1. Ancient Africa

2. Geography of Africa Divided up by natural barriers North-Sahara Desert
Central-Rain Forest
South-Desert
East-mountains and rift valleys
In between-Savannas
Long coastline and many rivers

3. The Bantu Migrations (3,000 B.C.E-1100 C.E)
The early African people south of the Sahara were iron workers
A group of people with a similar language, the Bantu, started to migrate around 3,000 B.C.E
They moved south and east spreading their culture.
Today, 1/3 of all Africans speak a form of the Bantu language.
Ex: Swahili (Arabic and Bantu mixture)

4. The Gold/Salt Trade
Arab and Berber traders began trading heavily with west African Empires
Gold and salt were the two major products
Timbuktu was the major trading city
Trans-Sahara Trade
Trade was taxed by the Empire of Ghana starting in the 700s C.E
Ghana, Mali, and Songhai got rich

5. West Africa: Ghana, Mali, and Songhai
Three West African Empires
Ghana, Mali, and Songhai
All three got rich off of the Gold/Salt Trade
Taxed trade occurring in Timbuktu and Gao.
Islam spread through trade (most before Islam were animistic)
Empire of Mali: 2 Important Leaders
Mansa Musa spread Islam after returning from Mecca
Sundiata was a great military leader and expanded the empire.
Both controlled the Gold/Salt Trade.