 What
are some of the methods scientists use
to learn about the history and culture of
early civilizations?
 What do you remember from last year when
we studied Africa?
 Sahara
Desert
 Mediterranean
 Atlantic Ocean
 Strait of Gibraltar
 Red Sea
 The Physical geography of Sub-Saharan Africa
strongly influenced the growth of human
societies.
 Sub
Saharan Africa is a plateau
 Congo, Niger, Zambezi Rivers are blocked by
rapids
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Because of the rivers, made trade and
communication hard, but blocked them from
invasion.
Sahara Desert covers about one-fourth of the
African continent
Sahara desert use to be fertile, and well
watered.
Changes in wind and weather patterns caused
the area to become dry
 Shael-
southern edge of the desert is a region
known as “shore”
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Rainfall is sparse and uncertain, also sometimes
harsh droughts (may last years)
Farming difficult throughout the region.
South of Shael vast stretches of dry grasslands
(Savannas) few trees and thorny bushes.
Farming techniques began to spread in Africa
about 3000BC
Savanna farmers; grains, sorghum, millet and
rice.
Savanna meets the desert people herded cattle.
 Rainfall
is greater farther south, some places
in central and western Africa receive more
than 100 inches of rainfall
 Tropical rain forest's are found in this area
 Jungles- dense tangles of plants grow
wherever there is sunlight.
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Hot, wet climate of the rain forests provides
breeding grounds for insects, some carry deadly
diseases.
Malaria, yellow fever, carried by mosquitoes
 South
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of the rain forest: more deserts
The Kalahari Desert and the Namib Desert
Range from the center of southern Africa
westward to the Atlantic coast.
 Natural
Features
 Lake Victoria is one of the worlds largest
lakes.
 Great Rift Valley
 What different kinds of landforms, climates
and features are in Sub-Saharan Africa?
 Linguists-
scientists who study languages,
have used computers to compare modern
African words
 Bantu-family of closely related African
languages
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“the cradle land” of Bantu lies in west central ,
present border of Nigeria and Cameroon.
Oral traditions- poems, songs and stories passed
by word of mouth from generations to another.
Often hold moral lessons, griots
Griots- were highly trained speakers and
entertainers who memorized the oral tradition of
their village.
 Cultural
exchange: between Africa and Asia
 Scholars looked at musical instruments,
language, plants.
 Question: what evidence is there of cultural
exchange between early Africa and Asia?
 Life
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in Africa:
Africans lived in small, independent farming,
herding or fishing villages.
Women important both family and economically
Women primarily farmers,
Sub-Saharan Africa were matrilineal
People traced their ancestors and inherited
property through their mothers rather than
fathers.
Religion : sprits populated the world, lived in
everything
Elders in villages, community leaders
 What
are some political units of a village,
Write down ideas and give a brief description
of them. I will call on you…
 Study for quiz Thursday and read chapter 8
(all of it)
 Kush:
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Trade important, cities thrived on trading; Gold,
ivory, ebony and ostrich feathers
Kush became a kingdom, capital Napata
Close economic and cultural ties with Egypt,
1520 BC Egypt’s New Kingdom brought Nubia and
Kush under their control
Kush conquered Upper Egypt and a Kush dynasty
ruled and unified Egypt 50 years.
671 BC the Assyrians armed with iron weapons
invaded Kush, weakening the kingdom.
Kush lost trade routes
 Aksum:
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Ethiopian Highlands south of Kush
Important trade routes stretching from the Red
Sea into Egypt.
Kush declined and Aksum used this to their
advantage.
Imported glass, metal ornaments and pottery,
wine and olive oil
350 AD King Ezana of Aksum conquered Kush
Collected taxes on trade goods
Converted to Christianity made it the official
religion of Aksum
 Aksum:
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Christianity in this region laid the foundations of
the Ethiopian Church.
Aksum major center of long-distance trade
through coastal East Africa.
Decline of Aksum: environmental, problems
(erosion, caused by excessive land use and the
destruction of forests made land less productive)
Persians, gained control over much of the Red
Sea trade, in 700 Ad. Rise of Islamic Arab power
led to new economic and political competition
with Aksum.
Declined as a commercial and political power.
 East
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Africa and Great Zimbabwe:
City-states emerged
Trade routes linked all shores of the Indian
Ocean, Africans exported gold, ivory, hides and
tortoise shells.
Imported porcelain and weapons, sold slaves
Islamic religion from Arabia to northeasters
Africa spurred trade.
merchant, families and adventurers to Africa
came to make money.
People from Indonesia settled on Madagascar.
 Swahili
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states:
Swahili- developed in East Africa, spoke Swahili a
Bantu language with Arabic and Persian
influences.
Swahilis were linked by language and trade.
Kilwa became a leading port (trade)
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Found massive trade centers and large mosque.
 Great
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Zimbabwe:
Demand of gold increased in 900 AD.
Kingdoms competed for control over both mining
and shipping gold.
Shona- were a people who migrated onto the
plateau of what is today Zimbabwe.
Took control over local people and the gold they
mined and traded.
Believed to have gained great wealth and power.
Great Zimbabwe the largest and most important
of these fortresses.
Center of the Shona state.
 Great
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Zimbabwe:
Unknown reasons Great Zimbabwe declined in
the 1400s AD
Population grew too fast, outpaced dwindling
supplies of food and water.
 West
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Africa:
Ghana, Mali and Songhai. Lay between Lake Chad
and the Atlantic Ocean
The Wealth and strength of these kingdoms
depended on control of the trade routes across
the Sahara.
Gold mined south of the Sahel , traded for salt
mined in the desert.
 West
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Africa:
Lay between Lake Chad and the Atlantic Ocean
and included the kingdoms of Ghana, Mali and
Songhai
Wealth and strength of these kingdoms depended
on control of the trade routes across the Sahara.
At the desert’s southern edge commerce
developed, gold mined south of the Shael.
Salt was mined in the desert.
Monarchs ruled the West African kingdoms,
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Ghana:
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Earliest of the kingdoms
Established by the Soninke people sometime after 300
AD
Lived in western Sahel, northwest –day nation of
Ghana
Ghanaian kings were powerful and wealthy from the
gold
Most powerful rulers was Tunka Manin- ruled in 1067
AD
Commanded the army
Began to decline- Berbers invaded from the North ,
lose control of the salt trade, neighboring Malinke
overthrew Ghana
 Mali:
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Mali followed the fall of Ghana, came into power
in the area that had been Ghana
Great Ruler, Mansa Musa
1300 AD supported education, the arts and public
building.
Under his rule the city of Timbuktu became a
leading center of learning.
Large Universities attracted scholars from Egypt
and Arabia.
Musa famous for his historic pilgrimage to Mecca
Islamic holy place in Arabia
 Mali:
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Rival members of the royal court fought for
leadership of the empire.
Weakened central authority within Mali.
Kingdom kept control of the desert trade routes
until 1400 AD
1468 AD rebel leader Sonni Ali captured Timbuktu
and built up the kingdom of Songhai.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RveLuguI
tPI