1. AFRICA

2. Geography and Early Civilizations
Large size – more than 3 times the size of the U.S.
Deserts make up 40% of Africa
The Sahara is the largest in the world
Separated north Africa from south Africa

3. .

4. East Africa Known as the Ivory Coast
Major kingdoms include, Kush (Nubia), Aksum, Ethiopia, and Great Zimbabwe
Main trading products include ivory, slaves, ebony, some gold

6. Spread of Islam into Africa
Ibn Battuta was an explorer from Saudi Arabia who went around Africa spreading Islam
Mansa Musa, the ruler from the Mali Empire, converted to Islam and even made a pilgrimage to Mecca
Both Ibn Battuta and Mansa Musa are credited with spreading Islam in Africa
Swahili
Due to trade and invading Muslims, a new African-Arabian culture emerged along East Africa’s coast
The African language of Bantu blended with Arab into Swahili “peoples of the coast”
Is the national language of Kenya and Tanzania

7. West Africa Known as the Gold Coast
Major kingdoms and empires include the Empire of Ghana, the Mali Empire, the Empire Songhai, and the Kingdom of Benin
Main trading products include gold, salt, iron, and slaves

9. Society
The southern half of Africa developed states more slowly and most of the people lived in stateless societies until the 11th century AD
Many African societies were matrilineal, meaning that descent was traced through the mother

10. Music and story-telling were used to pass along community’s history in the absence of a written language
The task of remembering and passing on oral traditions was entrusted to storytellers called griots
Griots were highly respected
African societies used captives for forced labor and sold slaves
Slaves were people captured in war, debtors, and criminals

12. Kingdoms and Empires Great Zimbabwe – 1100s to 1400s AD
Part of Africa’s thriving trade network due to its location
Was in the middle of a trade route linking Africa’s interior gold mines to the city-states on the coast
Mali Empire – 1230s – 1430s
Much of the wealth of the empire came from the taxation of the gold-salt trade
Mali kept order along the trade routes by using a large army
The famous ruler Mansa Musa made a pilgrimage to Mecca
Brought Mali to the attention of the Europeans
Exports: gold and salt
Famous trading city of Timbuktu

16. East African kingdoms and empires
Kush – Nubia frees itself from Egyptian control around 1000 BC and forms the independent state of Kush
Modern day country of Sudan
750 BC conquers Egypt, but is soon forced to retreat back to the Upper Nile Valley by the Assyrians
Kush becomes one of the major trading states in the region
Trade from Africa, India, Arabia, and Rome
Major exports: ivory, gold, ebony, and slaves

17. Aksum – 1st century AD – 700s AD
located in the highlands of Ethiopia
Prosperity due to its location along the Red Sea
Trade route between India and the Mediterranean
Major exports: ivory, frankincense, myrrh, and slaves
Invades and conquers Kush
Had one of the first written languages developed in Africa
Converts to Christianity
Declined due to the arrival of Muslim invaders
Ethiopia – established in the 1100s AD by descendents of Aksum

18. Christianity proved to be a unifying identity for the Ethiopian people
Great Zimbabwe – 1100s to 1400s AD
Part of Africa’s thriving trade network due to its location
Was in the middle of a trade route linking Africa’s interior gold mines to the city-states on the coast
Great Zimbabwe served as a middleman
Swahili
Due to trade and invading Muslims, a new African-Arabian culture emerged along East Africa’s coast
The African language of Bantu blended with Arab into Swahili “peoples of the coast”
Is the national language of Kenya and Tanzania

19. West African kingdoms and empires
The Gold Coast
Empire of Ghana – located in the upper Niger river valley
By 800 AD Ghana controlled nearly all trade of salt and gold in sub-Saharan Africa
Ghana’s kings kept the supply of gold scarce to keep gold prices high
Only the kings could own gold nuggets and the location of gold mines were strictly guarded
Exports: Gold, iron, animal products, salt, and slaves

20. Mali Empire – 1230s – 1430s
Much of the wealth of the empire came from the taxation of the gold-salt trade
Mali kept order along the trade routes by using a large army
Converted to Islam and their famous ruler Mansa Musa made a pilgrimage to Mecca
Brought Mali to the attention of the Europeans
Exports: gold and salt
Famous trading city of Timbuktu
Empire of Songhai – 1460s – 1591
Grew wealthy trading goods along the Niger river
Converted to Islam

21. Took over Timbuktu
Exports: gold and salt
Kingdom of Benin
Located in the forests of the Niger delta
Came into contact with the Europeans
Portuguese sailors arrived in the late 1400s
The people of Benin had many war captives, which they sold to the Portuguese as slaves
Exports: ivory, pepper, cotton, and slaves