SAHARA DESERT REGION ► Sahara Desert covers most of No. Africa ► The largest desert in the world. North to South the Sahara is about 1000 miles & is about 3,000 miles (4,800 km) from east to west. ► Algeria, Libya, Sudan, Niger, Chad, Mauritania, Egypt, Mali, Morocco, Tunisia
Ancient Ghana-700s-1200s
Ancient & Present Ghana ► Geographically, the old Ghana is 500 miles north of the present Ghana. ► The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive and others Europeans to arrive and others came later. came later. ► Kinship clans ► Kings promised peace in return for gifts and taxes Religious, judge, and military commanders ► Both gold and salt were the dominant sources of revenue, exchanged for various products such as textiles, ornaments and cloth, among other materials
Ghana (700s-1076) ► Soninke ► Ghana means “war-chief” ► Religious Beliefs ► Animism with a mix of Islam Belief that souls play an important role in daily life
The Downfall of Ancient Ghana ► 1076 – Ghanaian capital captured by the Moors From…? Iberian Peninsula ► Ancient Ghana continued to exist until swallowed up by….
MALI EMPIRE-1235 to 1645
MANSA MUSA ► Skilled warrior ► Used violence to expand & maintain ► Empire doubled ► Divided empire into provinces ► Hajj devout Muslim gave away 100s of lbs. of gold ► Europe learns of Mali’s wealth ► Timbuktu became flagship Ibn Battuta ► BETWEEN SUNDIATA & MANSA MUSA 7 RULERS IN 50 YEARS = INSTABILITY
Sunni Ali ( ?) ► Captured Timbuktu (1468) ► Strong military leader of Songhay Empire ► Divided empire into provinces ► Created hierarchy of command ► Did not recognize Islam as state religion
Askia Muhammad ( ) ► Muslim Rebellion ► Overthrew Sunni Ali’s son ► Continued Ali’s administrative traditions ► 1591 Songhai Empire is invaded by Moroccan army and defeated
Hausa city-states
Walled cities: Ruled surrounding farming villages
Hausa city-states ► Kano and Katsina ► Major trading centers because they linked west African nations with Mediterranean Sea ► Zazzau ► Involved in slave trade How much blame should Africans take for the slave trade??? ► Does their participation justify the U.S.’s use of slaves??? ► Constant fighting among city-states prevented Hausa from becoming an empire
Yoruba Kingdoms Spoke common language like Hausa peoples
Yoruba Kingdoms ► Yoruba kings ► Served as religious and political leaders ► Ife and Oyo were two largest Yoruba kingdoms Yoruba chiefs traced descent from first ruler of Ife ► Ife chief most powerful ► Secret society checked power ► How did Hausa and Yoruba kingdoms compare to the large empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai??? ► Centralized governments
Benin ► Similar to Ife ► 1480s-contact with Portuguese ► Traded pepper, leopard skins, ivory, and enslaved Africans
Central Africa
Portuguese ► Kongo ► Port. embedded in political affairs ► Kings converted to Christianity King Afonso I---Mbanza (Kongo of the Bell) ► Ndongo ► Angola ► Heavy in slave trade ► Strong resistance Queen Nzinga
East Africa ► Bantu-speaking people ► Migrated east and settled in seaport villages ► Traded with Arab merchants/settled in area Arabic+Bantu=Swahili language
Persian traders brought goods from China/India and extended down the Horn of Africa
Kilwa ► Wealthy city-state ► Ibn Battuta Impressed with houses of coral and stone Ate on porcelain Women wore silk robes, gold, and silver bracelets Kilwa was last stop for Indian merchant ships All goods had to funnel through Kilwa Portuguese stumbled on wealth of Kilwa Conquered Kilwa to exploit trade for themselves
Spread of Islam ► Increased commerce spread Islam ► Rulers, merchants, and government officials mostly Islamic ► Majority of people held on to traditional beliefs Why the difference??? ► Muslims participated in slave trade
Shona people settled land Farmed Raised cattle Controlled trade 1450: Great Zimbabwe abandoned
Mutapa Empire ► Ruled area of Great Zimbabwe ► Portuguese failed in conquering Mutapa but interfered in Mutapa politics ► What are some similarities between the kingdoms of east, central, and west Africa???