Ancient African Kingdoms Nubia Axum and Kush along

Ancient African Kingdoms • Nubia, Axum, and Kush along the upper Nile interacted with Egypt, Romans, and the Islamic Empire. • Trade developed between the Arabs of North Africa and West Africa (800 A. D. 1400 A. D. ) Trans-Saharan Trade. • Long distance trade in East Africa caused development of City States along the Coast.

Ancient Kingdoms of Africa

The Trans-Saharan Trade • Trade was based on gold from West Africa and salt from the North. • Three major West African kingdoms formed: Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. • As a result of the trade an African version of Islamic Culture developed.

Travel on The Great Sahara

Trans - Saharan Trade Routes

* Timbuktu, shown here in an 1853 engraving, was a major trading center for gold, salt, and agricultural goods. By 1550, it was a prosperous city, with three universities connected to its mosques and 180 religious schools.

Early European Map Showing Africa and Mansa Musa

Mali

Mali

East African City States • City States of Mogadishu, Malindi, Mombasa, and Kilwa developed as a result of long distance trade in the Indian Ocean between the Middle East, India, and China. The trade followed the Seasonal monsoon wind system. • Note: Great Zimbabwe was an interior empire that traded with the city states. • The Trade: From Africa-ivory, iron, gold. From India and China-cotton cloth, glass beads, porcelain.

East African City States • Each had its own laws, a small army, taxed trade goods, and controlled land outside the city. • As a result of the blending of African, Arabic, and Asian cultures Swahili Culture and language developed. • Most Swahili people adopted Islam, and created a sophisticated way of life including artist, craftspeople, poets, storytellers, traders, Mosques and other fine buildings.

The Fate of the East African City States • Contact with European’s in the early 1400’s led to a decline of West African empires and destruction of the East African city states. • When the Portuguese arrived in the late 1400’s(part of search for all water route to Far East) they were impressed with the wealth and development of the Swahili.

The Fate of the East African City States (continued) • The Portuguese were unable to convince the Swahili cities to give them trading rights. • The result- Portuguese attacked and destroyed the city states; with great loss of life, ending Swahili trade and culture. • Note: This helped establish a pattern of European conquest and domination to follow for next the 400 years. (Imperialism)

Great Zimbabwe

This view shows the circular stone ruins of the Great Zimbabwe with an exterior wall more than 800 feet in circumference. What functions did this "stone house" serve?