Africa Dark Continent Lack of knowledge about it Difficult to explore Isolate many cultures of the continent from each other

Geography Second Largest continent 1/5 of the earth’s land surface 4,600 miles east-west 5,000 miles north-south 1/5 of the earth’s land surface Coastline Narrow Few harbors or inlets Actually shorter than Europe Europe is only 1/3 the size of Africa

Major Land Areas Desert 40 % of continent Sahara Sahel Size of US. The coastline of the Sahara Desert Grassland on southern edge of Sahara Desert Point of exchange between forests of south and North Africa

Rainforest 5% of land Middle half of continent Trees form canopy Block sun from rainforest floor

Major Land Areas Savanna Great Rift Valley Grassy plain Where largest number of Africans live 40% of population Concern about Desertification Drying out of the soil Great Rift Valley Deep Gash in Earth’s crust Runs from Red Sea across East Africa

Agriculture Livestock- Likely result of contact with Near East cattle, goats, sheep, horse and camels from Asia

Iron making Asia or some say Phoenicians First known makers of Iron were Nok culture Africa unusual because it appears that they skip the bronze age. Progress from the stone age to the iron age Migrations of Bantu people help the spread of iron making across the African continent

People Earliest People Nomadic, hunters and gathers Pastoralist Some tribes today still measure wealth by number of animal own

Family Central to African societies Organize into groups called lineage Descendants of common ancestors Lineages included past and future generations Strong Loyalties Family

Tracing Family Descent Way the society traces lineage decides Inheritances rights and what group individual belongs to Patrilineal Trace ancestors through father Inheritance passes from father to sun Sons remain with father extended family Matrilineal Trace ancestors through mother Young men inherit land and wealth from mother’s family Men usually hold the position of authority even though group membership and inheritance comes from mother

Common Elements in African Societies Language Thought Religion Animistic Power of natural forces personified as deities Ritual and worship Dancing, drumming, sacrifice Witchcraft

Bantu Bantu Important in History of Africa because Lived south of Sahara- Nigeria Spoke over 800 Languages Important in History of Africa because Introduced the smelting of iron & use of iron tools Spread of agriculture

Important in History of Africa because Spread of language Swahili- mixture of Bantu and Arab Result of interaction between Bantu and Arab traders Result is over 60 million Africans speak one of the Bantu languages Still major African language Helps experts trace movement of people If two languages have similar words, it is likely the people who spoke them were in close contact

Bantu Migration Around 1500 BCE start to migrate to the south and east One of greatest migration in history Migrations will last for 2000 years Generally believe that migrations caused by Climatic changes Sahara area Increase population Adoption of agriculture- more food- more people Using Congo and later Zambezi rivers Bantu Migration

Why do people migrate? Food Climatic changes Overpopulation Being displace by migrations of others Disease Crop failures Avoid natural disasters Destructive farming methods

Bantu Stateless societies Age Set Organized around kinship groups or other forms of obligation Control by lineages and age set Lack the concentration of political power and authority Delayed ability to respond to outside pressures, mobilize for war, undertake large building projects or create stability for long-distance trade Age Set Center of Bantu society Cohort group that included tribal members of the same age who share life experiences and responsibilities

Early Bantu did not have written language Oral traditions preserved by storytellers called griots Excellent advisors to kings because they knew the past

African Economies African economies were extremely diversified North Africa will be fully involved with the economic worlds of Arab and Mediterranean Sub-Saharan regions had varying International trade increase in regions near the Islamic world

Drawbacks to African Trade Trade will be handed by professional merchants Kinship groups Africa will exchange raw materials for manufactured products Will fail to develop the industrial technology to use their own raw materials to make manufactured products

Trade in West Africa Infrequent and irregular because of harsh conditions Change in 3rd Century when Berbers used camels Camels could cover 60 miles a day Travel 10 days without water Trade routes developed and trade increased

West Africa was rich in gold but lack salt Arabs and Berbers will trade salt for gold African trade routes will shift to the east several times as gold deposits were found further east

Islamic Influence Between 800-15000 Islam will have significant impact on the political history of Africa Muslims first came to North Africa after the death of Muhammad Convert many African rulers Like the Muslim concept of a ruler who united religious and civil authority Reinforced traditional ideas of kingship Rulers will base government on Islamic law Believed God’s law is a higher authority than human law Rulers will rely on religious scholars as government advisors

Islamic Law Law of obligation Does not separate personal life from religious life Regulates almost all areas of human life Provides a set of values that shaped a common identify Will help to unify Muslim world, despite ethnic or culturally differences

African Slave Trade Muslim view of slavery Saw it as a stage in the process of conversion of pagans to slavery African slave trade developed rapidly widely diffused

Key result of Islamic conquest of large portion of Africa was the establishment of vast trading network Gold trade

Introduction of written Arabic language, laws Allowed local rulers to improve their administration

Berbers Convert to Islam Conversion will be rapidly Two major groups Will maintain their Berber identities and loyalties Conversion will be rapidly At first be unifying but later will divide North Africa into competing Muslim states Two major groups Almoravid and Almohads

Almoravid Dynasty Began after a devout Berber made a hajj Convince Muslim scholar Abd Allah Ibn Yasin to return to Africa to teach Islam Found strict religious brotherhood In 1050 AD will attempt to spread Islam through conquest Conquer large parts of North Africa Will move into Spain, where they will become know as Moors Almoravid Dynasty

