African EmpiresAfrican Empires

Civilizations in Africa have a Civilizations in Africa have a major impact on what we do major impact on what we do

TODAYTODAY

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What is the What is the connection connection between what between what happened in happened in ancient ancient AfricanAfrican times times to the way we to the way we live in live in America America TODAY?TODAY?

FOLLOW ALONG…..FOLLOW ALONG…..

African nations were African nations were “civilized“civilized”” for for thousands of years before European thousands of years before European arrival and invasion.arrival and invasion.

The invading Greeks and Romans The invading Greeks and Romans developed their own similar developed their own similar ““civilizations”, civilizations”, which later influenced the founders of America.

ANCIENT AFRICA

Greeks Romans Persians

Watch youtube video real quickWatch youtube video real quick

““African Influence on Early African Influence on Early Europe”Europe”

BEING BEING “CIVLIZED“CIVLIZED” IS…….” IS…….

1.1. Having a Having a highly developedhighly developed society and culturesociety and culture

2.2. Showing Showing evidenceevidence of moral of moral and intellectual and intellectual advancement; being humane, advancement; being humane, ethical and reasonableethical and reasonable

EGYPT

EGYPTEGYPT

Original name is Original name is KemetKemet

The The firstfirst African African civilizationcivilization..

One of the One of the oldest oldest civilizationscivilizations in in world historyworld history

EGYPTEGYPT

Lasted for 1500 Lasted for 1500 yearsyears because of because of its great location.its great location.

The The Sahara Sahara Desert protectedDesert protected it from foreign it from foreign enemiesenemies

EGYPTEGYPT

Ruled by Ruled by pharaohspharaohs (kings) (kings) for long periods of for long periods of timetime

PatriarchalPatriarchal society (ruled by society (ruled by men, related men, related through the through the father’s side)father’s side)

AKHENATENAKHENATEN

Popular pharaoh Popular pharaoh who who pushed the pushed the Egyptians into Egyptians into the belief in the belief in monotheismmonotheism( on( one God) instead of e God) instead of polytheism polytheism (many gods)(many gods)

NEFERTITINEFERTITI

Known for her Known for her beautybeauty and and femininity even up femininity even up to this day.to this day.

Ruled Ruled along side along side with her husbandwith her husband

AAkhenaten and and had some duties. had some duties.

NEFERTITINEFERTITI

TUTANKHAMUNTUTANKHAMUN

Commonly known Commonly known as King “Tut”.as King “Tut”.

Died early (age 19)Died early (age 19)

Offspring of an Offspring of an incestuous incestuous relationship (father relationship (father and sister/mother)and sister/mother)

SKULL and SKULL and RECONSTRUCTIONRECONSTRUCTION

CLEOPATRACLEOPATRA

The The last pharoah last pharoah of of Ancient EgyptAncient Egypt

Married her brothers Married her brothers in order to become a in order to become a pharoah. pharoah. (customary)(customary)

Later married Julius Later married Julius Ceasar and had a son Ceasar and had a son named named CaesorionCaesorion which means “Little which means “Little CeasarCeasar” ”

CLEOPATRACLEOPATRA

ARCHITECTUREARCHITECTURE

Egypt is popular for Egypt is popular for its its buildings and buildings and statues statues that you will that you will see in American see in American structures today.structures today.

PYRAMIDSPYRAMIDS

PYRAMIDSPYRAMIDS

Pyramids are Pyramids are actually actually tombstombs where where the the bodies of bodies of pharaohs pharaohs are are mummified mummified and storedand stored

Pyramids are one Pyramids are one of the of the world’s world’s mysteries mysteries because scientists because scientists and historians and historians wonder how the wonder how the Egyptians were Egyptians were able to build them.able to build them.

PYRAMIDSPYRAMIDS

THERE ARE AMERICAN STRUCTURES THERE ARE AMERICAN STRUCTURES THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT IN HONOR THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT IN HONOR OF THE GREAT PYRAMIDS OF EGYPT.OF THE GREAT PYRAMIDS OF EGYPT.

LUXOR HOTEL IN LAS VEGASLUXOR HOTEL IN LAS VEGAS

PYRAMID AREAN IN PYRAMID AREAN IN TENNESSEETENNESSEE

SPHINX SPHINX

SPHINXSPHINX

The The sphinxsphinx in in Egypt is a Egypt is a symbolsymbol of a of a great pharaohs great pharaohs during the during the Egyptian Egyptian civilizationcivilization. .

