1. Non Egyptian Ancient African Civilizations World History Libertyville High School

2. Non-Egyptian East Africa: Nubia Area between First through Fifth cataracts of Nile Conquered by Egypt around 2000 BC –Served as major trading center between Egypt, African societies After Egyptian New Kingdom failed, Nubians regained independence –Saw selves as TRUE Egyptians –Adopted Egyptian titles, customs –Invaded, ruled Egypt as pharaohs –Defeated by Assyrians

3. Sub-Saharan (Central and Southern) Africa to 600 BC Political organization: none (family groups) Hunter-gatherers Technological development = stone, bone tech Religion –Animism: spirits of natural world, animals, geographic locations

4. Why Didn’t Complex Society Develop in Sub Saharan Africa? Persistence of hunter-gatherer bands –Abundance of game –Lack of external (human) threats to lifestyle = stayed the same Lack of other food acquisition options –Lack of high yield crops = low incentive to farm –Lack of domesticable animals = no incentive to herd –Lack of irrigable waterways = no way to practice irrigation Geographic considerations –Lack of natural harbors = no trade or contact with other civs –Geographic barriers (Sahara) assured isolation

5. Western Africa and the Sahara Evidence of human settlers in W Africa from 12000 BC Ca. 5000 BC, herders, dry farming communities Ca 3000 BC, Sahara savannah began turning into a desert –Farmers, herders, migrated towards coasts –Desertification isolated W Africa coastal peoples

6. West African Societies Urban Development –Earliest stone walled towns developed around 2000 BC –Towns emerged ca. 600-200 BC in Sahel (S of Sahara) –All towns in Sahel grew up around oases or rivers

7. Western Africa and the Sahara Around 400 BC, contact re- established with North Africa & trade resumed –Traded gold from SW for salt, iron goods from N –Diffusion of iron production gave W Africans big advantage over neighbors ability to expand farming Made better weapons –Formed city-states and empires in the AD period –Bantu later expanded south

8. West African Societies Bantu Migrations –Bantu = N-Central African language group –Migrated into equatorial rain forests & African Highlands –Imposed language, spread iron smelting & high yield agriculture (a.k.a. cultural diffusion!) –Founded Great Zimbabwe Kingdom around 800 AD