 The geographic location of east Africa has made it an ideal location for trading between different countries and cultures.  The early civilizations that developed in east Africa were central trading nations such as the Aksum nation.  The Aksum nation traded with Egypt and the eastern roman empire.  Though this was true the Aksum nation lost many trading partners during the 6 th century.

During the 19 th century the industrialize nations of Europe became interested in the land and natural resources of Africa and wanted to colonize and control parts of Africa to obtain resources. In a scramble for Africa 14 European nations devised the Berlin conference in to prevent fighting and unnecessary war over the African territories. No African ruler was invited to the meeting and the nations that did show up decided that all European nations can claim African land. These nations set boundaries that combined traditional enemies and divided other tribes who were not enemies. This is said to be the cause of conflicts between different tribes in present day Africa

 Ethiopia was one of the only African nations to avoid being colonized by the European nations.  Menelik II was the Ethiopian emperor that skillfully escaped colonization by protecting his country from the Italian invasion with weapons from t France and Russia  The ethiopian army had greater knowledge of the areas in which they were fighting.

 Some of its ideas and practices spread to North America and Europe.  Trading was the main solution so that the 3 empires Ghana, Mali, and Songhai could thrive in the West.  Traded mostly gold and salt.  Mali’s first great leader conquered Ghana.  The emperor replaced Mali and Moroccan army invaded Songhai, destroying its empire.

 Before their was colonialism various people lived in stateless societies.  In stateless societies in which people govern themselves by relying on family lineages.  For some stateless societies it either worked out or it didn’t.

 Past, present, or future; trade will always and forever be important to West Africa.  Ghana’s main trade export is: gold, diamonds, magnesium, and bauxite.  Ghana, having free and fair elections resulted in having a new political stability.

 Existing in Sierra Leone is the worst economic conditions.  In which case having years of political stability and civil wars left the country in hardships.  Road and transportation finally containing few selected highways and around 800 miles of roads.

 Cultures of West Africa are producing crafts work and colorful textiles.

 Known for their work in weaving colorful asasias, were the Ashanti’s who now live in Ghana.  Royalty were the only ones able to wear asasia (kente cloth).  Making masks and carving wooden stools are part of other crafts.  The stool means the unity of the people within the state.

 Making beautiful objects made of metal and terracotta was the work of Benin’s fashion.  Part of their fashion included bronze items were their main source.

 In West Africa music is a large part to their influence, like everywhere else in the world.

 Forms of jazz, blues, and reggae were blended which started the traditional African music.  Using French and English to attract international audience, they also used a wide variety of instruments.  A popular musician from Nigeria, King Sunny and his band, the African Beats; plays an informal type of music characterized by tight vocals, complex guitar work, traditional talking drums, percussion instruments, and the pedal steel guitar and accordion.  In the end jazz, blues, and reggae originated from West Africa

A. Europeans wanted slaves for their plantations in the Americas. Europeans traders traveled to Africa and waited on the coast. African merchants then brought potential slaves to them. The merchants traded for guns and other goods Many African rulers took part in the slave trade. They already had been selling slaves to other African rulers and Arabs.

Bantu Migrations and Colonial Exploitation  Bantu Migrations The Bantu are a group of people who speak one of the Bantu languages. Around 2000B.C. the Bantu people moved throughout the southward part of Africa. They spread their languages and cultures to others on their journey. This huge migration is called the Bantu Migration.  The Slave Trade Slaves were wanted by Europeans for their plantation. When European traders came to Africa, African merchants brought slaves to them. Many African rulers have already been selling slaves to Arabs and other African rulers.

Bantu Migrations and Colonial Exploitation cont.  Start Of Colonialism In the mid-1800’s, Central contain hundreds of different ethnic groups, which had traditional religions and spoke an abundant amount of languages. Europeans have been in Africa since the mid-15 th century. King Leopold II of Belgium had an interest in Congo when it had been explored in the 1870’s. He wanted to open the African interior to European trade along the Congo River.  Effects Of Colonialism During the 19 th and 20 th centuries, primarily the Belgians and French colonized Central Africa. In 1960, most Central African countries Gained their independence, the borders imposed on the Africans during colonialism posed problems. The borders disrupted long-standing systems of government in Africa.

The Economic Legacy Of Colonialism  Economic Effects Central Africa still is recovering from effects of colonialism: the loss of resources, the disruption of its political systems, and the cultural and ethnic oppression of its people. They left little money to develop roads, railroads, airports, or a productive education system for the people of those countries.

