The Rise of African Civilizations

Chapter 13, Section 1, page 444

Africa’s Geography – page 445

• a vast and diverse continent– hot, steamy rain forests on either side of the equator– tropical grasslands, known as savannas, cover most

of Africa north and south of the rain forests– deserts → Sahara in the north and the Kalahari and

the Namib in the southwest– coastal areas in the north and the south have a

Mediterranean climate (mild and good for growing crops)

Africa’s Geography – page 445

The African Plateau – page 446

• Much of Africa rests on a plateau (a high area of flat land).

• Great Rift Valley

West African Empires – page 447

• Berbers– camels – “the ships of the

desert”– trade caravans

• cloth• salt

– trade led to city growth, which led to empire building

Rise of Ghana – page 448

• Ghana– c. A.D. 400s– “crossroads of trade”– grew wealthy from the

salt and gold trade– traders paid taxes as they

passed through– military might (iron

weapons, manpower)– control of the goods people

wanted

Rise of Mali – page 448

• Ghana declined in the 1200s due to warfare and poor harvests.

• Mali– griots – African

storytellers– Sundiata Keita – warrior

king who took control of Ghana in 1240

Rise of the Songhai – page 449

• Mali declined after the death of Mansa Musa.

• Songhai – largest empire in West

Africa in the 1500s– Sunni Ali – stormed

Timbuktu and threw out the Berbers

– decline came through technology

Kingdoms of the Rain Forest – page 450

• Benin – empire in the rain forest– kingdoms were shielded by the rain forests– food surpluses allowed for artisans

East Africa – page 451

• Axum – powerful Ethiopian city-state which owed its power to its location on the Red Sea.– dhow – sailboat with a triangular sail invented by

Muslims• other important cities: Mogadishu, Kilwa, Mombasa,

Zanzibar• Great Zimbabwe – founded around A.D. 700 by

the Shona people (virtual tour)

Chapter 13, Section 1 Questions

Write the following questions and then answer them.1. Describe the geography of Africa.2. Why was salt such an important commodity?3. Who was Sundiata Keita?4. What natural protection did the rain foreat kingdoms

enjoy?5. What city-states grew as trading ports in East Africa

and why were they successful?

Africa’s Government and Religion

Chapter 13, Section 2, page 460

Objectives

After this lesson, students will be able to• explain how the growth of empires led to centralized

governments led by kings.• discuss how traditional religions and Islam shaped

African cultures.

Government and Society – page 461

• ruler and subject– West African governments utilized central

governments ruled by kings.– both sides benefited

Ghana’s Government – page 461

• kings relied on council of ministers• lesser kings ruled provinces• chieftains oversaw their clan – a group of people

descended from the same ancestor• tight grip on power

Mali’s Government – page 462

• similar to Ghana, but on larger scale– Sundiata put generals in charge of provinces.

• accepted because they were often from the province they ruled• protected people from invaders

– Mansa Musa rewarded citizens with gold, land, and horses.• Military heroes were awarded the “National Honor of the

Trousers.”

• Songhai’s government was similar.

Traditional African Religions – page 463

• traditional religions varied• most believed in a supreme being• some believed in a hierarchy of gods• some believed that ancestors stayed with the

community• Christianity is the most widely practiced religion

in Africa today.• North Africa is predominantly Muslim.

Islam in Africa – page 464

• Mali and Mansa Musa– Mansa Musa allowed

different religions, but worked to strengthen Islam.• building initiativies

– A.D. 1324 – Mansa Musa’s hajj journey (huge production)

Songhai and Askia Muhammad – page 465

• Sunni Ali – poser Muslim• Muhammad Ture takes

control • Askia Muhammad close

support for Islam• Islam in East Africa– Swahili – language that

means “people of the coast”

African Society and Culture

Chapter 13, Section 3, page 468

Objectives

• After this lesson, students will be able to:– describe how the Bantu migrations spread common

ideas to much of Africa.– discuss how the African slave trade disrupted African

society and carried African peoples and cultures around the world.

Life in Medieval Africa – page 469

• Bantu – “the people”– migration helped spread culture across medieval

Africa– spread pottery making and mining skills– responsible for common ideas and traditions

Importance of Families – page 469

• family was the basis of African society– extended families – families made up of several

generations– matrilineal – traced family descent through mothers– children extremely important (ancestors)

Education and Women – page 470

• Children were educated by their family and other villagers.

• oral histories – stories passed down from generation to generation (griots)

• Queen Nzinga – battled the Portuguese slave trade

Slavery – page 472

• slavery within Africa• the European slave trade– 1440s – The European slave trade was started by

Portugal.– African slaves harvested sugarcane originally.

African Culture – page 474

• “a nation of dancers, musicians, and poets”– African art

• religious meaning and story telling• cave paintings were the earliest art forms• woodcarving and weaving also important

– music and dance• celebrated important events• enslaved Africans used music to remind

them of their homeland– storytelling

• tradition of the griots