Bellringer• On your map, label the items in the

left-hand column (starting with Mediterranean Sea)

Agenda1. Geography of Africa2. African Empires

ObjectivesStudents will be able to…57. Explain how geography influenced

the development of trade in Africa.

58. Describe the African trading kingdoms of Axum, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Mali, and Songhai

Reminders• SOL exam May 9th!!!• I will give you a HUGE study packet

over break!• We will have a quest (long quiz/short

test) on Thursday. It will cover the map and the reading

SAHARA DESERT

Niger River

Congo River

Zambezi River

Limpopo River

Objective #57

Timbuktu

He who controls trade, controls the

worldRule #3

Rulers of the Nile

• Aksum was a prosperous trading empire

• Traded with Europe, Arabia, Egypt, Persia, India

Egypt Kush (Nubia) Mesopotamians(Assyria, Persia, Rome)

Aksum

Objective #58

Aksum• Where is it?– Ethiopian highlands

• Adopted Christianity– Became the

Ethiopians– Stayed Christian until

modern times

Aksum• Cool facts–Written

language (Ge’ez)–Steles

Great Zimbabwe• Powerful inland

trade city in Southern Africa–Near gold – Zambezi and

Limpopo rivers

Great Zimbabwe• Mysterious–Giant circular walls that don’t look

defensive–City was suddenly abandoned

West Africa• What is the most important

geographic feature of West Africa?

Spelling• One time spelling counts:–Desert = lots of sand and hot–Dessert = lots of chocolate and

happiness

West Africa

Trade• West Africa has something everybody wants

• West Africa needs something they can get from the desert

• What’s the best way to get stuff across a desert?

GOLD!

Salt

Camels

Gold-Salt TradeKnow this.

Gold-Salt Trade• Gold from West Africa to the world• Salt from the Sahara to West Africa• Ideas and goods from the

Mediterranean into Sub-Saharan Africa–Islam expands through trade, not

war

West African Empires

• All three West African Empires became powerful in the same way–Control the trade! People who

lived where the best gold mines were built armies and conquered everyone else

Ghana• First empire in West Africa• Led by a king –Controlled the supply of gold –Collected taxes–Protected traders•Safety•Fairness

Mali• Gold mines shifted east so new people

take over• Sundiata (sun-JAT-ah) creates an empire–Title “mansa,” or war chief

• Mansa Musa–Hajj (remember the song!)

• City of Timbuktu – center of trade

Songhai• Gold mines shifted east so new

people take over• Just like Mali• Conquered by Moroccans with guns

Islam in Africa• African religion was based on the

belief in nature and ancestor spirits, called animism• Trade spreads Islam throughout West

Africa and East African coast–Mali and Songhai

Essay Outline• Compare and contrast Ghana and

Mali–Write a thesis statement–Write a “direct comparison” and

“analysis” for one similarity and one difference

Direct Comparison• Mesopotamia and Egypt were both

located near rivers BECAUSE they both used silt for agriculture• Egyptian kings were more powerful

than Mesopotamian kings BECAUSE the Egyptian kings were worshipped as gods