Africa

Geographic Contrasts• Second largest

continent in the world. • Some parts have

constant drought• Can be land of rocky

dust or desert• Example: Sahara

Desert in North Africa

• Other parts get 400 inches of rain a year

• Can be land of lush, green rainforests

• South Africa has fertile soil and vegetation.

Early African People• First Humans appeared in

Great Rift Valley• Nomadic lifestyle until

they learned to domesticate animals

• Lived in clans• Religion included animism

– a religion where people believe that spirits are present in animals, plants, and other natural forces.

Great Rift Valley

Kingdom of Aksum• Located by the Red Sea

= modern day Ethiopia• Took over many

important areas and became an important center of trade

• Traded with Egypt, Arabia, Persia, India and the Roman Empire at Aksum’s key sea port called ADULIS

Trade in Aksum• Items traded: salt,

rhinoceros horns, tortoise shells, ivory, emeralds, and gold

• Imported cloth, glass, olive oil, wine, brass, iron and copper

Aksum Religion• Traditionally monotheistic• God called Mahrem and

their king Ezana was a direct descendent of him.

• Offered sacrifices- animals• King Ezana converted to

Christianity • In 451 A.D., Ethiopia and

Egypt with become Orthodox and split from Roman Catholic

Aksumite Architecture• Developed unique

architecture using stone instead of mud bricks to build palaces and buildings

• Used NO MORTAR

• Instead they carved stones to fit together tightly

• Built huge stone pillars called Stelae to celebrate king’s conquests

Fall of Aksum

• Aksum lasted for 800 years

• Fell to invaders who practiced Islam

Pictures Cited• Slide 1 – http://www.cedcc.psu.edu/khanjan/ccKenya/048_African%20Sunset.JPG• Slide 3 -

http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/1102986/2/istockphoto_1102986_salt_caravan_in_the_sahara_desert.jpg, http://photos.igougo.com/images/p195855-Timbuktu-The_Sahara_Desert.jpg, http://www.visituganda.com/assets/images/what/photos/008-Kibale-Chimptrees.jpg

• Slide 4 - http://anthro.palomar.edu/earlyprimates/images/map_of_great_rift_valley.gif• Slide 5 - http://www.unganisha.org/home/docs/imgs/great_rift_valley/great_rift.jpg• Slide 6 - http://staff.harrisonburg.k12.va.us/~cwalton/walton/SOLPics/mapafricaaxum.JPG• Slide 7 - http://www.boneclones.com/images/ko252l_web-lg.jpg,

http://www.trophyroomcollection.com/ivory/ivoryimg/ivory.JPG, http://www.emeralds.com/photos/lacruz.jpg• Slide 8 - http://wbchouston.org/files/Pictures/Christian.jpg• Slide 9 - http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=93423&rendTypeId=4• Slide 10 - http://www.weltgebetsuhr.de/wgb/bilder/kaaba/original/kaaba-09.jpg