SPHINXSPHINX

IT IS THE IT IS THE OLDEST AND OLDEST AND LARGEST LARGEST STONE STATUE STONE STATUE IN THE WORLD.IN THE WORLD.

SPHINXSPHINX

IT HAS THE BODY IT HAS THE BODY OF A LION BUT OF A LION BUT THE HEAD OF A THE HEAD OF A MAN. MAN.

SPHINXSPHINX

The sphinx had a The sphinx had a nose that nose that resembled the resembled the pharaohs, and is pharaohs, and is rumored to rumored to have been have been destroyed destroyed by by European European invaders.invaders.

SPHYNXSPHYNX

It sits in front of It sits in front of the great the great pyramids of Giza pyramids of Giza in Egypt to this in Egypt to this very day.very day.

ANKHANKH

ANKHANKH

The The ankhankh is an is an Egyptian symbol Egyptian symbol that means that means “key of life”. “key of life”.

Egyptian gods Egyptian gods are often are often portrayed portrayed carrying them carrying them

ANKHANKH

The ankh is The ankh is seen in our seen in our culture today culture today in in jewelryjewelry and in body and in body art…on all art…on all races of races of peoplepeople..

ANKHANKH

HEIROGLYPHICSHEIROGLYPHICS

HEIROGLYPHICSHEIROGLYPHICS

One of the first writing systems in the world.

Use of symbols and pictures to represent objects and ideas

HIEROGLYPHICS

Very complex and hard to understand for hundreds of years.

Found on the walls of the pyramids

OBELISKS

Obelisks are ancient Egyptians structures that symbolized the sun god.

They were copied by the ancient Romans and rebuilt in Europe.

OBELISKS

There is an obelisk in our nation’s capitol, Washington, D.C. has a replica of one of the ancient Egyptian obelisks.

RACE of Egyptians

To this day, many have STRONG feelings over the race of the Ancient Egyptians.

It’s safe to say that they were a

mixture of races, but nonetheless AFRICAN.

WHY DOES WHY DOES THE THE RACE RACE OF THE OF THE EGYPTIANS EGYPTIANS MATTER? MATTER?

KUSH

KUSH

STOP!! For all you dopeheads…. lol this is the civilization called Kush …not your street name for an illegal substance!! Get educated PLEASE!

KUSH

Kush was the 2nd African Civilization.

Located just south of Egypt

Lasted for 2,000 years

KUSH Started off as good

friends with Egypt.

Was greatly influenced by Egypt culture

Developed it’s own handwriting that is STILL unable to be read.

KUSHKUSH

Built pyramids Built pyramids that were similar that were similar to those in to those in Egypt, but were Egypt, but were steeper. steeper.

KUSH

Located in a land called Nubia (which means land of the Blacks). Present –day Sudan.

Traded extensively with Europeans

GHANA

GHANA

First of the Western African Empires

Extremely popular for its GOLD mines

Traded for salt, silk, and cotton w/ Europeans

GHANA

GHANA GOLD MINES

GHANA GOLD

GHANA

The hot temperatures of Ghana required the people to need salt for retention of water in the body.

Also traded for Cotton and silk

MALI

MALI

The 2nd African Empire on the Western coast of Africa.

Flag of MALI

MALI

Famous for its ruler Mansa Musa

Devout Muslim Very Generous Stressed

importance of religion and education

MANSA MUSA OF MALI

Known for decreasing the value of gold because he was so generous in giving it away to many people during his pilgrimage.

MALI

Known for its university in Timbuktu where scholars from around the world would come to study religion and other subjects.

SONGHAY

SONGHAY The LAST of the

African Empires.

Famous for its ruler Sunni Ali Ber who eventually caused the empire to weaken from expansion and greed.

SONGHAY

When Songhay became a divided group of independent tribes; they began to fight among one another.

WITHOUT BEING UNIFIED, it became easy for invading Europeans to open up trade for African slaves.

UNITED WE STAND…….

SONGHAY

IMPORTANT !!!!!!!

WHEN THE AFRICANS SOLD ONE ANOTHER TO EUROPEANS, THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THE MISTREATMENT AND CRUELTY THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE.

SLAVERY IN AFRICA PRIOR TO EUROPEAN ARRIVAL WAS FAR LESS BARBARIC AND BLOODY.