Trading states in Africa

Chapter 11

Early civilizations of Africa

Section 1

Sahara

• Who: Africans• What: the largest desert in the world, a

geographic feature in the great variety of African landscapes

• Where: Northern Africa• When: 730 BC- present• Why: this desert plays a major role in the

development of Africa & it’s trading kingdoms that develop

Sahara (6)

• Who: Africans• What: the largest desert in the world; just one

geographic feature in the great variety of African land

• Where: North Africa• When: 730 BC- present• Why: the geographic features of this area played

a major role in the development of Africa

Sahara (7)

• Who: Africans• What: largest desert in the world; just one of the

many geographic features of Africa• Where: Northern Africa• When: 730 BC- present• Why: this desert played a major role in the

development of N. Africa = desert = not a lot of vegetation = lower population; trade routes went through here

Savannahs (6)

• Who: Africans• What: grassy plains, make up the continent’s

largest & most populated regions • Where: Central & South Africa• When: 730 BC- present• Why: this area had the most vegetation = food

= larger population; this geographic region affected how/where ppl lived

Savannas (7)

• Who: Africans• What: grassy plains, the continent’s largest &

most populated regions• Where: Central & South Africa• When: 730 BC- present• Why: these grassy plains had a lot of

vegetation = food = people = most populous regions of Africa

Cataracts (6)

• Who: Africans• What: waterfalls on high plateaues• Where: Africa• When: 730 BC- present• Why: these hindered easy movement from

place to place in Africa, acted as barriers = travel from place to place was hard

Cataracts (7)

• Who: Africans• What: waterfalls that hindered movement

throughout Africa• Where: high plateaus of Africa• When: 730 BC- present• Why: these served as barriers to trade= they

hindered easy movement of ppls from place to place

Workbook pg 98

• I. – A. • 1. Sahara- largest desert in the world, shapes

Africa = not as many ppl live here b.c. of desert• 2. Savannahs- grassy plains w. vegetation = most

populous region• 3. Cataracts- hindered movement throughout

Africa, acted as barriers

• I. – B. • 1. Minerals (salt, gold, copper ,iron) showed wealth &

power = trade increased• 2. Camels could travel long distances w.o water & could

carry heavy loads = trade increased

Savannah

• Who: Africans• What: grassy plains, Africa’s largest & most

populated region• Where: Central & South Africa• When: 730 BC- present• Why: moving north & south throughout

Africa, this is the continent’s most populated region b.c. of all the vegetation

Cataracts

• Who: Africans• What: waterfalls on high plateaus• Where: Africa• When: 730 BC- present• Why: these hindered easy movement

throughout the continent b.c. they were difficult to cross = limits travel

Workbook pg 98

• I. • A. Geographic patterns– Sahara- desert region in the North (not a lot of ppl live here);

Savannahs- most populated due to a lot of vegetation = food– Cataracts, (waterfalls)- restrict people from moving about the

continentB. Resources spur trade- Salt, gold, iron & copper were valuable = great wealth & power = trade throughout Africa- Camels allowed more trade through the desert b.c. they were able to carry heavy loads & go long times w.o water= trade increased through the Sahara

Desertification

• Who: Africans• What: a climate change that slowly dried out the

Sahara, cropland & pastureland are devoured/destroyed

• Where: Northern Africa, Sahara desert• When: 2500 BC• Why: as the land became parched, the desert spread;

the desertification led to migration b.c. ppl had to find new areas to live in that maintained their way of life

II. Part A.

• 1) Hunters & gatherers settled down & learned to cultivate the Nile Valley & domesticate animals

• 2)Sahara used to be covered with rich grasslands & savannah = ppl lived here

• 3)Desertification- dried out vegetation = ppl migrated (leave)

• 4) Ppl leave to find new areas that maintain their ways of life

II. Part B

• 1. People migrated all throughout Africa = diverse cultures/languages- root language = Bantu

• 2. The Bantu spread their skills/language & merge with other groups; still there today

Bantu

• Who: Africans• What: the root language of the African languages• Where: Africa, W. Africa• When: 1000BC- present• Why: gives the movement “Bantu migrations” its’

name; Bantu-speakers spread their skills of farming, iron working, & domesticating animals; other existing cultures merged w. Bantu; their influence is still in the languages of that region today

Nubia

• Who: Egyptians, Nubian, Northeast Africans• What: ancient kingdom called Kush • Where: Egypt, northeast Africa, on the Nile• When: 2700 BC• Why: this kingdom was flourishing, trade led to

contact b/n Nubia & Egypt; Nubia was under Egyptian control & remained that way for about 500 years = Nubia adopted several Egyptian traditions

Meroe

Kingdoms of West Africa

Section 2

Surplus

• Who: African Farming Villagers• What: Extra Resources for more than was needed• Where: Africa• When: 100 A.D.• Why: Development of trade allowed the villages

to keep more resources. They began to trade their food surplus for products from other villages. This led to an increase in trade.

Commodity

• Who: Africans• What: Valuable products• Where: Africa• When: 730 B.C.-1591 A.D.• Why: People needed salt in their diet, especially in hot

tropical areas to replace the salt lost from perspiration. Salt was important for the use of food and preservation. The Sahara had an abundance of salt. The Savannah didn’t have enough salt=commodity for them=Trade.

WK sheet #2

• Cause=Salt is needed for diet and food preservation.

• Salt is a commodity esp. for the Savannah.• Effect=Trade, the Savannah doesn’t have

enough=willing to trade gold for salt.

Ghana

• Who: Africans, Soninke people• What: It’s a kingdom from many united

farming villages.• Where: West Africa• When: 800 A.D.

Sundiata

• Who: Sundiata, ruler of Mali• What: sickly boy regarded as too weak to be a

threat, crushed his enemies & created the kingdom of Mali

• Where: Egypt/Mali• When: 1235-1255• Why: he crushed his enemies, ran control of the

gold trade routes in Africa, & founded the empire of Mali

Mali

• Who: Sundiata• What: empire, gold trade route was here• Where: W. Africa• When: 1235-1450• Why: Gold trade routes & salt supplies

expanded here; caravan routes made small towns into great trading cities = many people wanted to live here = freedom of religion & tolerance

Mansa Musa• Who: greatest ruler of the kingdom of Mali• What: greatest ruler of Mali who improved it; converted to

Islam• Where: Mali, West Africa• When: 1312-1337• Why: expanded Mali’s borders west to Atlantic ocean &

north; ensured peace & order in his empire; converted to Islam = based system of justice on Quran; promoted religious freedom & tolerance; created alliances w. other Muslim states; brought back Muslim scholars to promote Islamic education in Mali = a lot of West Africa is Islamic today

Songhai• Who: Sunni Ali, Askia Muhammad• What: a new Muslim kingdom in West Africa as Mali was

weakening, capital= Goa• Where: present-day Mali & Niger, W. Africa• When: 1464-• Why:

– Sunni Ali (at the height) made trade routes (gold & salt) & wealthy cities; professional army protected the empire; provincial governors presided over local states;

– Askia: efficient bureaucracy w. separate departments for farming, military, & treasury; disputes over Askia’s leadership after he died = changes in leadership = civil war & unrest

– Moroccan invaders used gunpowder to take over

Kingdoms & trading states of EastAfrica

Section 3

Axum

Adulis

Ethiopia

King Lalibela

Swahili

Great Zimbabwe