1. The Rise of African Civilizations
Chapter 3
Section 1
Pages

2. A. A Vast and Diverse Continent
Standard 7.4.1
A. A Vast and Diverse Continent
Africa= 2nd largest Continent
Equator crosses middle of Africa
Rain forests along equator (10% of land)
Most of Africa covered by savanna (wide open tropical grasslands)
High temps. & uneven rain= good farm land
Desert
Savanna
Rain Forest
Savanna
Desert

3. B. What is the African Plateau?
Standard 7.4.1
B. What is the African Plateau?
Almost all of Africa is on plateau (area of high flat land)
Long rivers:
Nile and Niger
Rich soil along rivers
good crops
powerful civilizations
3. Merchants use rivers to trade/ share ideas

4. II. African Trading Empires
Standard 7.4.1, .2, .5
II. African Trading Empires
Many Africans share a common background: Bantu
Bantu settled African’s thousands of years ago
Bantu Men
Bantu Gatherers
Bantu Hunter

5. A. Who Were the Bantu? Bantu spread out using the Benue River
Standard 7.1.4, .2, .5
A. Who Were the Bantu?
Bantu spread out using the Benue River
Bantu spread culture: mining, pottery, iron working, language
Africans speak 100s
of Bantu languages

6. Standard 7.1.4, .2, .5
B. Trade Caravans Begin
Sahara stopped Bantu from moving north for 1000’s of years
horses/donkeys were used for trade
died in the heat
3. Romans introduced camels from Asia when they conquered North Africa
4. Camels revolutionized Saharan trade

7. C. The Rise of Ghana Standard 7.1.4, .2, .5 Many African kingdoms:
larger/richer than kingdoms in Europe
2. Salt/cloth in North Africa  Gold/Ivory in West Africa
3. Ghana rose due to trade
Ghana located at several trade routes/ Niger River, controlled gold mines= POWER
Didn't’ have gold mine in territory but they controlled the people and area that did
Ghana taxed trade route = rich
4. Salt very important: lb. Salt = 1lb. Gold

8. D. The Fall of Ghana? Gold discovered outside Ghana 2. Poor soil
Standard 7.1.4, .2, .5
D. The Fall of Ghana?
Gold discovered outside Ghana
2. Poor soil
3. Constant war = Ghana weak

9. Rise of Mali 1. North African Muslims captured Ghana’s capital
Sundiata Keita of Mali captured rest of Ghana Mali
Mali controlled gold/salt trade: rich & powerful
2. Sundiata Keita, great warrior-king
“Lion King”
Rebuilt the salt and gold trade
3. Decline after death of Mansa Musa

10. E. Rise of Songhai 1. Sunni Ali of Songhai drove Berbers out
Standard 7.1.4, .2, .5
1. Sunni Ali of Songhai drove Berbers out
Sunni Ali used war canoes to conquer river trade
Captured salt/gold mines
2. Sunni Ali died, but Songhai largest
West African empire
3. Decline Muslim troops from Morocco crossed Sahara with guns/cannons: defeated Songhai
Mansa Musa

11. F. Kingdoms of the Rain Forest
Standard 7.1.4, .2, .5
F. Kingdoms of the Rain Forest
Kingdoms arose in rain forests along equator
Benin and Kongo
Rain forests: warm wet climate
rich farming soil
surplus crops
Surpluses used to trade or support king/artisans
Europeans traded with Benin/Kongo for slaves

12. G. East Africa Ethiopia began Queen Makeda ruled empire of Sheba
Standard 7.1.4, .2, .5
G. East Africa
Ethiopia began
Queen Makeda ruled empire of Sheba
Glory of Kings: Ethiopia’s oldest recorded history
Makeda met with King Solomon: introduced Judaism to Ethiopia from Israel
Ethiopia power did not decline
Power centered in city-state, Axum

13. H. What Was Axum? Ethiopia stayed strong Power centered in Axum
Standard 7.1.4, .2, .5
H. What Was Axum?
Ethiopia stayed strong
Power centered in Axum
2. Axum located next to Red Sea
great trade routes
3. King Ezana helped bring new religion to Africa when he converted
Christianity
Islam
King Ezana’s stele in Axum

14. I. Coastal City-States Arabs traded with East Africa
Standard 7.1.4, .2, .5
I. Coastal City-States
Arabs traded with East Africa
Arabs invented triangular sail to power dhows
Muslim traders settle in E. Africa
Muslim establish trading ports along the coast
Ports became major links in the
Indian Ocean trading network
Arab Merchants

15. J. What Was the Great Zimbabwe?
Shona people founded Zimbabwe in SE Africa
Kings, Mutota and Matope, made Zimbabwe into A powerful trade empire
ivory, copper, gold
Shipped to Arabia, Persia, India, and China
3. Today over 300 large stone ruins still stand
The Great Zimbabwe