1. People of Western Africa

2. Regions of Africa

3. Trade Routes Since there were trade routes in Western Africa, Africans
moved around a lot.
They moved to use
their skills based on
climate.
The climate in North and
South Africa was most
like Europe which made
It desirable for European
trade and colonization.

4. South Africa
The Dutch settled South Africa.

5. West Africa
West Africa had gold which attracted European explorers.

6. Regional Groups in Western Africa
Igbo (Farmers)
Baga (Rice Growers)
Do and Kru
(Fishermen)
Malinke
(Farmers,
Traders,
Ironworkers,
Politicians,
and Military)
Fulani (Cowboys)

7. African Life During the 16th Century
Economy: Africans made a living by herding, fishing, farming, and trading.
Extended families lived together in one household (grandparents, parents, children, aunts, uncles, cousins).
Kinship or sharing a common ancestor linked families.
People honored the spirits
of their ancestors and the
forces of nature.

8. African Kingdoms Ghana
Natural resource: Niger River
Industries: farming, trading salt
and gold, defense (army)
Agricultural crops and livestock: yams
(sweet potatoes), beans, rice,
onions, sorghum, millet, papaya,
gourds, cotton, peanuts, cattle, sheep, goats,
and poultry.
Economic specialization: traders, farmers,
blacksmiths, soldiers, griots - the storytellers
Family structure

9. Mali Time Period: The empire of Mali had
its heyday from 1200 CE through the
late 1400's.
Major Export: gold and salt
Natural resources: Niger River, gold mines, salt mines
Industries: farming, mining, trading, defense (army)
Agricultural crops and livestock: beans, rice, onions, sorghum, millet, papaya, gourds, cotton, peanuts, cattle, sheep, goats, and poultry.
Economic specialization: traders, miners, farmers, blacksmiths, and soldiers
Famous People: Sundiata, Mansa Musa (introduced Islam to Western Africa)

10. Songhai
Time Period: The Empire of Songhai had its heyday from the 1400's through the late 1500's. At its height, the Empire of Songhai was 2,000 miles long!
Major Export: gold, salt, slaves
Most Sought After Import: books
Natural resource: fish, Niger River,
Gold Mines, Salt Mines
Industries: farming, mining, trading, defense (army)
Agricultural crops and livestock: beans, rice, onions, sorghum, millet, papaya, gourds, cotton, peanuts, cattle, sheep, goats, and poultry .
Economic specialization: fishermen, traders, miners, farmers, blacksmiths, soldiers, witchdoctors

11. Slavery Most slaves that came to North America were taken
from Western Africa.
Slaves taken from Central
and Eastern Africa went to
the Caribbean and South
America.
White slaves that were
captured on trading vessels
sailing through the Mediterranean
were taken to Northern Africa.

12. Skills Slaves Brought to America
The slaves from West and Central Africa imported the knowledge of growing rice, which grew well in their land, to South Carolina and Georgia. Other foods that came from Africa were watermelon, black-eyed peas, sorghum, okra, and millet. The Africans prepared these foods along with various gumbo and rice dishes.
Many Africans prepared single pot meals such as gumbo. They taught these cooking methods to other Americans.
The African influence is found in music, in many of the Old Negro Spirituals. Jazz, blues, and rock-and-roll are stamped with African influences as is bluegrass music with its signature instrument the banjo, being of African origin.
Some common words from Africa include okra, gumbo, and jazz.
Africans also brought skills of textile production, weaving and dying, metallurgy and metalwork, carving, basket making, and potting skills to America.