Climate Zones of Africa

1. Climate Zones of Africa Africa is 11,668,545 mi2 The northern region of Africa is dominated by the Saharadesert The term Sahara is Arabic for desert and the Sahara desert measures 3.3 million mi2 Below the Sahara is a semi-arid region known as the Sahel, which comes from Arabic for Shore, this is the transitionary area between the Sahara and the Savanna.

2. The Sahara • About 25% of the Sahara is dunes

3. Besides Dunes, large parts of the Sahara are made of rocky plains and rock formations.

5. The Sahel: The “Shore” of the Desert

6. The Great Rift Valley • Found in East Africa, the Great Rift Valley is formed by a divergent tectonic boundary. • There are several • lakes formed by the rift.

9. Plateaus and Escarpments • Southern Africa is covered with large plateaus. • Plateausare high, flat areas. • The areas where these plateaus drop off are known as escarpments.

12. The Climate of Africa • There are four major climate zones in Africa • Desert • Mild Zones • Rain Forest • Savanna

13. Desert

14. Atlas Mountains-Mild Zone

15. Drakensberg Mountains-Mild Zone

16. Rain Forest

17. Savanna: Tropical Grassland

20. Emerging Civilizations and Religions • The Agricultural revolution in Africa gave rise to the first African civilizations • Kush (AKA Nubia) • Egypt and Nubia had a large trade network by 2000 BCE. • Nubia became independent and became known as the state of Kush.

21. Kush Empire • In 750 BCE Kush defeated Egypt, but they were then defeated by the Assyrians. • Economy was based on agriculture and trade. • major trading city was Meroë. • Provided iron, ivory, gold, ebony, and slaves from central and E. Africa to the Roman Empire, Arabia, and India. • “Golden Age was from about 250 BCE to about 150 CE. • They fell after the rise of Axum

24. Axum • Founded by Arabs--combined Arab and African cultures. • Located along the Red Sea • trade route links Axum to India and the Mediterranean. • Exported ivory, frankincense, myrrh, and slaves • Imported textiles, metal goods, wine, and olive oil.

25. Axum becomes Christian • King Ezanaconverted to Christianity in 330 AD. • Story is that a group of shipwrecked men from Syria introduced Christianity to Axum.

26. Kingdom of Ghana • Emerged c. 500 AD • located in the upper Niger River Valley, (the Sachel). • The area was agricultural. • The leaders were strong rulers who governed without any written laws. • had well trained armies and used them as their basis for power.

27. The Land of Gold • Ghana also had a great supply of gold. • traded for salt • preserve their food and prevents dehydration in the hot climate. • Muslim merchants became the dominant force in Ghana’s trade over time.

28. The Kingdom of Mali • Ghana was prosperous for about 700 years until it was weakened by wars and replaced by the state of Mali, established in the mid thirteenth century by Sundiata Keita.

29. Sundiata Keita • Sundiata Keita defeated the forces of Mali in 1240 and established the capital of Timbuktu. • Builds its power on gold, (like Ghana), but most of its people were farmers.

30. The Reign of Mansa Musa • One of the richest and most powerful kings of Mali, he ruled from 1312 to 1337. • Created a strong central government and divided his kingdom into provinces. (an imperial bureaucracy!)

31. The Kingdom of Songhai • In 1359 civil war tore Mali apart. • In 1009 the ruler Kossi converted to Islam built the empire of Songhai. • Songhai began to benefit from the Muslim trade routes. • The city of Gao emerged as a major trading center.

32. Sunni Ali • Considered greatest Songhai leader. • Began rule in 1464. • Great military leader who both defended and expanded Songhai’s territory. • Conquered the cities of Timbuktu and Djenne • gave Songhai control of the trading empire and the lucrative gold for salt trade.

33. Zimbabwe • In the grassland region of the Zambezi river a mixed economy developed which eventually led to a united people. • From about 1300 to 1400, Zimbabwewas the most powerful state in the region. It had gold trade with the Swahili coast. • The capital of Zimbabwe was Great Zimbabwe and it was located between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers.

34. Great Zimbabwe

35. The Great Enclosure

36. African Culture

37. Aspects of African Society • Remember: African towns and villages evolved over time. • Morphed into larger communities that served as centers for trade and government. • Most of our knowledge of these kingdoms is through oral tradition.

38. Leadership and the King • In African cultures the kings had a much closer relationship with the people than in Asian, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and even European. • Still holds a high position among the people, but takes a much more personal interest in the affairs of everyday people. • Would live among people, not in castle or secluded area.

39. Family and lineage • African culture revolves around kinship groups a.k.a family. • Think extended family or clan. • Sense of identity came from common ancestor. • Like a lineage group. Think China and how descendants were worship and help guide family. Same concept.

40. The Role of Women • Women were usually subordinate to men in Africa • BUT! Key differences between the role of women in Africa and elsewhere. • In many African societies lineage was traced through the mother’s side-- Matrilineal • Mothers are primary care givers of family. • Fathers do not participate much at all. • Example boys and girls are raised by their mothers until the age of six. • Girls learned to be wives and mothers while boys learned how to hunt and farm.

41. Education and Initiation • Coming of age rituals were common. • physical ordeal to represent the entrance into adulthood. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s6xiDEqsjU&playnext=1&list=PL963D375EB2A6B0BB • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81JPj8BqBBQ • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYdZImhoA9o

42. Religious Beliefs • Early African religious beliefs were all over the place. • One KEY feature that many shared-- idea of a single creator god. • Sometimes this god worked alone, or there may be lesser gods beneath that god to help. • Another feature—ancestor worship.

43. Diviners (a.k.a. Priests) • A way to communicate with the spirits or with the creator god was by using diviners. • Diviners were people who would perform rituals. It was believed they had the power to foretell events and work with supernatural forces. • BUT!!! This is not a medicine man or charmer or even voodoo. They were very spiritual people

44. Islam in Africa • Eventually the animistic beliefs were replaced in many places by Islam. • This process occurred slowly through trade and conquest. • North Africa today defines itself as Middle Eastern as well as African because of this.

45. Oral Tradition • In the absence of a written language music and storytelling took on a large role in African society. • Storytellers were usually priests or griots. • These people kept the history of Africa alive. • Also had a prominent position in the tribe • Read the folktales • 1. which two do you like the best ? Why? • 2. What is the moral or lesson of the story? • 3. Is there a “modern” coutnerpart?

46. Rise of a “commonish” language--Swahili • In the coastal area of East Africa a unique culture emerges. • These people spoke a language and developed a society that was a blend of Arab and Bantu language and culture. • It is known as Swahili. Spread throughout Africa. • Most Africans today can speak some form of Swahili.

47. African Masks

48. Slavery • Remember : Slavery was practiced in Africa • There is a difference between modern slavery (US slavery) and ancient slavery • Slaves were usually one of three groups • Captured in war • In debt • criminals • Biggest slave traders were Kush and Axum