The Flowering of African Civilizations Honors Period 4 & 6 East side, West side, all around the horn

Question to discuss How has Africa’s geography influenced its history? Where would people be able to live and develop civilizations?

Sub-Saharan Africa 700 – 200 BCE West African culture called the NOK had established itself. Between the Niger and Benue River valleys.

West African farmers were good As they produced more food – the population increased. There ended up being more people than farmable land. Created starvation. Be aware of cause and effect

A thousand years ago, what would you do? MOVE. Small groups of Africans began to migrate to less populated areas. Took a thousand years.

Bantu Migrations People and their descendents migrated into central, eastern, and southern parts of Africa. Bound together by the common language BANTU.

Bantu Migrations Some followed the Niger River, settling in one spot for a few years, then moving on. Others went into the rain forests and grew crops along rivers. Some went to the Savannas and raised cattle. Dominant group in sub-Saharan Africa

Village Life Many villages were MATRILINEAL – Count their descent through mothers rather than fathers. When a woman married – she joined her husband’s family, BUT The husband had to pay her family for the loss of their daughter. Gifts of tools, goats, cloth. Village Life

But trade introduced Africa to Al-Isam Northern Africa religion, custom, ideas, and language was influenced by Islam. Sub-Saharan Africa was influenced by Persia, India and later, European traders.

The Arts in Africa Oral literature. Griot – oral historian Stories included histories, fables and proverbs. Recorded the past and taught traditions and values.

Kingdoms in West Africa Africans living here between 300 – 1500 CE mind gold and other minerals. Practiced Islam. Trade mostly with Islamic countries. Adopted Islamic cultural elements like language as well as religion.

Kingdom of Ghana One of richest trading civilizations. “Ghana” means ruler – which refered to the land of the king. 300-1200 CE Kingdom that stretched 100,000 miles.

Ghana Two-way trade caravans between North Africa and Ghana. From Ghana kola nuts, farm goods, Ghana gold. To Ghana salt. MOST important to preserve and flavor food.

Ghana’s Peak 800-900s CE. Ended in 1000’s with attacks by the Muslim group the Almoravids.

Kingdom of Mali “Mali” – where the king resides. Mali’s kings brought prosperity to the country. Sundiata Keita – ruled in 1200’s CE, and conquered much land around Mali.

Sundiata’s rule brought prosperity Improved farming production Restored trans-Saharan trade routes.

Mali’s greatest king: Mansa Musa Ruled 1312 – 1332. Opened trading routes and protected them with an army. Made pilgrimage to Mecca. Came with 12,000 slaves Gave so much gold away – it lost value. Brought back architects to Mali to build mosques.

Mali’s greatest king: Mansa Musa Capital of TIMBUKTU. Important center for Muslim art and learning due to Mansa Musa.

Fall of Mali’s Empire Attacks on Timbuktu from Northern Africa’s Berbers. Attacks from the Southern African Songhai region. 1500s Mali was splintered apart.

Kingdom of Songhai Skilled traders, farmers, fishers had strong leaders. Late 1400s, ruler Sunni Ali conquered many areas of Africa.

Kingdom of Songhai 1493-1528 King Askia Muhammad ruled. Murdered by his son. Set off civil wars that when the Moroccan soldiers invaded in 1589 with cannons and guns – the swords, spears and bow and arrow wasn’t enough to defend the gold that was left. What is the role of technology in the development of a region? In warfare?

African Trading Cities and States in East Africa 500 BCE – East Africa was trading with the Arabian Peninsula. 900 CE Arab and Persian merchants settled in East Africa. Bought ivory, gold, iron. Sold Indian cotton, silk and Chinese porcelain.

1200 CE, many city states on the coast Became multicultural by the 1300s. Muslim, Indian, African influence of religion, language, art, heritage.

Like so many areas – civil wars broke out with some people wanting more When European explorers arrived in the 1400-1500s they wanted to control the sources of gold, ivory, copper. Attacks on the Africans, threatened their very civilization.