1. African Civilizations 1500 BCE – CE 700
World Studies Summer School

2. Africa: Diverse Geography
Coastal Plains
Snow capped Mountain Peaks
Desserts and Constant Drought
Rain Forrests w/200+ inches of rain per year
Many unique cultures and societies
4600 Miles East to West
5000 Miles North to South

3. Adapting to the Environment
Nomadic Lifestyles
Hunter-Gatherers
Men Hunt/Woman Gather
Movement based on where the food is
Herders
Kept cattle, sheep, goats
Drove their animals where they could eat and find water
Agriculture begins around 6000 BC
Allows for groups to settle and build first

4. Early Societies – South Sahara
Societies share common element of Family.
Extended families were part of one large family or clan.
Religion: some form of god or creator
Animism: religion where spirits play role of regulating life. Spirits are present in animals plants and other natural elements. Take the forms of souls of their ancestors.
History
Few written languages. Traditions passed down orally by Griots or storytellers.

5. Early West African Cultures
West Afican Cultures jumped right into Iron Age.
The Nok
Lived in Nigeria between 500 BC and AD 200
First to Smelt Iron
Vast overland trade routes
Djenne-Djeno
Oldest African City South of the Sahara
Over 50,000 residents at its height
Reed round huts plastered w/ mud
Later enclosed houses made of mud brick
Fished Niger river, herded cattle, and raised rice

6. The Kingdom of Aksum AD 300 – AD 700
Located on the Red Sea in present day Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Traded heavily with Arabs, Persians, and Egyptians
Massive trade and seaport at Adulis on Red sea
Very diverse cultural heritage due to trade and mixing with many different cultures.
Great Leader Ezana: Expands Empire and Converts to Christianity

7. Aksum Continued
One of the first large Empires to convert to Christianity
Spread fast through society
Ethiopia still home to millions of Christians today
Innovations
First State south of Sahara to mint own coins
Developed own written language
Terrace Farming
Canals and channels for irrigation
Dams to store water

8. Aksum’s Decline Islamic invaders destroyed Adulis in 710.
Without port, they became isolated.
Move capital further into Ethiopia to avoid spread of Islam and become more isolated and decline as power.
Although they reached great heights and achievements, Aksum never really spread out of their relatively small geographic area.

9. African Societies
Summer School

10. North and Central African Societies
The Efe (AY-Fay)
Hunting and Gathering Society living in the forests of present day Congo.
Small groups of people
Social Structure based on Lineage
Society not governed by formal laws

11. North and Central African Societies
The Igbo
Southern Nigeria in 9th Century.
Also Hunter Gatherers
Ruled by Lineage
Patrilineal vs. Matrilineal
Age-Set System

12. North and Central African Societies
Muslim States
Northern African Mediterranean coast (Maghrib)
Spreads between
Ruled by Islamic Law
Almoravid and Almohad Empires
Unite Northern Africa 11th and 12th centuries

13. West African Civilizations
Empire of Ghana
Area grew rich by 700s with increased trade across Sahara due to use of Camels.
Gold and Salt most important trade items
Until 1350, 2/3 of worlds gold came from West Africa.
West Africa needed Salt.
Due to trade, slowly influenced by Islam
Conquered by Almoravids 1076

14. West African Civilizations
Empire of Mali
Emerges around 1235
Built on Gold
Sundiata
First great leader
Takes over old Ghana kingdom
Expands East
“The world knows no other master but Sundiata”
Goes Muslim
Declines in 1400s

15. West African Civilizations
Empire of Songhai
Break away from Mali and move further east.
2 great Muslim Rulers
Sunni Ali
Askia Muhammad
Both were powerful military leaders
Both could not expand further due to the lack of modern weapons.
1591 Moroccans defeat Songhai warriors ending nearly 1000 years of powerful west African empires.

16. Southern Empires Great Zimbabwe - first great city
Shona People settle around 1000
Fertile soil
Along two major trade routes leading to sea
Gold and Ivory trade were greatest
1450 City abandoned
No one knows why!

17. Assignments P. 344 #1, 3-6 P. 351 #1, 3-5 P. 356 #1, 3-5