AFRICAN KINGDOMS

10d

Where?

During the Middle Ages, African civilizations developed in Sub-Saharan west and east Africa

Axum

Located in modern day Ethiopia and near the Nile River

Axum

Religion Aksumites originally believed in one god

called Mahrem and they were also animists They often used animals for sacrifice Trade and merchants brought along a new

religion

Aksum

Religion Christianity became prevalent throughout

the Aksum kingdom Ezana converted all the people of the

kingdom to Christianity This allowed for Ethiopia (where Aksum was

located) to be home to millions of Christians

Zimbabwe

Located near the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers and the Indian Ocean

The people of Zimbabwe we called Shona

Land was great for farming and raising cattle

“Great Zimbabwe”

City stood near a major trade route that linked the gold fields with Sofala (major trading city)

The people of this city gained control of these trade routes and taxed the traders who traveled these routes

This caused “Great Zimbabwe” to become the economic, political, and religious center of its empire

West African kingdoms

West African Kingdoms during the Middle Ages include Ghana, Mali, and Songhai They are located near the Niger River and

the Sahara

Ghana

By 700s A.D Ghana becomes a kingdom in West Africa

Gold and Salt

Two most important trade items Gold came from the forest region south

of the Savanna (Found in 100s of feet in earth or in rivers)

The Sahara contained salt deposits

Mali

1235, Mali emerges as a kingdom Its founders were located south of

Ghana, but as Ghana grew weaker and Mali gained power, Ghana is taken over

Mali is now in control of the gold and salt trade routes.

Timbuktu

An important city of the Mali kingdom Used for trading and it attracted Muslim

judges, doctors, religious leaders, and scholars

They came because of Timbuktu’s outstanding mosques and universities

Songhai

In the 1400s, the Songhai empire came about The Songhai people gradually took over the

territory of the previous kingdom Mali Timbuktu and Djenne are in Songhai’s control As a result, Songhai gains control of the gold and

salt trade

Religion

Islam spread south of the Sahara due to trade

Most rulers converted to Islam (Ghana) Even though the rulers are Muslim, most

people did not convert, but maintained their animistic beliefs.

Islam’s growth encouraged the spread of literacy.