The Economic Legacy Of Colonialism cont.  Congo’s Economic Chaos A good example of economic problems caused by colonization can be seen in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The country has an abundant supply of natural resources such as gold, copper, and diamonds. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mobutu Sese Seko, the country’s leader from 1967 until 1997, brought the country's businesses under national control. The country’s economic educational system and social structure began a rapid decline thereafter. Mobutu used the army to maintain his own power. By 1999, Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Chad, Rwanda, and Uganda all had troops in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and were competing for its territory and resources. The Democratic Republic of the Congo still is struggling to establish a stable political system.

The Influence Of Central African Art  Central African Art For much of the 20th century, some of Central Africa’s art has reflected attitudes toward colonialism. After independence in the 1960’s, these countries wanted to establish their own identities. Artists who participated wanted to recover the personality of African art by using materials they considered African in origin.  Fang Sculpture Prior to the 20th century, few people in Europe knew much about African art. In 1907 the famous Spanish artist Pablo Picasso saw a display of African Fang sculpture in Paris, and it captivated him.

Improving Education Education Faces Barriers Learning In Central Africa  Students’ education varies in Central Africa.  Adequate schooling for many of Africa’s young people is in short supply. In 2001, experts estimate that less than half of sub-Saharan Africa’s 16- to 20-year-olds attend school. More than 700 languages also pose as a barrier. The language used in school is often different from the one used at home.

Southern Africa

Gold Trade Builds Empires  Southern Africa includes Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, and South Africa.  Blending of colonialism with African cultures and the development of the of the gold trading empires are rapped up with in the history of Southern Africa  Gold Trade Spawns Great Zimbabwe  The majority of people of Southern Africa are Bantu speaking peoples which includes Shonu people  At least 1000 Shonu people live in Southern Africa and created the city Zimbabwe which is now known as the country Zimbabwe.  For many years Zimbabwe was the capital of a thriving gold trading area but in 1450 the Shonu people had abandoned Zimbabwe.

Mutapa Empire  The Mutapa Empire had been inspired by a man named Mutota’s death had inspired the Mutapa Empire when he left Zimbabwe in 1440 and settled in a fertile valley in the north.  Gold trade continued in the Mutapa Empire in the 1500’s, however the Portuguese arrived and began interfering with politics there and the Mutapa Empire began to decline.  Ethnic clash for Southern Africa  Because of the Europeans that migrated to south Africa conflicts had begun with the Africans and they had competed for each other for land.  The policy of Apartheid in South Africa  The policy of Apartheid had begun in 1948 which had a separated the races and gave better land to the whites  1949 the ANC had struggled to end the Apartheid and which had resulted in south Africa having a peaceful solution.

Ethnic Groups of Southern African Map

Southern Africa Grows Economically  For a while Southern Africa’s economy was hurt because of Apartheid foreign nations imposed economic sanctions that prevented their countries conducting business with or investing in South Africa this also led to poor education of blacks and an uneducated mass of young people.  Success at a cost  Botswana making a great deal of money from valuable resources but had serious agriculture problems and an unequal distribution of wealth which is what most African countries go through today.  The wealth in Botswana is based on it’s minerals it’s most valuable mineral is diamonds, by 1995 Botswana became the worlds third largest diamond producer accounts more than 63 percent of the governments revenue.  Aids affects southern Africa  Since aids had affected Southern Africa in 1999 the life expectancy was 60old and had dropped to j39 years of age, the disease also has far-ranging implications for any country’s economic well-beimg

Celebrations of Southern Africa  There is a rich mosaic of cultures and traditions in Southern Africa more than any other region, it's a mix of African an European cultures.  A Variety of Dances  A large part of life in Southern Africa are the festivals and celebration There are many dances.  The gule wamkulu dance is by the Chewa people, this dance reflects their religious beliefs  The dancers dress in very ragged costumes made of clothes, animal skins, they were masks, and sometimes walk on stilts.  There are many other dances like the benji dance of the yao people in Southern Malawi and the vimbuza, a dance performed by healers hoping cure people’s sickness.

Southern African festival

Living in Southern Africa  One of Southern Africa’s largest cities is Johannesburg and it offers its residents a variety of opportunities and experiences.  Johannesburg  Johannesburg was once a small mining town and grew because of nearby gold reserves about 100yrs but today it is much different with more than six million people and a variety ethnicities and lifestyles.  Modern and traditional lifestyles  Most Southern Africans live a modern lifestyle as doctors, lawyer and business people. They live in tree lines suburbs that look no different from the United States.  There are still many blacks that still live in the former black-only homelands an shantytowns.

Johannesburg

The End Of my Southern African power point The End Of my Southern African power point

-In 2000 AIDS took the lives of 3 million people world wide. -Out of the 3 million, 2.4 million lives were taken from in sub- Saharan Africa -IN 2000, 26 million people are living with either AIDS or HIV -The U.S Agency predicts, by the year of 2010, nearly 30 million children in Africa will have lost at least one parent to AIDS -( strategies against aids) (nations response)