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Early African Civilizations

Early African Civilizations. Describe the rise and achievements of African civilizations. Geography – largest continent after Asia. Regions – North Africa & Sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan – savanna, Rift Valley, rain forest, desert. Mild zone. Desert. Savanah. Rain Forest.

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Early African Civilizations

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  1. Early African Civilizations Describe the rise and achievements of African civilizations.

  2. Geography – largest continent after Asia • Regions – North Africa & Sub-Saharan Africa • Sub-Saharan – savanna, Rift Valley, rain forest, desert

  3. Mild zone Desert Savanah Rain Forest

  4. Kush – Nubia developed into Kush by 2000 B.C. • Assyria – iron weapons; defeated Egyptians & Kushites, 671 B.C. • Meroe – new capital & center for iron production

  5. Axum – founded by Arabs • Location on Red Sea – facilitated prosperity as trading power • Ezana – made Christianity official religion, A.D. 330

  6. Axum influnces

  7. Communal Eating

  8. Ghana – name for “king” & a region;1stgreat trading state • Located between Saharan salt mines & tropical gold mines • Berbers – nomads; camel caravans – “fleets of the desert”

  9. The Salt Mines

  10. Berbers

  11. Fleets of the Desert

  12. Mali – “where the king resides” • Sundiata Keita – “lion prince;” brought prosperity in mid-13thcentury • Mansa Musa – greatest king of Mali; introduced Islamic culture • Timbuktu – capital, center of Islamic art & learning

  13. Timbuktu

  14. Songhai – region along the Niger River • Sunni Ali – early ruler who conquered Timbuktu • Askia Muhammad – “usurper” ruled Songhai Empire at height of glory • Morocco – defeated the Songhai in A.D. 1589

  15. Bantu Kingdoms – Central & South Africa • Bantu migrations – West Africa to other parts of continent • Bantu – became language spoken by many groups • Great Zimbabwe – “stone house;” largest fortress; no mortar

  16. Great Zimbabwe

  17. East Africa – trade with South Asia began as early as 500 B.C. • Coastal city-states: Kilwa, Mombasa, Mogadishu • Blending of cultures – adopted Islam & Islamic culture • Swahili – Bantu-based, Arabic-influenced language

  18. Aspects of society – reliance on oral tradition • Lineage groups – claimed descent from common ancestor • Women – subordinate to men; valued for work & child raising • Matrilineal – traced descent thru mother • Patrilineal – traced descent thru father • Education – boys & girls raised together until age six • Girls – “house of the women,” home & field work • Boys – “house of the men,” hunt, fish, grow crops • Initiation ceremonies at puberty • Slavery – an ancient practice in Africa

  19. Religious beliefs – polytheistic • Animism - souls inhabit all or most objects • Communicated with gods thru ritual • Diviner – power to foretell events • Ancestors – important because they were closer to the gods • Islam – challenged but did not replace religious beliefs

  20. Animism

  21. Culture – art was meant to express religious conviction • Rock paintings – earliest art form, 4000 B.C. • Dance – means to communicate with the spirits • Music – words served to transmit legends & traditions • Griots – storytellers who kept alive a people’s history

  22. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3VAkeWvKBE

  23. Griot

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