Kingdoms & Empires of Africa SOL WG.4 Anderson- RHS Geography

Egypt

This powerful kingdom dates back 4500 years. The Old Kingdom began the tradition of Pharaohs and pyramids. This ancient kingdom had a large system of trade and commerce in Upper and Lower Egypt. Egypt: Upper and Lower Egypt.

Kush MEROE The Royal City c.htm

Kush: Capital at MEROE Settled along the southern Nile in the Nubian Desert. This kingdom was long ruled by the Egyptians and became independent around 1000 BC.

The most famous king was Taharqa. Kush became the area's iron-mining and manufacturing center. The empire was also the "gateway" to the interior of Africa and influenced the area between Middle East and the African interior.

Ghana

Ghana: The first great empire of West Africa in beginning in 700AD. The Ghanaians lived along an important trade route from the forests of coastal Africa to the Berber caravans of the Sahara Desert.

The kingdom made their fortune by controlling the trade routes and charging tolls and taxes. They also added to the gold and salt trades as well as establishing an iron trade. The Ghana Empire lasted until the early 1200s.

Great Zimbabwe Great House of Stone

Great Zimbabwe Bantu tribes moved to Southeast Africa in 400 AD. They mined gold for trade and established a large gold and ivory trade with East Africa and the Middle East.

They were excellent builders of huge stone cities. Great Zimbabwe means "Great House of Stone". At its height in 1100, the kingdom lasted until the 1800s.

Mali Mansa Musa oom/9912/africanhist.html

Mali: Succeeded Ghana as the major western kingdom along the Niger River. Islam became the major religion. The rulers were called mansa (emperor). Most famous was Mansa Musa:

Under his reign, Mali became a key empire in the Islamic world and became wealthy and encouraged the spread of arts and education. Mansa Musa led a grand haj across North Africa to Mecca, spreading his influence and wealth all throughout the northern continent.

The Mali Empire established trade and commerce throughout Western Africa through minerals and agricultural products. They also promoted learning and education. In fact, Timbuktu became a large center for education with one of the first universities in Africa.

Later, when railroads came through western Africa, Timbuktu was NOT on the routes. It quickly became a ghost town. Now, it's only known by a cliché- " in the Middle of Nowhere". The introduction of the RR also started Europe’s “Race for Africa”.

From the 1600s, the influence of Europe was rampant & spelled the end for the great African Kingdoms. The “Holocaust of Africa” began= the Atlantic Slave Trade