1. Part I Becoming African
Chapter 1
Africa

2. I. A Huge and Diverse Land
Second largest continent in the world!!!
From North to South
Many different climatic zones
Desert, savannah, rain forest, mountain ranges

4. II. Birthplace of Humanity
Out-of-Africa model
Fossil evidence that modern humans emerged 200,000 years ago
Homo habilis – Homo erectus – Homo sapiens
Migrated to the rest of the world 100,000 years ago
“Eve” model
All modern humans from a single African woman

5. III. Ancient Civilizations
Egypt and the Nile River
Annual flooding irrigates
River banks and deposits new
Transportation and communications artery
Produced Wheat, barley, goats, sheep, and cattle

6. Egyptian Society Patriarchal Society Hierarchy Women Male dominated
Warriors, priests, merchants, artisans, peasants
Women
Owned property, educated children, held public office, and served as priests

7. Egyptian Society (cont.)
Polytheistic religion (many gods)
Re (Ra): the sun god
Osiris: god of the Nile
Immortality
Elaborate funeral and burial to prepare for after-life

8. Trade and Conquest Nubia Kush Meroe Axum
Egyptian colony ~ copper and gold deposits
Kush
Nubian independent kingdom
Meroe
Africa’s first industrial center
Iron deposits and geographic location
Axum
First Christian state in sub-Saharan Africa
Influenced by Hebrew culture

9. Pyramids at Meroe

10. IV. West Africa Physically, ethnically, and culturally diverse
Savannah and forest regions
Variety of cultures and languages
Lived in villages with large, extended families
Cultivated crops
Produced iron tools and weapons
Trade with North Africa
Essential to the economy

11. Ghana Ghana was the first known kingdom in West Africa
Founded between 800BC – 400BC
Warfare and iron weapons created an empire
Commerce and Trade
Camel used to travel across the Sahara
Imported silk, cotton, glass beads, horses, mirrors, dates, and salt
Exported pepper, slaves, and gold mined in another region and taxed passing through

12. Empire of Mali,
Empire of Mali created after Battle of Kirina
Led by Sundiata, known as the “Lion King” Reigned
Larger than Ghana
Greater rainfall
More crops
Control of gold mines
Population reached eight million

14. Empire of Mali (cont.) Commerce and Trade
Most merchants and rulers converted to Islam to gain favor with Arab traders from North Africa
Timbuktu
Major trading city (Gold, slaves, and salt)
Center of Islamic learning ~150 Islamic schools
Religious and ethnic toleration common

15. Empire of Mali (cont.) Mansa Musa became the next leader
Reigned
Pilgrimage across Africa to Mecca in Arabia
Distributed lots of gold!!!
Empire declined with Musa’s death

17. Empire of Songhai,
Empire of Songhai was the last and largest of the West African empires
Led by Sunni Ali
Reigned
Askia Muhammad Toure became the next leader
Reigned
Established strict trade regulation
Used his power to spread Islam within the empire

18. Empire of Songhai (cont.)
Songhai failed to adapt to changing political atmosphere
Portuguese established trading centers along the Guinea coast
Morocco (North Africa) defeated the Songhai army and empire fell apart in 1591
West Africa left without a government powerful enough to stop the Portuguese

20. VI. West African Society and Culture
Lifestyle
Most were farmers living in villages
Extended families and clans
Produced cotton for clothes
Variety of crops
Millet, rice, sorghum, peas, okra, watermelons
Yams replaced grains in the forest regions

21. Class and Slavery Upper classes
Landed nobles, warriors, peasants and bureaucrats
Lower classes
Artisans and laborers: blacksmiths, butchers, tanners, and oral historians called griots
Slavery
Common in West Africa but not necessarily a permanent condition

22. Religion Islam introduced by Arab traders More prevalent in cities
The religion of wealthy merchants and nobles
Fostered learning and building mosques in West African cities

23. Religion (cont.) Indigenous religions Strongest in forest areas
Polytheistic and animistic
One creator God and a host of lesser gods
Saw the force of God in all things
Ancestor worship, magicians, and oracles
Ceremonies and animal sacrifices

24. Art and Music Related to religious practices
Excelled in woodcarving and sculpture
Wooden masks and terra-cotta figurines
Used in funerals, medical practices, and in coming-of-age ceremonies
Musical instruments
Drums, xylophones, bells, flutes, and mbanzas

25. Terra-cotta sculpture

26. Literature Oral histories, poetry, and tales
Specially trained poets and musicians Served kings and nobles
Views of common people also represented
Stories with human characters
Tales about creation, success, romance
Stories with animal characters
Entertained and taught lessons

27. VII. Conclusion
The history of African Americans begins in West Africa. Family organization, work habits, language, religious beliefs, legends, and traditions came to America and not only influenced the way African Americans lived but all those living in their new land.