The Kush economy was first based on farming but later developed into a major trading state

Key goods included iron, ivory, gold, ebony, & slaves

KUSH

AXUM

Axum would replace the Kush Kingdom in about 150A.D.

It was because of trade rivalries that King Ezana invaded & conquered the Kush

Axum was located in present day Ethiopia & founded by Arabs who continued both Arab & African cultures

Axum owed it prosperity to its location on the Red Sea as it was a major trade center between India & Mediterranean

RISE OF ISLAM

In 641 Arab forces captured Egypt & by the 700’s ruled North Africa’s coast west to the Strait of Gibraltar

Muslims also controlled lands along the Red Sea

Their relationship with Axum was basically peaceable

This would change by the twelfth century as the Muslims began to move inland to control trade in slaves & ivory