Early African Societies
Early Agricultural Society in Africa
 Egypt and Nubia formed complex societies based on
agricultural and domestication of animals.
 Formed somewhat simultaneously.
 Egypt – Trade with eastern Mediterranean and
southwest Asian peoples.
 Nubia – Linked Egypt with the rest of sub-Saharan
Africa.
Climatic Change and the
Development of Agriculture in
Africa
 10,000 B.C.E. – Africa mostly a grassy steppe land with
numerous lakes, rivers, and streams… Much different
than today.
 9000 B.C.E. – 5000 B.C.E. – Sudanic people organized
small-scale states based on agriculture and animals
 Had small monarchies
 5000 B.C.E. – Climate change turns Sahara to a desert.
 People migrate from Sudan to the Nile River Valley.
Egypt and Nubia: “Gifts of the Nile”
 Egypt – Area along the Nile
from south edge of the
Mediterranean Sea to Aswan.
 Extremely fertile because of
Nile floods.
 Drew many people and led to
complex society based on
agriculture.
 Nubia – Area along the Nile
south of Egypt.
 Not as fertile but still good for
agriculture
 Both experienced big
population growth.
Egypt and Nubia
 Both restructured societies
to ensure organization and
order due to population
growth.
 Collaborated with one
another to build irrigation
systems and trade.
 4000 B.C.E. – Neither was
unified, but had many
rulers.
Unification of Egypt
 Menes – Man who unified
Egypt around 3100 B.C.E.
 Memphis became his capital
city and eventually the
cultural and political center
of Egypt.
 Menes’ successors eventually
became pharaohs.
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Pharaohs – Egyptian rulers
who claimed to be gods.
P. 64 image.
Pharaohs ruled from 3100
B.C.E. – 2160 B.C.E. – Built
pyramids as tombs during this
time!
Kingdom of Kush
 Frequent tension and
violence between Egypt
and Nubia from 3100
B.C.E. to 2160 B.C.E.
 Strongest kingdom in
Nubia was kingdom of
Kush between 3000-2400
B.C.E.
 Still traded with one
another and interacted
frequently.
Turmoil and Empire
 Between 2160-2040 B.C.E. Pharaohs fell from power,
but regained in from 2040-1640 B.C.E.
 Happened because of smaller states building
agricultural power.
 Hyksos (horse riding nomads from Southwest Asia)
eventually used chariots and bronze weapons to
overthrow Pharaohs and capture Memphis (1674 B.C.E.)
 People from upper Egypt eventually recaptured
Memphis (1550 B.C.E.)
The New Kingdom
 1550 – 1070 B.C.E.
 New Pharaohs led a
series of campaigns
throughout Africa to
establish their
dominance.
 By 760 B.C.E. for
attackers had over Egypt,
however.
Emergence of Cities and Stratified
Societies
 Key Cities
 Thebes
 Political Center
 Heliopolis
 “City of the Sun” (Sacred)
 Memphis
 Egyptian Capital
 Kush
 Nubian Capital
Emergence of Cities and Stratified
Societies
 Patriarchal Society – Men
ruled.
 Social Classes
 Pharaohs
 Military Leaders
 Tax Collectors
 Administrators
 Peasants
 Slaves
 (Not based on birth
(except pharaoh) as it was
in Mesopotamia
Economic Specialization and Trade
 Bronze Metallurgy - Egypt
 Iron Metallurgy - Nubia
 Transportation – Use of
the Nile
 Trade Networks –
Mediterranean and SubSaharan Africa
Early Writing in the Nile Valley
 Hieroglyphic Writing –
Pictures and Symbols
 Egypt
 Meroitic Writing –
Similar to Hieroglyphics
 Nubia
 Both led to formal
education in both
places.
The Development of Organized
Religious Traditions
 Gods typically associated
with the sun
 Mummification – Process
practiced by Egyptian
elites to preserve the
dead for the afterlife.
 Nubian beliefs similar,
but slightly different.
Bantu Migrations
 Bantu – People living in sub-Saharan Africa speaking
the Bantu language.
 Lived along river banks where they could farm and
raise animals.
 Clan-based villages headed by chiefs.
 From 3000 B.C.E. – 1000 B.C.E migrated south until
they occupied most of Africa south of the equator.
 Used canoes to navigate rivers and move quickly.
Impact of Bantu Migration
 Spread agricultural and
religious practices
throughout sub-Saharan
Africa.