1. Extended History of Africa

2. 250,000 years ago, Homo sapiens emerged in Africa.
100,000 years ago, Homo sapiens began to migrate out of Africa to the Eurasian landmass, then Australia, and to the Western Hemisphere and Pacific islands.

3. Development of Distinctive Regional Cultures
LEFT: Central Sahara Region of Africa: nomadic society – domestication of cattle preceded development of farming.
From 5000 BCE, pastoral societies flourished in the area.
RIGHT: Nok culture in what is now northern Nigeria. Made and used iron and terra-cotta.

4. Bantu Migration Bantu: a family of over 400 languages
Beginning around 3000 BCE, Bantu speaking peoples migrated east and south.
The Bantus absorbed, killed, or drove away the indigenous Paleolithic people.

5. Nubian Civilization Nubian civilization began in 3500 BCE
Nubians closely tied with Egyptians. The first accounts of Egyptian trade are with Nubians. Nubians and Egyptians were civil, they intermarried, and at one point there was an era of Nubian Pharaohs.
Nubian Kingdom of Meroe: 300 BCE-100 CE
What do you notice about these structures? What does this tell you about interactions at this time period? (Obviously the structures resembling Greek architecture come later)
-Egyptian Influence
-Greco-Roman Influence

6. AXUM
50 CE: a substantial state emerges due to participation in Red Sea and Indian Ocean commerce.
Taxes on trade (from animal hides, to stones, to slaves) provided a major source of revenue for the state.

7. How might Axum’s participation in long-distance trade have stimulated and sustained its growth as an empire?

8. Arts of Axum Center of monumental building and patronage for the arts.
Obelisks: marked royal graves
At the time, Obelisks were the largest structures in the world hewn from a single piece of rock. 100ft tall.

9. Christian Axum Introduced to Christianity in the 4th century CE
King Ezana adopted Christianity
After the fall of Axum, Christianity rose again further south on the Ethiopian plateau.
The Ethiopian Church claims that the Church of our Lady Mary of Zion in Axum houses the Biblical Ark of the Covenant which includes the Tablets of Law (where the 10 commandments are inscribed.)

10. How are these African civilizations similar to other civilizations we have learned about?
How are they different?

11. Swahili Civilization
Set of commercial city-states stretching all along the East African coast
Grew due to participation in Indian Ocean trade
Clan chiefs became kings
An African merchant class developed
Urban with cities of 15,000-18,000 people
Each Swahili city was politically independent, governed by its own king.
Each city was in sharp competition with the others.
Who does this sound like?

12. CAMELS!!!

13. CAMELS!!! A quote from Ms. Hartman’s collegiate history book:
“A major turning point in African commercial life occurred with the introduction of the camel to North Africa and the Sahara in the early centuries of the Common Era. *This remarkable animal*, which could go for ten days without water, finally made possible the long trek across the Sahara. It was camel-owning dwellers of desert oases who initiated regular trans-Saharan commerce by 300 to 400 CE.”
We joked about camels once in class, so this is just fun for my classes. Feel free to delete this slide.

14. Mali Ruled by a monarchy
Predominantly Muslim due to the spread of Islam through trade routes.
Participated in the gold/salt trade, which brought Mali great wealth.
We will go in depth about trades a little later.

15. Mansa Musa King of Mali Devout Muslim
Began his pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324
His generosity devastated the Mediterranean economy
Pilgrimage included:
60,000 men
12,000 slaves carrying gold
Horses
80 Camels carrying between 50 and 300 lbs of gold dust
Gave gold to poor
Traded with gold
Built a mosque every Friday

16. What do you think will come out of Mansa Musa’s expeditions?
Will there be a new interest in Africa?
Why?
Who will be interested?

17. African Exploration???