Africa Early Civilizations 2Africa Early Civilizations 2

Central African SocietiesCentral African Societies

Hunter-GatherersHunter-Gatherers

Stateless Stateless

SocietiesSocieties

LocationsLocations-Near Congo River, -Near Congo River,

Kalahari DesertKalahari Desert

Hunter-GatherersHunter-GatherersWhat do you remember about hunter-What do you remember about hunter-gatherers?gatherers?

Stateless SocietiesStateless Societies

Based on a common ancestor. (Lineage)Based on a common ancestor. (Lineage)

Patrilineal- trace their ancestors through Patrilineal- trace their ancestors through their fatherstheir fathers

Matrilineal- trace their ancestors through Matrilineal- trace their ancestors through their mothers.their mothers.

Matrilineal and Patrilineal are based on Matrilineal and Patrilineal are based on who inheritance is passed from. who inheritance is passed from.

Power is balanced among the families.Power is balanced among the families.

Respected elders from different families Respected elders from different families settle disputes. settle disputes.

Age-Set System- a group of people who Age-Set System- a group of people who are born around the same time period. are born around the same time period. They move together through life’s stages. They move together through life’s stages.

(Kalahari story)(Kalahari story)

East African KingdomsEast African Kingdoms

ZimbabweZimbabwe

Location:Location:– Near Zambezi and Near Zambezi and

Limpopo RiversLimpopo Rivers– On the coast of the On the coast of the

Indian Ocean.Indian Ocean.

City of “Great City of “Great Zimbabwe” was the Zimbabwe” was the capital.capital.

ZimbabweZimbabwe

The city of Great Zimbabwe was an important trading The city of Great Zimbabwe was an important trading center. center.

It linked Africa’s interior gold fields to the trading It linked Africa’s interior gold fields to the trading cities on the coast.cities on the coast.

Great Zimbabwe gained control of the trade routes Great Zimbabwe gained control of the trade routes and taxed all who used them. and taxed all who used them.

– By 1450 CE Great Zimbabwe was abandoned. No By 1450 CE Great Zimbabwe was abandoned. No one knows why. one knows why.

Remains of Great ZimbabweRemains of Great Zimbabwe

West African KingdomsWest African Kingdoms

Ghana, Mali, & Ghana, Mali, & SonghaiSonghai

Location:Location:– Next to or on the Next to or on the

Niger River.Niger River.– Near and part of Near and part of

the Sahara Desertthe Sahara Desert

West African KingdomsWest African Kingdoms

Ghana, Mali, & SonghaiGhana, Mali, & Songhai

SocietySociety– Mainly Islamic, also believed in animal Mainly Islamic, also believed in animal

worship.worship.– City of Timbuktu is a center of learning and City of Timbuktu is a center of learning and

trade.trade.– Grew rich taxing the salt & gold trade.Grew rich taxing the salt & gold trade.

Sundiata

Ruler of Mali

Called “The Lion King”

Why?

Mansa Musa

Mansa MusaMansa Musa– A king of Mali.A king of Mali.– His pilgrimage to His pilgrimage to

Mecca put so much Mecca put so much gold into the economy gold into the economy of Cairo that gold lost of Cairo that gold lost most of its value for most of its value for over 12 yearsover 12 years

14th century Catalan map showing Mansa Musa, king of Timbuktu, holding a gold nugget which he is offering to a Muslim merchant

who is approaching on camel.

Who was the better leader? Who had the greatest impact?

Site of one of the foremost universities in the

11th-13th centuries, now a mosque.

Timbuktu Street Scene (Now)

Oven for baking bread (Now)