Africa The Mother Continent

Where it All Began Humanity’s roots can be traced to this important continent.

Mighty Kingdoms Egypt Ghana Mali Songhai Ashanti Ethiopia Africa is a continent with a rich and varied history. While Europe was in the dark ages Africa enjoyed prosperity and civilizations flourished. Egypt Ghana Mali Songhai Ashanti Ethiopia

Great Civilizations Kingdoms Kush (1000 BCE-350 CE) Axum (1CE-800 CE) Ghana (CE 300 – 1076) Arabian City States (CE 1000 – 1505) Mali (CE 1200 – 1500) Benin (CE 1170 – 1900) Oyo (CE 1200 – 1800) Kanem-Bornu (CE 1250 – 1836) Songhai Empire (CE 1464 – 1591) Many more

The Land of the Pharaohs Egypt The Land of the Pharaohs

Egypt The land of many dynasties and advances in Calendar Making Language Mummification Science Mathematics

African Dynasties

Ghana The Trend of Greatness

Ghana One of the oldest and ancient African civilizations. By the year 300 AD it had been successfully ruled by 44 kings. Ghana was agrarian and a trading nation It made much on trade and used gold and salt as mediums for exchange. It economy was diversified and had iron smithing. It had skilled craftsmen like Goldsmiths, blacksmiths, potters, weavers of cloth, stonesmiths, carpenters and makers of furniture.

Mali An Emergent Power

Mali This powerful African kingdom picked up where Ghana left off. Although the rulers embraced Islam the common people continued to practice their traditional religions. Making alliances with surrounding Islamic nations she became a leading force.

Power Reknown Although an agrarian country Mali had a number of people skilled in various crafts: weaver, dyers, tanners, blacksmiths, goldsmiths, silversmiths and coppersmiths. Under Mansa Musa I Mali became “empire reknown” in Africa, the Middle East and Europe

Great Caravan to Mecca It began its declined in 1550 because of “Songhay, attacks from the Mossi and the malicious designs of the Portuguse.” Mana Musa’s travel to Mecca became widely known as he displayed his generosity. It was at this time through an Islamic architect, es-Saheli, that the University of Sankore located in Timbuktu became a center of learning and culture. Mali became as large as western Europe It covered “French West Africa, including Senegal, Gambia, Mali and parts of Nigeria and the Upper Volta.”

Timbuktu Timbuktu It was a center of commerce and education.

Songhai Rises to Power

Songhai When Ghana was no longer powerful Songhai grew in greatness. Mansa Musa captured the capital of Songhai Gao and imprisoned two of the sons of the ruler. When Mansa Musa died one of the sons escaped and founded the Sunni dynasty.

Sunni Ali leads the way Sunni Ali one of the later monarchs came to the throne and became a very powerful ruler. He conquered most of the cities of the former Mali kingdom. He captured Timbuktu and Jenne. This made Songhai a country to be reckoned with.

The Road to Greatness Sunni Ali died in 1492 and his son came to the throne. However, his son, because he was not a devout Muslim was dethroned. Askia Mohammed, a Muslim general, became the leader.

A Great Dynasty Askia Mohammed was an “exceptional, competent ruler” and he was responsible for the subsequent growth of Songhai. He developed an efficient government with a host of scholars, teachers, scientists and professionals.

Songhai importance The Spanish aided the Moroccans in defeating Songhai and plundered its cities including its schools and libraries. The kingdom of Songhai established schools, colleges and universities and reinstituted black intellectual life. Schools offered courses in law, literature, music, astronomy, medicine, mathematics. Its schools attracted scholars from everywhere. Askia Mohammed was overthrown by his son. Civil wars and incursions by the Moroccans severely crippled the kingdom.

Once Colonized Africa was once a colonized continent with only two independent nations– Liberia and Ethiopia (Abyssinia)

Independent Nations All of Africa enjoys independence. However, many still maintain strong ties with their once Colonial rulers.

Sources Slides 2, 4, 21, 22 -- Great Civilizations – Atlas of African American History by James Ciment Slide 19 -- http://hometown.aol.com/aafri/king.html Slide 20 -- http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/sghi/hg_d_sghi_d1map.htm Slide 14, Market— http://www.galenfrysinger.com/timbuktu.htm; Door-- http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/spritesjun.suffolk/11%20Doorway%20in%20Timbuktu.jpg