Africa

Geography• Geography: The

Continent of Africa– After Asia, Africa is the

second largest continent, covering 1/5 of the Earth’s land surface

– Geography is varied, certain features had a major impact on its development

• Climate Zones– Tropical rainforests cover less than 5% of the land

(mostly on the equator)• Trees and roots make it unstable for farming

– Savanna: Grassy plains, that stretch north and south of the forest zone• Largest and most populated climate zone• Generally has good soil and enough rainfall to support farming• Irregular patterns of rainfall cause long deadly droughts• Cattle herding is a common occupation

• The Sahara Desert: In the northern part of Africa, it is the world’s largest desert– Size and harsh terrain limited

movement– The Kalahari & the Namib are

in the south• Smaller but equally forbidding

• Mediterranean Coast of the North and South– Fertile farmland

• Movement– Africa is surrounded by

Oceans and Seas– Rivers → Zambezi, Congo,

Niger, and Nile all serve as open highways

– Despite some geographic barriers, people were able to migrate, both within Africa & to neighboring continents • Red Sea & Indian Ocean

linked Africa to the Middle East• North Africa allowed for

travel to Europe

• Resources– Wealth of minerals has spurred

trade in many regions• Salt, Iron, Gold & Copper

– In the 1800’s, desire for Gold and Diamonds was once cause that led Europeans to seek control of territories in Africa• More recently, nations such as

Nigeria and Angola have exported large quantities of oil

• Migration of Peoples– Archaeologists have

uncovered evidence to pinpoint the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, as the home of the earliest people• Gradually their

descendants, traveled to almost every corner of the Earth

• Stone Age Cultures– In Africa, Paleolithic people developed skills as hunters

and gathers– By 5500BC, Neolithic farmers had learned to cultivate

the Nile Valley & to domesticate animals• Settled into permanent villages that eventually supported the

great civilization of Ancient Egypt

– Farming spread across North Africa – Neolithic villages even appeared in the Sahara region (At

the time, it was a well watered zone)• Ancient paintings show the Sahara filled with forests and rivers

• The Sahara Dries Out– About 2500BC, climate change

dried out the Sahara– As the land became parched

the desert spread• This process of desertification,

had continued to the present, devouring thousands of areas of cropland each year

– As the region dried, people retreated• Some moved North to the

Mediterranean coast, others migrated south to the Savannah or Rain Forests

• The Nile Kingdom of Nubia– Also referred to as Kush, was located in present day

Sudan• Archaeologists & historians have just begun to document

shifting tides of Nubia’s 4000 years old history

• Nubia and Egypt– From time to time, ambitious Egyptian pharaohs

subdued Nubia, but Nubia would always gain their independence• As a result of conquest & trade, Nubian rulers adopted many

Egyptian traditions• Built palaces & pyramids, modeled on Egyptian styles

• North Africa in the Ancient World– Early African

civilizations had strong ties to the Mediterranean World• Trade linked Egypt

with Greece and Mesopotamia• Later Egypt was ruled

by the Greeks and the Romans

• Carthage– Rose as the great North African power• Wealth came from trade

– Created by Phoenician traders, Carthage came to dominate the Western Mediterranean

– Between 800BC-146BC, it forged an Empire that stretched from Maghreb (present day Tunisia, Algeria & Morocco) to southern Spain & Sicily

– As Rome expanded, territorial & trade rivalries erupted between the two powers • Despite efforts of Hannibal, Rome eventually crushed Carthage

• Roman Rule– Romans built roads,

dams, aqueducts & cities across North Africa• Imported lions and other

fierce animals from North Africa, to do battle with Gladiators• Also provided Roman

soldiers

– Christianity spread to cities of North Africa

• Camel Revolutionizes Trade– By 200AD, Camels had been brought to North Africa

from Asia– Traders had earlier made attempts across the desert in

horse drawn carriages • Camel caravans created new trade networks

• Spread of Islam– In the 600s Arab armies carried Islam into North Africa• Islam replaced Christianity, which was the dominant religion of

North Africa• Arabic replaced Latin as the language• North African traders carried Islam to West Africa

