1. Chapter 7

3.  Africa is incredibly diverse in terms of geography, climate and people.  Regions:  Congo – Dense rainforest and jungle in central Africa  Savannah – Grassland covers about 40% of Africa central region  Sahara Dessert – Largest desert on earth. Creates a major divide between N. and S. Africa

4. Kush  Agriculture first appeared in the lower Nile valley  The site of the first true African kingdom  Migration south from Egypt resulted in the independent state of Kush  Kush became a major trading state  Little known about the society of Kush  Seems to have been wealthy Axum  Conquered Kush in 4th century C.E.  Trading empire  Location on trade routes responsible for prosperity  Competed for control of ivory trade  Practiced Christianity  Would be renamed Ethiopia

5.  Islam rises in Africa in 622 AD  641 Arab forces capture Egypt  Arab Muslims rule North Africa coast to strait of Gibraltar  Relationship with Christian Axum is peaceful  12 th century Muslim states moved inland to control trade  Muslim traders had significant impact on North Africa

6.  Ghana  Majority of people were farmers  Primary reason for Ghana’s growth was gold  Trans-Saharan trade with Egypt becomes very important  Kings did not convert to Islam, but many of their subjects did  Mali  Series of wars bring the fall of Ghana by the twelfth century  New states of Mali and Songhai were born  Greatest state was Mali  Gold trade  Farming in the savanna region  Mansa Musa (1312-1337), king, encouraged Islam  City of Timbuktu becomes center of trade, religion and learning

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8. Mixed African/Arab culture arises. Muslim religion and Arabic architecture become part of African society Swahili language arises as well – African Bantu trade with Arabic people. – Language mixes both Bantu and Arabic – Swahili language spreads North and West with Ivory and Slave trade. Swahili Primary language region

9.  From the basin of the Congo River to the Cape of Good Hope  Stateless society – A group of independent villages loosely connected by clan ties but with no central government.  Zimbabwe  Capital known as Great Zimbabwe  Benefited from trade between interior and coast  Evidence of great wealth, but Great Zimbabwe abandoned Great Enclosure (purpose unknown)