1. GEOGRAPHY OF AFRICA DESERTS RAIN FORESTS MOUNTAINS
Africa’s geography is very diverse, containing mountain ranges, scorching deserts, rain forests, river valleys, open plains, and jungles

2. GEOGRAPHY OF AFRICA
Africans lived differently based on their location in Africa’s diverse land

3. GEOGRAPHY OF AFRICA
The Sahara is the world’s largest desert and acted as a barrier to separate North Africa from sub-Saharan Africa

4. EARLY SOCIETIES OF AFRICA
Early societies of North Africa were influenced by Mediterranean cultures such as the Phoenicians and Romans
By 750 CE, North Africans were part of the Islamic Empire, converted to Islam, and also shared Arabic culture

5. EARLY SOCIETIES OF AFRICA
However, African societies south of the Sahara were isolated from the cultural diffusion of the Classical Era
As a result, these sub-Saharan societies missed out on the great innovations of Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman cultures

6. How did early people in Sub-Saharan Africa live?

7. Characteristics of Sub-Saharan Africa
While the societies of sub-Saharan Africa were diverse, they shared some similarities
Most of the societies were family-based clans that lived in farming villages

8. Characteristics of Sub-Saharan Africa
Few of these societies had written languages; histories were shared orally by storytellers (griots)
One of their technological advancements was making iron tools

9. Characteristics of Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africans were polytheistic and worshipped many gods

10. Characteristics of Sub-Saharan Africa
They practiced Animism: a religion in which spirits exist in nature and play a role in daily life

11. THE BANTU MIGRATION
Over the course of 4,000 years, Bantu peoples of central Africa migrated south in search of farmland
These Bantu migrations helped spread new farming and ironworking techniques

12. What factors shaped the culture of East Africa?

13. EAST AFRICA
The societies of East Africa, unlike those of the sub-Sahara, were shaped by cultural diffusion (exchanging of ideas with other cultures)
The East Africans participated in the trade network of the Indian Ocean

14. EAST AFRICA
The East African kingdom of Aksum traded with Persia, India, Arabia, and Rome

15. Aksum became a kingdom based on Christianity
Aksum churches
Aksum became a kingdom based on Christianity

16. EAST AFRICA
Arab merchants brought their religion with them to East Africa
Islam was introduced to the East African trade cities

17. EAST AFRICA
The mix of African and Arab cultures led to the development of a new language: Swahili
East African towns had mosques (Muslim places of worship) and were ruled by Muslim sultans
However, many Africans chose to keep their traditional Animistic beliefs

18. What factors shaped the culture of West Africa?

19. WEST AFRICA: GOLD-SALT TRADE
The societies of West Africa were shaped by trade with North Africa
West Africa had large deposits of gold, but no salt
North Africa had large deposits of salt, but no gold

20. WEST AFRICA: GOLD-SALT TRADE
The lack of gold in the North and the lack of salt in the West resulted in the Trans-Saharan trade network

21. WEST AFRICA: GOLD-SALT TRADE
The lack of gold in the North and the lack of salt in the West resulted in the Trans-Saharan trade network

22. Cultural diffusion between West Africans and the Muslims resulted
WEST AFRICA AND ISLAM
The gold-salt trade spread to the Northeast and attracted Muslim merchants
Cultural diffusion between West Africans and the Muslims resulted

23. WEST AFRICA AND ISLAM
Islam was introduced to West Africa and slowly gained converts (people who switch their beliefs to a new religion)
Many West Africans either blended Islam with Animism or never converted

24. A West African kingdom, Ghana, amassed vast wealth by taxing merchants
WEST AFRICA: GHANA
The gold-salt trade led to increased wealth in West Africa and the formation of empires
A West African kingdom, Ghana, amassed vast wealth by taxing merchants
Ghana became an empire when it used that wealth to build a massive army and conquer neighboring people

25. By the year 800 CE, Ghana was the most powerful empire in Africa
WEST AFRICA: GHANA
By the year 800 CE, Ghana was the most powerful empire in Africa
Ghana’s kings were not merely rulers; they served as judges, religious leaders, and generals

26. WEST AFRICA: MALI
A kingdom neighboring Ghana, Mali, eventually overthrew Ghana and absorbed its territory into the new Mali Empire
Mali’s King Sundiata took over the Ghana Empire and controlled the major trade cities of West Africa

27. WEST AFRICA: MALI
King Sundiata created an efficient government that controlled trade and promoted farming

28. WEST AFRICA: MALI
The kings of Mali who ruled after Sundiata converted to Islam
The most important of these Muslim kings of Mali was Mansa Musa

29. WEST AFRICA: MALI
Mansa Musa built an army of 100,000 soldiers to control Mali’s gold trade and secure his empire
To easier manage his territory, he divided the Mali Empire into provinces, each controlled by a governor he appointed

30. MANSA MUSA’S INFLUENCE
Mansa Musa was a devout Muslim and went on a hajj to Mecca in 1324
Mansa Musa passed out gold nuggets to the people he met along the way of his long trip

31. This is a European map of Africa
This is a European map of Africa. Very little was known about Africa below the Sahara, but Mansa Musa is on the map. Based on his image on the map, what did Europeans know about Mansa Musa?

32. When Mansa Musa returned from Mecca, he was filled with religious fervor

33. Djenne Mosque
He built many mosques throughout the Mali Empire, including one at Timbuktu

34. University in Timbuktu
Timbuktu became a trade city that attracted scholars, religious leaders, and doctors
The city had a university and became an important center of learning in the world

35. After Mansa Musa’ reign was over, the Mali Empire began to decline
WEST AFRICA: SONGHAI
After Mansa Musa’ reign was over, the Mali Empire began to decline
Another neighboring kingdom, the Songhai, eventually took over Mali and formed the Songhai Empire

36. The Songhai grew into the largest of the West African empires
WEST AFRICA: SONGHAI
Songhai kings gained control of the major trade cities along the highly valuable gold-salt trade routes
The Songhai grew into the largest of the West African empires
The fall of the Songhai Empire in 1591 CE ended a thousand year era of West African Empires

37. CONCLUSIONS African societies were transformed by two powerful forces:
Trade with outsiders
Introduction of Islam

38.  Originally created by Brooks Baggett
Modified by Christopher Jaskowiak