Africa

“Unless you know the road you’ve

come down, you cannot know where

you are going.”

-Temne Proverb

The African Environment

Physical Environment

• Savannas• Mountains• Lakes• Deserts

General Cultural Patterns

• Bridewealth• Polygyny

The Peopling of Africa

In the Beginning …

• Tassili n-Ajjer• Teff• Noog• Sesame• Ensete• Critters• Iron: Meroe & Nok

Bantu Dispersion

• Cameroon• Lake Victoria• Ironworking• Bananas• Yams

Ethiopia & NE Africa

• Aksum• Ezana (320-350)• Lalibela• Made-Siyon• Gults• Zar’a Ya’kob

Empires of the Western Sudan

Ghana

• Military leader• Gold• Al-Masudi• Salt• Slaves• Al-Bakri

Mali

• Sumaguru• Musa (1307-1337)• Ibn Battuta• Sulayman

Songhai

• Sunni Ali• Askia Muhammad• Ahmad al-Mansur

Kanem-Bornu

• Dunama Dibalemi• Queen Amina

West African Forest Kingdoms

• Ife• Benin• Ozama• Oba Ewuare

Swahili City-States

• Coast• “Periplus of the

Erythrean Sea”• Kilwa• Ibn Battuta

Kingdoms of Central & Southern Africa

• Mapungubwe• Great Enclosure• Advisers• Nyatsimbe Mutota• Mwene mutapa• Manikongo

Conclusion

• Adaptation• Agriculture• Herding• Ironworking• Trade• Religion

Any Questions?