1. African Civilizations

2. Setting the Stage
Africa spreads across the equator. It includes a broad range of Earth’s environments-from coastal plains to mountains.
Some parts of Africa suffer from constant drought, while others receive over 200 inches of rain a year!
Vegetation varies from sand dunes and rocky wastelands to dense green rain forests.
Interaction with the African environment has created unique cultures and societies.
Each group found ways to adapt to the land and the resources that it offers.

4. Africa’s Geography
Africa is the 2nd largest continent; it stretches 4600 miles from east to west and 5000 miles from north to south, it occupies 1/5 of Earth’s land surface.
Each African environment offers its own challenges:
Desert-Sahara and Kalahari are largely unsuitable for human life and hamper movement.
Rain forest-partly uninhabitable because of the dense forests and the tsetse fly.
Savanna-grassy plains where most people live; support abundant agricultural production.

5. Africa’s Geography Africa is the second largest continent on Earth.
Africa has several distinct geographical zones.
The northern fringe, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, is mountainous.
South of the mountain ranges is the largest desert on Earth, the Sahara.
South of the Sahara, Africa is divided into several regions.
In the west, the Sahara gradually gives way to grasslands in the interior and tropical jungles on the coast.
In the East, the Great Rift Valley is full of snow-topped mountains and deep canyons, with a grassland region that is Congo Basin populated with animals.
The Congo Basin is full of dense vegetation fed by the Congo River. These tropical rainforests eventually fade to hills and plateaus, high flat land areas and deserts to the south.

6. Africa’s Climate
Africa has four distinct climate zones: Desert, Rain Forest, Savanna, and the Mild Zones.
The Mild Zones are the smallest regions, and stretch across the Northern coast and the southern tip of Africa, plus a region near the Drakensberg Mountains in the Southeast.
Deserts form the second climate zone. The Sahara in the north and the Kalahari in the south are the tow largest deserts. Together they cover about 40% of Africa.

7. Desert!

8. Africa’s Climate
The rain forest is the third climate zone. It stretches along the equator and is about 10% of the continent. Heavy rains and warm temperatures produce dense forests where little farming and travel are possible. The rainforest is also home to disease-carrying insects, including the tsetse fly, which produces sleeping sickness in humans and animals.
The final climate zone is the Savannas, the grass plains with small trees and shrubs. The Savannas make up about 40% of the continent. They receive enough rainfall for farming and herding animals. Each of the zones is populated with people, who have adapted to the geographical and climate challenges in unique ways.

9. Rain Forest!

10. Savanna!

11. AD

12. Western Africa Ghana & Mali

14. GHANA

15. The Soninke called their leader Ghana, or war chief.
Many trade routes crossed the savanna through the region farmed by the Soninke people.
The Soninke called their leader Ghana, or war chief.
By the 700s, Ghana was a kingdom, and its rulers were growing rich by taxing the goods that traders carried through their territory.
The two most important trade items were gold and salt.
Gold came from a forest region between the Niger and Senegal Rivers.
Salt came from the Sahara Desert.
By 800, Ghana had become an empire.
The king of Ghana:
Controlled trade by storing large amounts of gold and salt that only he had the power over.
Commanded a large army
Demanded taxes and gifts from chiefs of surrounding lands, and would allow them to live in peace if payments were made,
And acted as a religious leader and the chief judge

17. Ghana developed in West Africa between the Niger and the Gambia Rivers
Ghana developed in West Africa between the Niger and the Gambia Rivers. It was an important kingdom there from about AD 300 to about The rivers helped Ghana to grow rich because they were used to transport goods and develop trade. Ghana also collected taxes from traders who passed through the kingdom. The people called their nation Wagadu; we know it as Ghana --that was the word for war chief.

18. Ghana had few natural resources except salt and gold.
The kingdom of Ghana probably began when several clans of the Soninke people of west Africa came together under the leadership of a great king named Dinga Cisse.
Ghana had few natural resources except salt and gold.
They were also very good at making things from iron.
Ghanaian warriors used iron tipped spears to subdue their neighbors, who fought with weapons made of stone, bone, and wood.

19. "The King . . .(wears). . . necklaces round his neck and bracelets on his forearms and he puts on a high cap decorated with gold and wrapped in a turban of fine cotton. He (meets people) in a domed pavilion around which stand ten horses covered with gold-embroidered materials…and on his right, are the sons of the (lesser) kings of his country, wearing splendid garments and their hair plaited with gold. At the door of the pavilion are dogs of excellent pedigree. Round their necks they wear collars of gold and silver, studded with a number of balls of the same metals."
This is a primary source that describes the court of one king of Ghana.
10th century geographer Al-Bakri, quoted in Corpus of Early Arabic Sources for West African History.

20. Ghana became a rich and powerful nation, especially when the camel began to be used as a source of transport.
Ghana relied on trade and their trade was made faster and better with the use of the camel.
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