1. AFRICA AND THE ATLANTIC WORLD23

2. The Geography of Africa
Second largest continent
Three times the size of the United States
Contains 14% of the world’s population
Africa has ten distinct cultural areas; each is related to a local, physical environment 23 2

3. A Satellite View 23

4. Vegetation Zones 23

5. African Rain Forest Annual rainfall of up to 17 ft.
Rapid decomposition (very humid).
Covers 37 countries.
15% of the land surface of Africa. 5

6. The African Savannah: 13 million sq. mi.
50% of African land 23

7. The Sahel 23

8. The Sahel 23 8

9. One third of African land
Libyan Desert
Deserts
One third of African land
Sahara Desert
Sahel
Namib Desert
Kalahari Desert 23

10. Sahara Desert: 3,500,00 sq. miles. As large as the United States23 10

11. Desertification 23

12. Bodies Of Water Mediterranean Sea Red Sea Nile River Niger River
L. Chad-->
<--Gulf of Aden
L. Albert-->
Congo River
L. Victoria
L. Tanganyika->
Indian Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Zambezi River
Limpopo River
Orange River 23
Pacific Ocean

13. The Mighty Nile River: “Longest River in the World”23

14. The Congo River Basin Covers 12% of the continent.
Extends over 9 countries.
2,720 miles long.
99% of the country of Zaire is in the Congo River basin. 23

15. The Niger River Basin Covers 7.5% of the continent.
Extends over 10 countries.
2,600 miles long. 23

16. Mountains & Peaks Atlas Mts. Δ Mt. Kenya Δ Mt. Kilimanjaro
Ruwenzori Mts.
Drajensburg Mts. 23

17. Mt. Kilimanjaro: Snow on the Equator?23

18. The Kingdom of Ghana
founded by Berbers from North Africa in about A.D. 900
Dominated by the Soninke
Capital city: Kombi Saleh
The King is “the Ghana”,
Trade across Sahara: gold, salt, copper and slaves (1/3 of population slaves)
Destroyed by Almoravids, who declare a jihad against Ghana 23

19. The Kingdom of Mali
Founded by the Malinke warrior king Sundiata as the first Muslim state in the Sahel
Connects the Sahara to the tropical rain forests
Controls trade in gold and salt
Mansa Musa ( ) pilgrimage to Mecca 1324
Timbuktu a great trading city and center of learning (University of Sankore) 23

20. The Songhay Empire
Originates in city of Gao on Niger River
Songhay empire created during reign of King Sonni Ali ( )
Power based on cavalry and mobile fleet of ships
At its height, the Empire extends from Morocco to Cameroon—largest in African history
Officially Muslim, but most subjects follow traditional religions
Empire collapses through revolt of subject peoples and military defeat by musket bearing Moroccans in 1591 23

21. The Swahili city states of East Africa
Swahili a blend of Bantu language with Arabic
Swahili coastal city states (Mogadishu, Manda, Kilwa) engage in profitable Indian ocean trade
Ivory most important export, followed by gold, slaves, sandalwood and ebony
Import Indian cloth, Chinese pottery, glassware 23

22. Swahili Decline in East Africa
Portuguese Vasco da Gama skirmishes with Africans on eastern coast,
1502 returns, forces Kilwa to pay tribute
1505 Portuguese gunships dominate Swahili ports
After 1660, the forces of the sultan of Oman take over from the Portuguese north of Mozambique, and control ivory and slave trade until 19th century 23

23. The Kingdom of Kongo in Central Africa 14th to 18th centuries
Included most of present day Rep. of the Congo and Angola
1483 Commercial relations with Portuguese
Slaves become the principal export; used to obtain foreign luxury goods
King Nzinga Mbemba (Afonso I, r ) converts to Christianity
Useful connection with Portuguese interests
But zealous convert, attempts to convert population at large 23

24. The King of Kongo and European Ambassadors23

25. Slave Trade in Kongo Initial Portuguese attempts at slave raiding
Soon discovered it is easier to trade weapons for slaves provided by African traders
King Afonso appeals without success to stop, or at least limit, slave trade (disrupts his royal monopoly)
Relations deteriorate under later kings. Portuguese attack Kongo and decapitate king in 1665
Civil war rages for a century between members of royal family using armies with muskets
Captives sold as slaves; whole provinces depopulated 23

26. The Kingdom of Ndongo (Angola)
Ndongo gains wealth and independence from Kongo by means of Portuguese slave trade
But Portuguese influence resisted by Queen Nzinga (r )
Posed as male King, with male concubines in female dress attending her
Nzinga establishes temporary alliance with Dutch in unsuccessful attempt to expel Portuguese
Decline of Ndongo power after her death
Portuguese extend their control of Angola (first African colony) 23

27. Great Zimbabwe in Southeast Africa
Founded at end of 10th century by Bantu speaking Shona
Chieftains develop trade with Swahili city-states
At height of prosperity between late 13th and late 15th centuries
Known today through the excavation of more than 150 settlements, including the enormous central complex known as Great Zimbabwe 23

28. European settlements in South Africa
Cape colony founded by Dutch in 1652 as a re-supply stop for ships heading for Indian Ocean
Settled by Dutch Calvinists and French Huguenots
The Khoikhoi forced to labor on Dutch farms
African slaves used for labor in 1700’s 23