Almohads Will begin as a militant religious movement Will wrestle power away from Almoravid Follow teachings of Ibn Turmart Who after a pilgrimage to Mecca denounced the Almoravid rulers Claim they had moved away from traditional practice of Islam Urged followers to strictly obey teaching of Quran and Islamic law Will rule for 100 years

Nok First West African people to smelt iron. Elephant played a major role in people’s daily life West Africa’s earliest known culture

Kush Path through which trade went from North Africa to Middle East and Europe Capital city Meroe Iron smelting center

Axum Known today as Ethiopia Main port was Adulis Major center of trade in Mediterranean and for trade with east Slaves, ivory and salt ship via Indian Ocean routes Will trade with Egypt, Romans, Byzantine & India Muslims will settle in Adulis after fleeing persecution in the Mecca

King Ezana Convert to Christianity in 250 BC Most important Christian kingdom in Africa

Only African nation to develop a written language Stelae Stone pillars that celebrate the kings’ conquest and demonstrates the greatness of Aksum

Created new method of agriculture- terrace farming Axum will remain one of the few non-Muslims states in northern and eastern Africa Axum had provide refuge for Muslims during their early history Out of respect the Muslims never attempt to conquer Axum

West Africa Kingdoms in west Africa grew as a result of being intermediaries in the trans-Sahara trade Located in savanna region traded salt to forest settlements in exchange for gold, which they then traded with Africa north of the Sahara

Ghana, Mali & Songhai Located west Africa – south of Sahara Area called sub-Saharan Not easy access to other cultures 7th & 8th century -Islamic traders penetrate the Sahara desert while African traders push northward At first west Africans in search of salt but will start to trade Gold Found in abundance in Ghana and Mali

Ghana Rulers grew rich from taxing goods that traders carried through their territory To keep the price of gold from falling, the king will limited the supply of gold The constant trade also brought Islam to the area For Ghana the results was devastating Subject to a holy war led by an Islamic group intent on converting (or killing) them Ghana was able to defeat Islamic forces but empire fell into decline Its decline in 1076 will make way for new political organizations in West Africa

Mali Malinke people create Mali out of Ghana Sundiata Monarch given credit for the unified state of Mali Lion Prince Mali will become a model for Islamic Sudan kingdoms

Urbanization within Mali Empire Trade Port cities along Niger river Commercial and cultural centers Trade Dependent upon access to gold producing areas Juula African traders– partnerships Agricultural economy Barely able to provide basic foods Poor soil Periodic droughts Limitations of technology

Mansa Musa One of the greatest Mali ruler Built a capital city at Timbuktu 1307 made a pilgrimage to Mecca Entourage of 100’s gold-carrying servants and camels So extravagant – everyone saw him as an overnight international sensation Will devalue the currency of Egypt because of inflation caused by the gold Brought scholars and artists to Africa Timbuktu will become a center of Islamic learning and trade

Timbuktu will become a major cultural center University that attracted scholars around Islamic world Lacked modern weapons despite wealth and high level of learning Will cause downfall when invaded by Moroccan Muslims who had firearms

Songhay Largest empire in Africa in 15th century created by Ruler Sunni Ali Originally apart of Mali Rulers will later take title of Askia Daily life was a mixture of Islam, native, & pagan rituals Example- men and women intermingle in the marketplace, which upset Muslim travelers

Benin Strong centralized city-state Significant military and economic power Rulers controlled trade so effectively that Europeans could never manage to dominate Benin Same dynasty ruling today Bronze casting Especially plaques

The Great Zimbabwe Massive walls are most important monuments in Africa south of Nile Valley Built by Bantu Covered 60 acres Shows the strength of the economy- based on gold trade Controlled the export of gold to coastal cities of East Africa

Centralized state by the 15th century Zimbabwe Actually refers to stone building Great Zimbabwe Capital and religious center Centralized state by the 15th century Sofala was entry port for Zimbabwean goods Mwene Mutapa Title given to the ruler of Great Zimbabwe

Later abandon when gold trade decline No one is sure why city of abandon. Historian believe that the area was worn out and could not support a large population Falling world prices of gold

East Africa and in West Africa rulers convert first follow by masses Islam did not experience much success in finding converts in the interior of Africa East Africa and in West Africa rulers convert first follow by masses More difficult in the East Africa because women had more freedom than Muslim counterparts and were resistant to the new faith

East Africa Zanj Active trade in towns Arabic term for East African coast Active trade in towns from Persian Gulf to Egypt but little beyond those areas Urbanized trading ports had the common cultural trait of Bantu-based and Swahili langugage

Expansion of Islam will help create international trade on the East African coastline Provides a religious bond or trust between East Africa and India & Southeast Asia Converts Rulers of East Africa

Islam did not successfully spread into the interior portions of East Africa. Even areas near trading towns remained unaffected

Portuguese will attempt to gain control of trade of northern Swahili coast but will never be able to control the trade

Impact of Islam Although Africa had never been isolated from Mediterranean, the spread of Islam will bring large areas of African within the global community Sudanic states and Swahili coast will be most affected by Islam Importance of Indian Ocean trade routes and commercial routes that connected the Sahel and Mediterranean

Islam will not impose a form of government but will provide strength for Royal authority Legal codes Connect Africa to the Muslim trade world

Demographic Transition Demography Study of population Demographic Transition Associated with a change in society In the area of industrialization