2. More than 3 times the size of the United States
Wide variety of climates, vegetation, resources
Distinct cultural traditions and economic adaptations
Also see some similarities in social organization and religion

3. SAHARA DESERT TROPICAL RAINFORESTS
Near coastline, land drops off to coastal plains
Some provide fertile farmland, others desert, swamp, sandy beaches
Geography
East, region of deep, steep-sided valleys, narrow lakes
Mountain ranges rim Africa, example Ethiopian Highlands in northeast
Continent has varied landscape
Plateaus cover much of central, southern interior
Low, wide plains across northern, western interior
South of Sahara, mighty rivers flow across plains, including Congo, Zambezi, Niger
Region called the Sahel, strip of land dividing desert, wetter areas
SAHARA DESERT
Farther south of the Sahara, band of tropical savanna, open grassland
Extends east from Central Africa, wraps back toward south
Tall grasses, shrubs, trees grow there; variety of herd animals, majority of Africans live there
TROPICAL
RAINFORESTS

4. Early Societies
Common Features
Many societies developed village-based cultures / extended family = household
Families with common ancestors formed clans to which all members loyal
Women and men had specific roles
Age-Sets
In some areas, people took part in type of group called age-sets
Men who had been born within same two, three years formed special bonds
Men in same age-set had duty to help each other
Religion
Many believed that unseen spirits of ancestors stayed near
To honor spirits, families marked certain places as sacred places, put specially carved statues there
Families gathered to share news, food with ancestors, hoping spirits would protect them
Shared belief in ANIMISM

5. Influence of TRADE in East Africa
Iron Age of Africa
The spread of iron technology after the 500s BC changed farming practices in sub-Saharan Africa. As a result, African society changed.
Influence of TRADE in East Africa

6. stelae

11. C 10 sec 3

12. African Gold and Salt Trade (converted to Islam by 10th C)
Kingdoms and Empires
of Sub-Saharan Africa
800 – 1500 CE
Ghana =
Center of 4-5th C
African Gold and Salt Trade
(converted to Islam by 10th C)
Offered protection
for merchants
(from Arabia
By 7th C)
70-90 days
to cross the Sahara

13. Mansa Musa’s Hajj
entourage of 60,000
500 men each carrying a
6 lb gold staff
80 camels each carrying
300 lbs of gold dust
500 slaves distributed along the way
as gifts
gifts of gold led to devaluing of
gold on global market by 25%
market didn’t recover for 25 yrs
brought back Arab scholars,
artists and architects = built
libraries, mosques, schools
Empire of Mali
Sundiata (r CE)
Mansa Musa (r CE)

14. Mosque at Djenne, Mali

15. Allowed local leaders to stay in power Built a navy of 400 ships
Empire of Songhai
Sunni Ali (r CE)
A man of the people
Allowed local leaders to stay in power
Built a navy of 400 ships
Tolerated Islam and traditional African beliefs

16. In societies dominated by oral tradition, art replaces written language
Benin = “lost wax” process of sculpture
What does the existence of these bronze plaques indicate about Benin culture
c CE?

17. Established by King Sundiata
C 10 sec 3
Mali
Established by King Sundiata
Height of empire under Mansa Musa (famous hajj)
Became wealthy from control of gold trade
Built many mosques, libraries, schools in Timbuktu
Empire declined after his death

19. Centralized authority
royal currency system
Kingdom of
Kongo: 1000CE
(Congo River)
Slaves = war captives,
Debtors, suspected witches,
Criminals, status symbols (NOT land),
Used as agricultural labor
(Chattal slavery??)
Internal slave trade =
10,000-20,000 slaves/ year
(With increased demand) =
10 million slaves to Islamic world
( CE)
(Zanj Revolt 869 CE in Mesopotamia
15,000 slaves revolt/ controlled Basra)
Cowry shells as standardized
currency