Section 3Section 3

THE WORLD OF THE WORLD OF THE WEST THE WEST AFRICANSAFRICANS

Activating Prior KnowledgeActivating Prior Knowledge

Look at the following pictures and Look at the following pictures and write three sentences of what you write three sentences of what you think each picture represent.think each picture represent.

Picture APicture A

Picture BPicture B

Picture CPicture C

AA

Africa has the highest number of refugees and Africa has the highest number of refugees and displaced people in the world - roughly 25 million. displaced people in the world - roughly 25 million.

For many, like these children living in an For many, like these children living in an abandoned car in Rwanda, cities provide a abandoned car in Rwanda, cities provide a welcome refuge. welcome refuge.

Often fleeing ethnic violence, and with shelters Often fleeing ethnic violence, and with shelters and orphanages in short supply, refugees have and orphanages in short supply, refugees have little or no money and frequently end up in little or no money and frequently end up in shanty towns with little prospects for change. shanty towns with little prospects for change.

BB

Forget hydro-engineers or planes Forget hydro-engineers or planes shooting high-powered rain pellets. shooting high-powered rain pellets. To get water in Bushu, a region in To get water in Bushu, a region in Zimbabwe hard-hit by drought, Zimbabwe hard-hit by drought, schoolgirls put their faith in a schoolgirls put their faith in a traditional rain dance.traditional rain dance.

CC

A combination of doctor, psychiatrist and A combination of doctor, psychiatrist and psychic, traditional healers hold positions psychic, traditional healers hold positions of great respect in African communities. of great respect in African communities. Many are women. Many are women.

Here, Mmatsepo, a Basotho traditional Here, Mmatsepo, a Basotho traditional healer, or healer, or sangomasangoma, prays to her , prays to her ancestors in a sacred cave in Mautse, ancestors in a sacred cave in Mautse, South Africa. Roughly 80 percent of South South Africa. Roughly 80 percent of South Africans are estimated to visit traditional Africans are estimated to visit traditional healers for treatment of various complaintshealers for treatment of various complaints

WEST AFRICANS & EUROPE WEST AFRICANS & EUROPE MEETMEET

FIRST MET IN ANCIENT TIMESFIRST MET IN ANCIENT TIMES EUROPEANS TRADED CLOTH, METAL EUROPEANS TRADED CLOTH, METAL

GOODS, & JEWERLY FROM NORTH GOODS, & JEWERLY FROM NORTH AFRICAN MIDDLE MENAFRICAN MIDDLE MEN

EUROPE WANTED TO GET RID OF THE EUROPE WANTED TO GET RID OF THE MIDDLE MEN AND GO DIRECTLY FOR THE MIDDLE MEN AND GO DIRECTLY FOR THE GOLD.GOLD.

WEST AFRICAN CULTURESWEST AFRICAN CULTURES

ADAPTED THEIR CULTURE TO THEIR ADAPTED THEIR CULTURE TO THEIR GEOGRAPHIC SURROUNDINGS.GEOGRAPHIC SURROUNDINGS.

GEOGRAPHY & LIVELIHOODSGEOGRAPHY & LIVELIHOODS– VEGETATIONVEGETATION

THREE MAIN TYPES OF VEGETATIONTHREE MAIN TYPES OF VEGETATION

RAIN FORESTSRAIN FORESTS

• COVERED A LARGE BAND OF COASTAL COVERED A LARGE BAND OF COASTAL LAND ALONG THE SOUTHERN PART OF LAND ALONG THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE REGION.THE REGION.

• SUPPORTED A WIDE VARIETY OF PLANT SUPPORTED A WIDE VARIETY OF PLANT AND ANIMAL LIFEAND ANIMAL LIFE

SAVANNASAVANNA

• A REGION NEAR THE EQUATOR WITH A REGION NEAR THE EQUATOR WITH TROPICAL GRASSLANDS AND SCATTERED TROPICAL GRASSLANDS AND SCATTERED TREES.TREES.

