Chapter 2: Civilizations of Africa

1. Mrs. Hansen’s Medieval Times Class Chapter 2: Civilizations of Africa

2. Section 1: The Bantu Migrations • Geography of Africa • The center of Africa is Tropical Rain forest • Thick Vegetation • North and South of the Rain Forest is Tropical Savanna= Grass land

3. Beyond the savanna is desert regions the largest being the Sahara • There are some areas with vegetation in the desert; these areas are called an oasis • Most of Africa is a huge Plateau • In the east cliffs give way to coastal plains • In the west there are huge fresh water lakes and mountains

4. The Bantu Migration • One of the largest movements of people was the Bantu Migration out of West Africa • About 2,000 years ago and lasted about 1,000 years • Bantu was the name of the languages that were spoken by these people • We don’t know why the migration started • Most think it was because of population growth • Migration is common in Africa • Hunters and gatherers and herders both travel around

5. In Early times Bantu-speaking people were fishers and herders • Living in villages made up of clans • Many of these clans trace their ancestry through the mother • Generations moved slowly away from the homelands in search of better farmland • This lead to the spread of Bantu technology and culture

6. Bantu-speakers move South • Often Bantu people moved to areas where people already lived • One of two things happen: • TWO • Bantu-speakers drove out the people that they found • ONE • The Bantu-speakers joined with the other group combining cultures and ways of life

7. Learning and Teaching • As Bantu-speakers migrated • They adapted to new environments: new farming techniques and ways to care for livestock • The people that came into contact with Bantu-speakers gained the knowledge that they had • New crops: yams and Bananas • Taught people metalworking • They also left their language: Today 180 Million people Speak Bantu languages