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AFRICA
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Geography and Early Civilizations Large size – more than 3 times the size of the U.S. Deserts make up 40% of Africa – The Sahara is the largest in the world – Separated north Africa from south Africa East Africa Known as the Ivory Coast Major kingdoms include, Kush (Nubia), Aksum, Ethiopia, and Great Zimbabwe Main trading products include ivory, slaves, ebony, some gold
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Spread of Islam into Africa Ibn Battuta was an explorer from Saudi Arabia who went around Africa spreading Islam Mansa Musa, the ruler from the Mali Empire, converted to Islam and even made a pilgrimage to Mecca Both Ibn Battuta and Mansa Musa are credited with spreading Islam in Africa Swahili – Due to trade and invading Muslims, a new African-Arabian culture emerged along East Africa’s coast – The African language of Bantu blended with Arab into Swahili “peoples of the coast” – Is the national language of Kenya and Tanzania
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West Africa Known as the Gold Coast Major kingdoms and empires include the Empire of Ghana, the Mali Empire, the Empire Songhai, and the Kingdom of Benin Main trading products include gold, salt, iron, and slaves Society The southern half of Africa developed states more slowly & most of people lived in stateless societies until 11 th century AD Many African societies were matrilineal, meaning that descent was traced through the mother Music and story-telling were used to pass along community’s history in the absence of a written language – The task of remembering and passing on oral traditions was entrusted to storytellers called griots – Griots were highly respected African societies used captives for forced labor and sold slaves – Slaves were people captured in war, debtors, and criminals
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Kingdoms and Empires Great Zimbabwe – 1100s to 1400s AD – Part of Africa’s thriving trade network due to its location – Was in the middle of a trade route linking Africa’s interior gold mines to the city-states on the coast Mali Empire – 1230s – 1430s – Much of the wealth of the empire came from the taxation of the gold-salt trade – Mali kept order along the trade routes by using a large army – The famous ruler Mansa Musa made a pilgrimage to Mecca Brought Mali to the attention of the Europeans – Exports: gold and salt – Famous trading city of Timbuktu
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East African kingdoms and empires Kush – Nubia frees itself from Egyptian control around 1000 BC and forms the independent state of Kush – Modern day country of Sudan – 750 BC conquers Egypt, but is soon forced to retreat back to the Upper Nile Valley by the Assyrians – Kush becomes one of the major trading states in the region Trade from Africa, India, Arabia, and Rome Major exports: ivory, gold, ebony, and slaves Aksum – 1 st century AD – 700s AD – located in the highlands of Ethiopia – Prosperity due to its location along the Red Sea – Trade route between India and the Mediterranean Major exports: ivory, frankincense, myrrh, and slaves – Invades and conquers Kush – Had one of the first written languages developed in Africa
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– Converts to Christianity – Declined due to the arrival of Muslim invaders Ethiopia – established in the 1100s AD by descendants of Aksum – Christianity proved to be a unifying identity for the Ethiopian people Great Zimbabwe – 1100s to 1400s AD – Part of Africa’s thriving trade network due to its location – Was in the middle of a trade route linking Africa’s interior gold mines to the city-states on the coast – Great Zimbabwe served as a middleman Swahili – Due to trade and invading Muslims, a new African-Arabian culture emerged along East Africa’s coast – The African language of Bantu blended with Arab into Swahili “peoples of the coast” – Is the national language of Kenya and Tanzania
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West African kingdoms and empires The Gold Coast Empire of Ghana – located in the upper Niger river valley – By 800 AD Ghana controlled nearly all trade of salt and gold in sub-Saharan Africa – Ghana’s kings kept the supply of gold scarce to keep gold prices high – Only the kings could own gold nuggets and the location of gold mines were strictly guarded – Exports: Gold, iron, animal products, salt, and slaves Mali Empire – 1230s – 1430s – Much of the wealth of the empire came from the taxation of the gold-salt trade – Mali kept order along the trade routes by using a large army – Converted to Islam and their famous ruler Mansa Musa made a pilgrimage to Mecca Brought Mali to the attention of the Europeans
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– Exports: gold and salt – Famous trading city of Timbuktu Empire of Songhai – 1460s – 1591 – Grew wealthy trading goods along the Niger river – Converted to Islam – Took over Timbuktu – Exports: gold and salt Kingdom of Benin – Located in the forests of the Niger delta – Came into contact with the Europeans Portuguese sailors arrived in the late 1400s – The people of Benin had many war captives, which they sold to the Portuguese as slaves – Exports: ivory, pepper, cotton, and slaves
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The AMERICAS
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NORTH AMERICA The Iroquois – eastern woodlands (northeast) – Built longhouses – Women owned the dwellings and harvested the crops Three “sister” crops: corn, beans, and squash – Men hunted and protected the community – Made up of five different nations: – Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, and Cayuga Formed a joint gov’t called the Iroquois League Created to end wars, was a council of representatives that met regularly to settle disputes First experiment with democracy in North America
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Mesoamerica Name used for areas of Mexico and Central America – Site of the first farming settlements in the Americas The Maya – One of the most advanced civilizations in the Americas – Practiced slash-and-burn agriculture to farm the rain forest Burning vegetation to clear the land for crops – Built splendid pyramids, temples, and palaces – The kings of the Mayan city-states claimed to be descended from gods – Had many rituals to satisfy the gods One ritual involved piercing the tongue or skin to offer blood to the gods Another was a game involving a rubber ball that you had to get through a stone hoop using only your elbows, knees, or hips – the losing team often were killed and their hearts sacrificed to the gods
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– Practiced human sacrifice to appease the gods – Among the first people to come up with the concept of zero and had a 365 day calendar The Aztec – At its height the Aztec controlled 5 million people and hundreds of cities – The capital city of Tenochtitlan was one of the largest in the world at the time, with 200,000 inhabitants – The king, although he was elected by a group of nobles, claimed to be descended from gods – Aztec religious ceremonies were particularly bloody Believed that the gods needed human blood, hoped human sacrifice would postpone the day of reckoning Aztec sacrificed as many as 20,000 victims a year Mostly used slaves or prisoners of war as sacrifices Warriors were responsible for capturing the victims
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South America The Inca – 1300s to 1500s – Starts out in Peru, eventually includes 12 million people Capital at Cuzco – The emperor had most of the power Believed to related to the sun god – Used the quipu to keep track of the movement of goods throughout the empire Form of communication – Religion was a key element of the Inca society – Built 24,800 miles worth of roads and suspension bridges – The arrival of the Spanish brought an end to the empire
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