Kingdoms of West Africa

• The West African Landscape– When the Sahara dried out,

Neolithic people migrated southward into Western Savanna• Farmers grew beans, melons, & a

wide variety of cereal grains• By 100, settled farming villages

were expanding along the Senegal & Niger rivers around Lake Chad– In time some villages grew into

towns

• Trading Patterns– Villages traded any surplus food they produced– Gradually, a trade network linked the Savannah to forest

lands in the south• Then funneled goods across the Sahara to the Mediterranean

and the Middle East

– From West Africa caravans crossed the Sahara, carrying leather goods, Kola nuts, cotton cloth and slaves

– Gold For Salt: Gold and Salt dominated the Sahara trade• Gold was plentiful in present day Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal• Salt, from West Africa, is an abundance in the Sahara

– Needed to prevent dehydration, preserve food– Built homes from Salt Blocks

Trading Kingdoms of West Africa

• Ghana– King was semi-divine figure• Dispensed justice, kept order, had

a huge army of foot soldiers with Calvary

– Women in Ghana had a high status & played an active role in the economic life of the empire• Some held positions in the

government

– Influence of Islam• Muslim merchants formed

their own communities• Islam spread slowly at first• The King employed Muslims

as counselors and officials• Muslims introduced their

written language, coinage, business methods and styles of architecture– City dwellers adopted Islam

• Mali– Greatest Emperor was Mansa Musa

• Came to the throne in 1312

– Expanded Mali’s borders westward to the Atlantic Ocean– For 25 years he worked to restore peace and order in his

empire– Converted to Islam and based his system of justice on the

Quran• Didn’t adopt all customs, women were not secluded to the home

– The Emperor’s Hajj• Journeyed across the Sahara• Musa was accompanied by 500

slaves, each bringing a Gold staff– Had 100 camels decorated with

gold

• Musa spent so lavishly that the value of Gold in Cairo dropped for 10 years• Finally got to Arabia, reaching

Mecca and visited the Kaaba and prayed– Made long journey back across

the Sahara to Mali– The Hajj had taken over a year

– Results of the Hajj• Mansa Musa showed his devotion to

Islam• Made new trading and diplomatic

ties with Muslim states, such as, Egypt and Morocco• Returned home with scholars and

artists– Newcomers introduced Arab styles in

the palaces and Mosques of Mali

• Word of Mali’s enormous wealth spread across the Muslim World– European rulers developed an interest

in African Gold» Recently began using Gold coins

• Songhai– In the 1400’s, civil wars weakened Mali– By 1450 a new West African Kingdom, Songhai had

emerged– Sonni Ali used his powerful army to forge the largest state

that had ever existed in West Africa• Did not adhere to practices of Islam• Followed traditional beliefs

– Askia Muhammad became Emperor after Sonni’s death• Set up a Muslim dynasty

– Further expanded the territory of Songhai and improved government

– Set up a bureaucracy with separate departments for farming, army, & the treasury• The King appointed officials to supervise each department

– Also made a pilgrimage to Mecca– Prospered until 1586, due to civil war• Ruler of Morocco sent his armies south to seize the West

African Gold mines• Moroccans'’ were unable to rule an empire across the Sahara

Trading Kingdoms of East Africa

• Axum– Ruled: 900BC- 600– Religion: Christianity– Traded: Ivory, hides,

rhinoceros horns, fur, slaves, and gold

• Great Zimbabwe- “Great Stone Building”– Ruled: 900-1500– Religion: “God-King”– Traded: Gold

• Ethiopia – Ruled: 1275-1550– Religion: Christian– Traded same as the Axumiles• Were their ancestors

• City States: Mogadishu, Kilwa, Zanzibar– Ruled: 1000– International trade created a

mix of cultures• Traded with Arabia• Blend of cultures created the

language, Swahili

• The Kingdom of Kongo– Reached its height in 1500’s– Consisted of many villages

grouped in districts and provinces• Governed by officials appointed

by the king• Each village had it’s own chief

– King was chosen by a board of electors and governed traditional laws

– Portuguese eventually obtained many of their slaves from the Kongo