29. European Arrival in South Africa ~ Dutch Cape Town, 165223
© National Maritime Museum

30. Islam in Sub-Saharan Africa
Official religion of Kingdoms of Africa and the Swahili city states
Most Africans continue traditional religions; some blend Islam with traditional practices (syncretic religion)
The Fulani people of West Africa lead movement to impose strict adherence to Islamic norms in Africa
1680 begins military campaigns to establish Islamic state and impose their type of Islam
Found Islamic states in what is now Guinea, Senegal, Mali and Northern Nigeria 23

31. Christianity in the Kingdom of Kongo
Like African Islam, syncretic with African beliefs
Antonian movement flourishes early 18th century
Founded by Doña Beatriz, claims possession by St. Anthony of Padua (13th century Franciscan preacher, patron saint of Portugal)
Promotes distinctly African Christianity
Jesus a black man, Kongo the holy land, heaven for Africans
1706 Christian missionaries persuade King Pedro IV of Kongo to burn her at the stake
An army of 20,00 Antonians revolt against King Pedro 23

32. Economic and Social Characteristics of Early Modern Africa
West Africa: Hoe agriculture
Land possessed by community
Political power over people, not territory
Social stratification less sharp than in wealthier societies
Basis for social organization were lineage and kinship groups
Trace descent through male or female line (matrilineal in West Africa)
The Tiv of Central Nigeria organize one million people in the 18th century on the basis on kinship groups 23

33. Population Growth in Africa23

34. Foundations of the Slave Trade
African slavery dates to antiquity
War captives, criminals, people expelled from clans
Distinct from Asian, European slavery
No private property, therefore wealth defined by human labor potential, not land
Slaves often assimilated into owner’s clan 23

35. The Islamic Slave Trade
Dramatic expansion of slave trade with Arab traders
New slaves acquired by raiding villages, selling on Swahili coast
Arab traders depend on African infrastructure to maintain supply
European demand on west coast causes demand to rise again 23

36. The Early Slave Trade in West Africa
Portuguese raid west African coast in 1441, take 12 men
Met with stiff resistance
African dealers ready to provide slaves
1460: 500 slaves per year sold to work as miners, porters, domestic servants in Spain and Portugal
1520: 2,000 per year to work in sugarcane plantations on islands off coast of Africa 23

37. Slaves at Work in a Mine 23

38. The Triangular Trade
1. European manufactured goods (especially firearms) sent to Africa
2. African slaves purchased and sent to Americas
3. Cash crops purchased in Americas and returned to Europe 23

39. The Atlantic slave trade, 1500-180023

40. The Middle Passage (Africa-Americas)
African slaves captured by raiding parties, force-marched to holding pens at coast
Middle passage under horrific conditions
4-6 weeks
Mortality initially high, often over 50%, eventually declined to 5%
Total slave traffic, 15th-18th c.: 12 million
Approximately 4 million died before arrival 23

41. The Atlantic Slave Trade
The Atlantic Slave Trade, the Middle Passage 23

42. African Slave Export per Year23

43. Impact on African Regions
Rwanda, Bugunda, Masai, Turkana resist slave trade
Benefit from distance from slave ports on western coast
Other societies benefit from slave trade profit
Asante, Dahomey, Oyo peoples 23

44. Social Effects of Slave trade
Total African population expands due to importation of American crops
Yet millions of captured Africans removed from society, deplete regional populations
Distorted sex ratios result
2/3 of slaves male, years of age
Encouraged polygamy, women acting in traditionally male roles 23

45. Political Effects of Slave Trade
Introduction of firearms increases violence of pre-existing conflicts
More weapons, more slaves; more slaves, more weapons
Dahomey people create army dedicated to slave trade 23

46. African Slaves in Plantation Societies
Most slaves in tropical and subtropical regions
First plantation established in Hispaniola (Haiti, Dominican Republic) 1516
Later Mexico, Brazil, Caribbean and Americas
Sugar major cash crop
Later: tobacco, rice, indigo, cotton, coffee
Plantations heavily dependent on slave labor 23

47. Destinations of African Slaves23

48. Plantation Societies Shipping sugar from Antigua
© National Maritime Museum 23

49. Regional Differences
Caribbean, South America: African population unable to maintain numbers through natural means
Malaria, yellow fever
Brutal working conditions, sanitation, nutrition
Gender imbalance
Constant importation of slaves
North America: less disease, more normal sex ratio
Slave families encouraged as prices rise in 18th century 23

50. The African Diaspora Plantation Societies: Various means of Resistance
Maroon Communities
Slave Revolts
Surinam (1772)
Saint-Domingue (1793)
Slavery & Economic
Development
“A Rebel Negro Armed and On His Guard,” 1806
© National Maritime Museum 23

51. The Abolition of Slavery
Olaudah Equiano ( ), former slave authors best-selling autobiography
Eloquent attacks on institution of slavery
Economic costs of slavery increase
Military expenses to prevent rebellions
18th century: price of sugar falls, price of slaves rises
Wage labor becomes more efficient
Wage-earners can spend income on manufactured goods 23

52. End of the Slave Trade and Slavery
Denmark abolishes slave trade in 1803, followed by Great Britain (1807), United States (1808), France (1814), Netherlands (1817), Spain (1845)
Possession of slaves remains legal
Clandestine trade continues to 1867
Emancipation of slaves begins with British colonies (1833), then French (1848), U.S. (1865), Cuba (1886), Brazil (1888)
Saudi Arabia and Angola continue to the 1960s
Still exists in Sudan, Mauritania, Chad 23

53. THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF OLAUDAH EQUIANO
Africans in America_Part 1_Equiano's autobiography.htm 23