Dr. Deborah Barndt (Environmental Studies, York) Fire in the Belly: Igniting Popular Education with Spirit, Song and Story 12:30pm - 1:15pm Friday, Sept :30 -1:15 Dennis Hall Arts 4 Social Change 6:30pm - 9:00pm Thursday, September 13 Dennis Hall attend up to two talks each semester our next class, hand in a two page, double spaced synopsis/analysis relate to overall questions of Global History I will grade each out of 3 – so up to 6% bonus per term

Were you surprised about where the text began?

“the paradoxical result was that the world was becoming more interconnected, while its regions were becoming more differentiated”

Shaping the nature of contact Commercial connections:technology and knowledge of the sea, wind and landmasses political stability organization Commercial developments: commodities metropolitan centers swahili amphora

Conclusion revolutions at sea societal maturity possibilities of connectedness and, increasing difference Over the next few classes – examine those differences in Africa, western Asia, south Asia

The ‘Dark’ Continent?

Geography of the African Continent: impact on human societies

The Gift of the Nile gradual, predictable flooding sprouting, inundation, summer communication: Nubia-Egypt current: north/Winds: south Sub-Saharan Africa-Mesopotamia increased in importance with desiccation of the Sahara Early Agriculture evidence 10,000 BCE migrants from Red Sea hills (northern Ethiopia) introduce collection of wild grains, language roots Coptic Why does this matter? 5000 BCE Sudanese cultivators and herders migrate to Nile river valley adaption to seasonal flooding of Nile through construction of dikes, waterways villages dot Nile by 4000 BCE

Bantu Migrations, 2000 B.C.E-1000 C.E. Bantu: “people” migration throughout sub-Saharan regions 500+ variations of original Bantu languages 90 million speakers by 1000 BCE, occupied most of Africa south of the equator displaced other people-groups evidence? 20C Nyamwezi, Tanzania (1940s?)

Regional African states, c.1300 Mande, Mandinka also Babara and Sarakole, Tuareg, Songhai, Doagon peoples Ghana Mali Empire, 13C Also note: Yoruba states Kongo Ethiopia Great Zimbabwe swahili city-states

Highly complex and sophisticated organization Sankore Masjid, Tombouctou Evidence: oral history – griots traveler’s accounts archaeology mosque, Djenne 1989

Africa in the Islamic World Watch terminology Africa ↔western Asia south Asia east Asia southeast Asia Trading ↔gold ivory, hardwoods, feathers skins, gems people – for work genes, marriage, ideas, beliefs

Conclusions factors that limited connections between the continent of Africa and the outside world factors that allowed for connections How do we know ?(evidence necessary/possible) remain important to the present: geography why if Egypt has been thought of as a Mediterranean civilization, why have historians grouped other African societies together differently? think about the implications for understanding belief and social organization Terms: swahili dhow complex societies