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Africa. The Mother Continent. Humanity’s roots can be traced to this important continent. Where it All Began. Africa is a continent with a rich and varied history. While Europe was in the dark ages Africa enjoyed prosperity and civilizations flourished. Egypt Ghana Mali Songhai Ashanti
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Africa The Mother Continent
Humanity’s roots can be traced to this important continent. Where it AllBegan
Africa is a continent with a rich and varied history. While Europe was in the dark ages Africa enjoyed prosperity and civilizations flourished. Egypt Ghana Mali Songhai Ashanti Ethiopia Mighty Kingdoms
Great Civilizations • Kingdoms • Kush (1000 BCE-350 CE) • Axum (1CE-800 CE) • Ghana (CE 300 – 1076) • Arabian City States • (CE 1000 – 1505) • Mali (CE 1200 – 1500) • Benin (CE 1170 – 1900) • Oyo (CE 1200 – 1800) • Kanem-Bornu • (CE 1250 – 1836) • Songhai Empire • (CE 1464 – 1591) • Many more
Egypt The Land of the Pharaohs
The land of many dynasties and advances in Calendar Making Language Mummification Science Mathematics Egypt
Ghana The Trend of Greatness
One of the oldest and ancient African civilizations. By the year 300 AD it had been successfully ruled by 44 kings. Ghana was agrarian and a trading nation It made much on trade and used gold and salt as mediums for exchange. It economy was diversified and had iron smithing. It had skilled craftsmen like Goldsmiths, blacksmiths, potters, weavers of cloth, stonesmiths, carpenters and makers of furniture. Ghana
Mali An Emergent Power
This powerful African kingdom picked up where Ghana left off. Although the rulers embraced Islam the common people continued to practice their traditional religions. Making alliances with surrounding Islamic nations she became a leading force. Mali
Although an agrarian country Mali had a number of people skilled in various crafts: weaver, dyers, tanners, blacksmiths, goldsmiths, silversmiths and coppersmiths. Under Mansa Musa I Mali became “empire reknown” in Africa, the Middle East and Europe Power Reknown
Mana Musa’s travel to Mecca became widely known as he displayed his generosity. It was at this time through an Islamic architect, es-Saheli, that the University of Sankore located in Timbuktu became a center of learning and culture. Mali became as large as western Europe It covered “French West Africa, including Senegal, Gambia, Mali and parts of Nigeria and the Upper Volta.” It began its declined in 1550 because of “Songhay, attacks from the Mossi and the malicious designs of the Portuguse.” Great Caravan to Mecca
Timbuktu It was a center of commerce and education. Timbuktu
Songhai Rises to Power
When Ghana was no longer powerful Songhai grew in greatness. Mansa Musa captured the capital of Songhai Gao and imprisoned two of the sons of the ruler. When Mansa Musa died one of the sons escaped and founded the Sunni dynasty. Songhai
Sunni Ali one of the later monarchs came to the throne and became a very powerful ruler. He conquered most of the cities of the former Mali kingdom. He captured Timbuktu and Jenne. This made Songhai a country to be reckoned with. Sunni Ali leads the way
Sunni Ali died in 1492 and his son came to the throne. However, his son, because he was not a devout Muslim was dethroned. Askia Mohammed, a Muslim general, became the leader. The Road to Greatness
Askia Mohammed was an “exceptional, competent ruler” and he was responsible for the subsequent growth of Songhai. He developed an efficient government with a host of scholars, teachers, scientists and professionals. A Great Dynasty
The kingdom of Songhai established schools, colleges and universities and reinstituted black intellectual life. Schools offered courses in law, literature, music, astronomy, medicine, mathematics. Its schools attracted scholars from everywhere. Askia Mohammed was overthrown by his son. Civil wars and incursions by the Moroccans severely crippled the kingdom. The Spanish aided the Moroccans in defeating Songhai and plundered its cities including its schools and libraries. Songhai importance
Africa was once a colonized continent with only two independent nations– Liberia and Ethiopia (Abyssinia) Once Colonized
All of Africa enjoys independence. However, many still maintain strong ties with their once Colonial rulers. IndependentNations
Sources • Slides 2, 4, 21, 22 -- Great Civilizations – Atlas of African American History by James Ciment • Slide 19 -- http://hometown.aol.com/aafri/king.html • Slide 20 -- http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/sghi/hg_d_sghi_d1map.htm • Slide 14, Market— • http://www.galenfrysinger.com/timbuktu.htm; • Door-- http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/spritesjun.suffolk/11%20Doorway%20in%20Timbuktu.jpg