1. Early Society in Africa

2. Challenging Environments
Deserts – unsuitable for life – push into more welcoming temperatures (Sahara and Kalahari)
SAHEL- Congo, Zambezi and Niger Rivers
Humans migrated to savannas; 40% of Africa, dry/rainy seasons – agriculture
Rainforests – also unsuitable – 150 ft trees – tsetse flies (sleeping sickness)

4. Early Farming Groups 7,000 BCE- Africans begin to farm
Cotton, yams, grains
Pastoralism- raising herd animals comes before farming
3,000 BCE- the Sahara starts becoming drier- like the desert we know today
Village Culture- clans and family based
Extended family all lives together in one house or one compound
Age-sets- form special ”brotherly” bonds with people your own age in your village. You look out for each other and share important events in life with them (growing up together)
Religion
unseen spirits of ancestors nearby- Celebrate ancestors with statues
Animism- bodies of water, animals, trees, natural objects have spirits
ORAL TRADITIONS ONLY- no writing

5. Bantu Migration
Bantu “the people” – W. Africa – would migrate East and then Southward disrupted Khoisan (original Southern African group) starting in 0 CE
Small villages – polygamy, hunters, hereditary chieftains
Causes of Migration: rising population in the East from farming pushed them to look for new land to farm
Hundreds of Bantu
Languages developed and
spread around Africa
By 900 CE- women are
farming, men are tending
Animals
Social status is based on how big
your herd is

7. Push-Pull Factors
Factors which ‘push’ or ‘pull’ people to/away from a certain region (resources, employment, land)
Could cause clashes, tension with other groups