Early African Civilizations

Geography Sahara Savanna Rain Forest Mild How would Africa’s geography: 1) affect food production? 2) affect trading patterns? Hump Of Africa Savanna Horn of Africa Rain Forest 2nd largest continent Surrounded by 2 oceans & 2 seas Mild

3. Why is ivory unavailable today? 2. What connection is there between the mask and elephants? 1. What is this? Ivory Tribal Mask Ivory has been used for 1000s of years 1400s-1650s – Portuguese merchants hired ivory sculptors 3. Why is ivory unavailable today?

Kush 1000 B.C.E. – 150 C.E. Upper Nile Valley (Sudan) Capital City = Meroe Built great temples, brick mansions, flat-topped pyramids, and reservoirs Written language still undeciphered Traded gold, ivory, ebony, wood, and slaves produced iron wares

Axum 100 – 1400 C.E. Founded by Arab traders Traded ivory, slaves, & spices King Ezana - converted to Christianity 324 C.E. - conquered the Kush - built monuments = obelisks

Christian: Nubia & Ethiopia Reached Africa before Rome’s conversion Coptic (Egypt & Nubia) translated the gospels into their language & were tolerated Ethiopia—Remained isolated and independent King Lalibela—11 churches carved from stone Later Dynasty—traced lineage back to Solomon & Sheba

Bet Giorgis, a 12th century Rock-Hewn Church in Ethiopia

Ghana Founded about 750-1200 C.E. Between the Senegal and Niger Rivers Vast resources (iron, animal products, & gold) Produced iron swords, spears, and lances Traded gold for salt from the Saharan salt mines Ghanian kings taxed all passing trade Invaded by Muslims in 1076 and broken into small kingdoms

Berbers nomadic camel caravans ”fleets of the desert” Gold-salt-slave trade Picked up large blocks up salt on their journey and exchanged it for gold Islam, Christianity was spread also - carried goods 300 miles across the Sahara

Mali 1240-1400 Brought both gold & salt under their direct control Rulers converted to Islam Majority of the people remained faithful to the traditional animistic faiths

Sundiata Keita c. 1210-1260 Powerful warrior Created the Kingdom of Mali “Father of Mali”

Sundiata, Lion Prince of Mali as told by griots (story tellers)

Mansa Musa Ruled from 1312 – 1337 Very $ Doubled the size of Mali Created 5 provinces Appointed governors

Took 1000s with him Devout Muslim Made the Hajj Impressed 1000s along the way with lavish gifts Gold value along the rt. Returned with scholars & architects

Timbuktu became a major Cultural Center Encouraged new buildings Built mosques, libraries, New palace Center of universities Scholarship flourished

Songhai 1464 – 1600 C.E. Sunni Ali captured Timbuktu & Jenne Brought Upper Niger under his control Largest of West Africa’s trading kingdoms Elaborate tax and communication system Traded gold, salt, slaves Controlled the West African trade 1591, defeated by Morocco Ended the great West African kingdoms

Bantu Migrations Swahili Migrated into Eastern Africa from the west Subsistence farmers Major trading posts: Mogadishu Mombasa Kilwa Spoke Swahili

Unifying aspect 1000 different languages; 1000+ different tribes Bantu-speaking peoples provided a linguistic base across Africa 1000 different languages; 1000+ different tribes

Zimbabwe Wealthy “stateless society” Independent villages ruled by clan leader Prospered from the gold trade

Culture & Society Walled villages = center of government Markets contained goods from around the world Lineage group = sense of identity Many matrilineal societies Women could inherit Community education and initiation

Slavery Pre-European Slave Trade Existed since ancient times Between 650-1000 CE, 4.5 million Africans transported to Southwest Asia (SWA) 1st major development occurred in 7th Century Berbers raided villages Islamic traders traded goods for Africans Transported them to SWA Slavery

Many were captured in war, debtors, criminals Manual labor In Muslim & African societies, slaves had legal rights and opportunities for social mobility In Muslim countries, many earned their freedom

Religion Most were monotheistic Islam & Christianity spread slowly to Africa because many many Islamic beliefs conflicted with traditional African beliefs and customs. Diviners = predict the future

Traditional African Religion ANIMISM 1. Belief in one remote Supreme Being. 2. A world of spirits (good & bad) in all things. 3. Ancestor veneration. 4. Belief in magic, charms, and fetishes. 5. Diviner  mediator between the tribe and God.

Art & Culture Art reflected religious themes Griot = oral storyteller

The trade in ___?____ across the Sahara was probably next in importance to the gold trade for the western Sudan, but not for the central Sudan. There, because there was no gold, ___?____ were the mainstay of the export commerce. -- William D. Phillips, 1985 This excerpt is from a description of Islamic trade from the seventh century to the fifteenth century. Which word correctly completes the excerpt? A camels B dates C weapons D slaves