EAST AFRICA
AGENDA
• Bell Ringer: What is the impact of Mansa Musa and
his pilgrimage to Mecca?
1. Lecture: East Africa and Islamic Trade
2. Image Interpretation: Kilwa
3. Discussion, Oral Traditions and the Reliability of
Historical Interpretation.
4. Video Analysis: The Swahili Coast.
5. Discussion, the Architecture of Gede.
6. East Africa Trade: Primary Source
7. HW:
KUSH, CONTINUED
• 710 B.C. They
conquer upper
Egypt.
• Meroe is the center
of ironworking.
• 671 B.C. taken by
Assyrians.
• Height of power 250
B.C. – 150 A.D.
KUSH AT THE HEIGHT OF POWER
• Impressive
pyramids, temples.
• Written language
developed.
• Decline
• Lack of fertile land.
• Lost control of trade
routes with Aksum.
AKSUM
• 350 A.D. – King Ezana
of Aksum takes power,
conquers Kush.
• Many cultures had
ancestor worship, King
Ezana converted his
people to Christianity.
• Laid foundations for
Ethiopian church.
• Prospered from 300-600
A.D.
DECLINE OF AKSUM
• Environment declines
– Erosion from
deforestation
– Land loses nutrients.
• Persians
– Gained control of
Red Sea.
• Islam
– Competition with
Aksum, they lose
control of major
trade routes.
INCREASE IN TRADE
• Spread of Islam
leads to increased
trade.
• 700 A.D. – 1300 A.D.
• To get the big
bucks, people
moved to Africa.
• Muslims moved to
East coast.
• Indonesians moved
to Madagascar.
KILWA
• 1200 A.D. Kilwa
becomes leading
trading port
• East African coast
flourishes.
• Islamic traders
praised Kilwa as the
most beautiful cities
in the world.