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Ch 8 African Civilizations

Explore the diverse societies of Africa from 1500 BC to AD 700, facing geographical hurdles, environmental complexities, and societal transitions. Learn about nomadic lifestyles, agricultural advancements, early societies, animism beliefs, and the West African Iron Age.

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Ch 8 African Civilizations

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  1. Ch 8 African Civilizations 1500 BC – AD 700

  2. Diverse Societies in Africa Sec 1

  3. What is the geography of Africa like? Warm Up:

  4. Africa • Africa is the second largest continent on earth • 4,600 miles from east to west • 5,200 miles from north to south • 11.7 million square miles • 1/5 of Earth’s land surface

  5. Geography • Narrow coastline (50 to 100 miles) around a central plateau • Rapids and waterfalls created by the plateau make navigation impossible • Few harbors, ports, or inlets • Europe is 1/3 the size of Africa but has more coastline

  6. Challenging Environment • Each African environment offers its own unique challenges • Sahara- largest desert in Africa, roughly the size of the United States • Desertification- Every year the desert takes over more of the land on the southern edge

  7. What kind of problems does a rainforest present to humans?

  8. Rainforest • The rainforest is a very different environment but still presents many problems • Tsetse Fly- deadly insect that carries a deadly disease for livestock and can cause fatal sleeping sickness in humans

  9. Savannas • The northern coast and southern tip of Africa have welcoming Mediterranean-type climates and fertile soil. • Because these areas are so fertile they are densely populated with farmers and herders • Most people in Africa live on savannas, or grassy plains

  10. Early Humans Adapt to Their Environment • The first humans appeared in the Great Rift Valley • People moved outward from this area in the world’s first migration • They developed technologies to help them survive in and then alter their surroundings

  11. Nomadic Lifestyle • Africa’s earliest people were nomadic hunter-gatherers • Today some people in Africa still follow a nomadic lifestyle • The San of the Kalahari desert are still hunter-gatherers who hunt with spears and bows and gather fruits and berries

  12. Pastoralists • Other early Africans eventually learned to domesticate and raise a variety of animals for food • Called herders, or pastoralists, these people kept goats, sheep, or cattle. • They were nomads who drove their animals to find water and good pasture in the season • The Masai of Tanzania are still pastoral herders who measure wealth by the size of their herds

  13. Transition to a Settled Lifestyle • Experts believe agriculture began in Africa around 6000 BC • Grain grew well on the savannas and many Africans began to raise cattle in areas free from tsetse flies • Other Africans learned to farm in the rainforest growing crops such as yams, that needed little sunlight

  14. Agriculture • Agriculture greatly changed the way Africans lived • Growing their own food enable them to build permanent shelters in one location • Settlements expanded because reliable food sources led to longer, healthier lives, and increased birthrates

  15. Early Societies • The societies south of the Sahara shared common elements such as the basic social unit, the family • Besides parents and children the family often included grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins in an extended family

  16. Animism • African peoples developed belief systems that helped them understand and organize information about their world • Nearly all of these local religions believed in one creator, or god • Animism- religion in which spirits play an important role in regulating daily life • Animists believe spirits are present in animals, plants, and other natural forces

  17. Keeping a History • Few African societies had written languages • Instead, storytellers shared orally the history and literature of a culture • These storytellers kept the history alive by passing it from one generation to the next

  18. West African Iron Age • West Africa’s earliest known culture was that of the Nok people • They were the first African people known to smelt iron for use as tools for farming and weapons for hunting

  19. Djenne-Djeno • Djenne-Djeno- oldest known city in Africa south of the Sahara that existed between 25 BC and AD 1400 • At its height it included 50,000 people

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