• HAS A DRY AND WET SEASON NOT HOT HAS A DRY AND WET SEASON NOT HOT AND COLD.AND COLD.

The DesertThe Desert

THE LARGEST DESERT, THE SAHARA, THE LARGEST DESERT, THE SAHARA, RAMAINED LARGELY UNINHABITED.RAMAINED LARGELY UNINHABITED.– SCATTERED TOWNS AROSESCATTERED TOWNS AROSE– The Sahara is one of the hottest places on The Sahara is one of the hottest places on

Earth.. Earth..

FAMILY LIFEFAMILY LIFE– ORGANIZED BY KINSHIP GROUPSORGANIZED BY KINSHIP GROUPS– LINEAGELINEAGE

Kinship groups that trace their Kinship groups that trace their origin to a common ancestor.origin to a common ancestor.

SUPPORTSUPPORT

RELIGIONRELIGION–SUPREME BEING,MANY SUPREME BEING,MANY GODS, GODDESSES, & GODS, GODDESSES, & SPIRITSSPIRITSSPIRITS WERE THOUGHT SPIRITS WERE THOUGHT TO INHABIT EVERYTHING TO INHABIT EVERYTHING IN THE NATURAL WORLDIN THE NATURAL WORLD

KINGDOMS AND TRADEKINGDOMS AND TRADE

BENINBENIN BeninBenin, officially the , officially the Republic of Republic of

BeninBenin,,– country in West Africa. country in West Africa.

KING, OR OBAKING, OR OBA WEALTH CAME FROM TRADEWEALTH CAME FROM TRADE

Benin art was produced mainly for the Benin art was produced mainly for the court of the court of the Oba – (a divine ruler) for – (a divine ruler) for whom the craftsmen produced a range whom the craftsmen produced a range of ceremonially significant objects. of ceremonially significant objects.

Aside from producing work to promote Aside from producing work to promote theological and religious, Benin Art theological and religious, Benin Art includes a range of animal heads, includes a range of animal heads, figurines, plaques, and other artifacts. figurines, plaques, and other artifacts.

SONGHAISONGHAI

STRETCHED ACROSS MUCH OF WEST STRETCHED ACROSS MUCH OF WEST AFRICA.AFRICA.

EXISTED UNTIL 1591EXISTED UNTIL 1591

SONGHAISONGHAI

ASKIA MOHAMMEDASKIA MOHAMMED– MADE SONGHAI A GREAT EMPIREMADE SONGHAI A GREAT EMPIRE

EXTENDED ITS CONTROL EXTENDED ITS CONTROL THROUGHOUT MUCH OF WEST THROUGHOUT MUCH OF WEST AFTRICSAFTRICS

HIS SONS WERE CORRUPTHIS SONS WERE CORRUPT– EMPIRE WEAKENED WHEN THEY RULED..EMPIRE WEAKENED WHEN THEY RULED..

SLAVERY IN AFRICASLAVERY IN AFRICA BELIEVED IN PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OF BELIEVED IN PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OF

GOODS & PROPERTYGOODS & PROPERTY LAND -PLENTIFULLAND -PLENTIFUL VALUED LABOR OVER LAND VALUED LABOR OVER LAND

– LEADERS’ POWER RESTED ON THE LEADERS’ POWER RESTED ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THEY RULED NUMBER OF PEOPLE THEY RULED RATHER THEN LAND CONTROLLED RATHER THEN LAND CONTROLLED SLAVES-CAPTURED IN WAR, SLAVES-CAPTURED IN WAR, ORPHANS, CRIMINALS, & OTHERS ORPHANS, CRIMINALS, & OTHERS REJECTED BY SOCIETYREJECTED BY SOCIETY

Africans’ concept of slavery differed Africans’ concept of slavery differed as it developed in the Americas.as it developed in the Americas.– Africa-slaves became adopted members Africa-slaves became adopted members

of the kinship group that enslaved them.of the kinship group that enslaved them.– Children of slaves not presumed slaves.Children of slaves not presumed slaves.