1. Unit 1: From West Africa to the Early Americas (Ancient Times – 1763)
The Atlantic Slave Trade brings West Africans to the Colonies of the Americas.

2. Relationship between Africa and the Americas:
While parts of Africa such as Angola and East Africa were caught up in the Atlantic Slave Trade that carried Africans to the New World from the sixteenth- nineteenth centuries, it would be West Africa that would become the center of trade in human beings.
Knowing the history of West Africa is important for understanding the people who became the first African Americans.
Like Africa as a whole, West Africa is physically, ethnically, and culturally diverse.

3. Chapter 1: Africa 6000 BC – 1600 AD
Africa is home to many ancient civilizations.
Large and geographically diverse continent
Desert, Coast, Rain Forest, Grasslands, etc.
Believed to be the ‘birthplace’ of humanity
Ancient Egypt – one of the earliest civilizations in world history
Egyptian King = Pharaoh
Other Ancient African Kingdoms
Kush, Meroe, and Axum

4. Geography of West Africa
Much of West Africa south of the Sahara Desert falls within the Savanna that spans the continent from East to West.
West and south of the Savanna are extensive forests.
These two environments were home to a variety of cultures and languages.
Patterns of settlement in the region ranged from isolated Homesteads, to villages, towns and cities.
West Africans began cultivating crops and tending domesticated animals between BCE and 200 CE.
By 500 BCE some West Africans were producing iron tools for weapons.

5. Early Trade
From early times, the peoples of West Africa traded among themselves as well with North Africans.
This trade will become essential to the regions economy and resulted in:
Becoming the basis for the three great Western Sudanese Empires:
Ancient Ghana (c. 350-c AD)
Mali ( AD)
Songhai ( AD)
What was the source of their power?
- Goods such as: pepper, slaves, and especially gold
Drew Arab merchants and Islam into the region.

6. Early Civilizations of West Africa: Ghana
Became an empire by 800 C.E.
Became a rich kingdom by taxing traders who traveled through their land.
Gold and salt were important and desirable items
The King was the only one who could own gold, acted as the religious leader, chief judge, and military commander.
Eventually Ghana’s rulers converted to Islam and learned Arabic, much of the population never converted.
In 1076 Muslim Almoravids conquered Ghana and disrupted the gold-salt trade.
As a result: Ghana never regained its power.

7. Early Civilizations of West Africa Mali
The empire emerged by 1235 C.E. south of Ghana
Mali’s wealth was also built on gold
Sundiata Keita was the founder of Mali
When the Sundiata militarily took over Ghana, peace and prosperity followed in Mali.
Some of Mali’s next rulers became Muslims and built Mosques.
Under the rule of Mansa Musa, Mali was divided into provinces and appointed governors.
Within 50 years of Mansa Musa, Mali’s gold trade shifted east and his successors were unable to govern the empire effectively.

8. Early Civilizations of West Africa Songhai
The empire of Songhai was established in the 1400s C.E.
The Capital was Gao which extended its territory to the large bend in the Niger River.
Had two great Muslim leaders: Sunni Ali and Askia Muhammad.
Created an empire through military conquest and efficient tax collecting.
Unfortunately, Songhai lacked modern weapons
Defeated by Moroccan invaders and ended a thousand years of West African power.

9. Section 2: West Africa
West Africans served as both slave traders and slaves themselves.
Most African-Americans trace their roots to the Western region of Africa.
Quick Discussion: Why do you think that is???

10. Section 3: West African Society and Culture
By the early 16th century, most West Africans were farmers.
Family Connections
Depending on the ethnic group, extended families and lineages were either patrilineal or matrilineal.
Patrilineal: tracing descent through the male line
Matrilineal: tracing descent through the female line

11. Section 3: West African Society and Culture “Key Concepts”
In general, men dominated women in West Africa.
Slavery was a part of the social structure since ancient times.
Religion: Islam or Indigenous (Local Beliefs)
Art and Music: Connected to Local Religion
Literature: Orally passed from generation to generation.