1. Ancient Africa
UNIT III

2. African Religion Traditionally African religion was Syncretic
Syncretic can be described as the blending of various ideas
When Christianity and later Islam arrived, religions were often blended with traditional beliefs
Can this be a conflict with a Monotheistic religion?

3. Sudanic Empires Ghana, Mali, Songhai
All three started in the Sahel region around the headwaters of the Niger River
These Empires acquired wealth in gold accumulated in Trans-Saharan Trade
Old world importance of land trade
Era of pre-European maritime importance

4. What’s so good about being a “Middle Man?”
Conversion to Islam was important for trade relationships
Arab and Berber traders had salt to the north
Many groups to the south extracted Gold and produced Ivory
All the trade empires successfully taxed all goods coming through the Empire.
They were successful in receiving tribute

5. Ghana Empire ( CE)

6. Mali Empire ( CE)

7. Songhai Empire ( CE)

8. Trade networks
Salt to the north
Gold to the south

9. Mansa Kankan Musa I (Mansa Musa)
Very effective ruler, divided the Empire into different provinces
Mali became an important cultural and intellectual center under Mansa Musa
Important City of Timbuktu
Pilgrimage to Mecca 1324.
Brought thousands of solders and hundreds of camels
Flooded the Egyptian gold market with tribute
Decrease in value from 10 to 25%
Add picture of gold

10. Bantu Migrations

11. Bantu Migrations
Long complex process where two groups of Bantu speakers eventually linked up
Bantu based languages began to dominate the continent
This can still be seen today
The Bantu people brought new agricultural practices to mostly nomadic peoples

12. Modern Language family map of Africa
What language family has the most land?
What is important about the Niger River?

13. Swahili City-States
A large scale ocean trading network developed on the Indian Ocean
Chinese, Indian and Arab merchants all began trading on the East African coast
Swahili Culture was born
A blend of native Bantu based languages and Arabic
Islam became the religion of the area
City-states such as Zanzibar, Mombasa, and Mogadishu became wealthy through trade

14. Compared to Europe
What happens when there is plenty of land and plentiful trade?
Europe had more blood shed and all conflict was over land
Europe’s only source of wealth was land
European monarchs would envy Ghana, Mali’s and Zanzibar’s resources and wealth
Mali was an intellectual hub while Europe crawled out of the Dark Ages