The Empires of Africa Geography of Africa Many

The Empires of Africa

Geography of Africa • Many different styles of geography – Deserts, rain forests, Sahel (shore or coast), etc. – Why would this make civilizations so separated and where do you think they formed? • Earliest humans originated in Africa – Great Rift Valley • People start as clans, and hunter-gatherers

Why & How Did Empires Develop? • Several factors facilitated the development and expansion of kingdoms & the ability to incorporate small farmers & herders into the empires. – Development and use of Iron for weapons – Dominance of trade routes – Control of gold

Earliest Cities of Africa • Nok- earliest clan and city formed – Founded iron tools around 500 BC – Helped to produce food and weapons – Start of the Western African empires • Aksum- Christian empire on the Red Sea – 1 st African Christian empire – Located where Ethiopia is now – Adulis - major trading city of Aksum

Advent of Islam in Africa • Islam spreads to Ghana thru trade with the Maghrib (the area of North Africa which is now Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia). • Significant shift in the Maghrib began in 7 th century where dominant religion became Islam. • The growing influence and political/military power of Arabs in the region led to increasing numbers of local people (“Berbers”) converting to Islam – had previously been a mix of Christians, Jews and people who practiced indigenous religions.

Advent of Islam in Africa • Influx of Muslim merchants who became involved in trans-Saharan gold trade. • Spread of Islam is important because there is no separation in religion and life, like in the lives of Africans – Africans did not connect religion to every thing as Muslims did

Gold-Salt Trade Sahara Desert Taghaza Timbuktu

Importance of Gold-Salt Trade • Ghana’s empire based on gold – Taken from mountains near rivers • Needed salt for survival though – Used on foods, and as a spice – Salt came from the Sahara desert • Gold was traded for salt between Ghana and N. Africans – Traded along the Trans-Saharan trade route

Other Items Traded • Other items were always traded – Information, ideas, clothing, spices

Kingdom of Aksum • Religions in Africa were considered a form of monotheistic beliefs– – Also believed in animism- belief in one creator and then lesser nature gods – Christianity eventually spread by traders – Later it would be taken over by Muslims • Became a major trading empire due to its location along the Red Sea – Famous for stone towers called stelae • Large towers that used no mortar

Kingdom of Aksum • The Aksumite people lived in the Ethiopian highlands near the Red Sea. – Very fertile land – Strategic position in the trade routes between Africa, Arabia & India. • It’s three major cities; Adulis, Aksum and Matara, became three of the most important (and wealthy) cities in the ancient world. • Although not well-known to the Europeans, they were as cosmopolitan and culturally important. • Served as a crossroads of Egyptian, Sudanic, Arabic, Middle Eastern, and Indian cultures; diverse religious communities (Jewish, Nubian, Christian and Buddhists).

Kingdom of Aksum • Aksumite religion was polytheistic – believed gods controlled natural forces of the universe. • In the 4 th century, it’s leader, Ezana, converted to Christianity and declared the state of Aksum to be a Christian state; this made it the first Christian state in the world. • Spoke a semitic language – one of the longest continuous literate traditions; as such, the people of Ethiopia believed that they were descendants of the Hebrews. – Traced their origins all the way back to David – Ethiopic Church claims to have the Ark of the Covenant

Kingdom of Aksum • Remained a strong empire and trading power until the rise of Islam in the 7 th century. • Axumites sheltered Muhammed’s first followers, so were not overthrown by Islamic powers • Ethiopic (or “Abyssinian”) church has lasted until present day.

Other Empires of Africa

Kingdoms of West Africa Ghana Mali Songhai 800 s-1000 s 1200 s-1400 s-1500 s

Kingdom of Ghana 800 -1000 • Located along the Niger and Senegal rivers • Bordered by the rivers to the south, and the Sahara to the North • Like all empires of this area, they based their life around the river and the gold from the mountains – Came down in the river; so much of it they don’t value it

Kingdom of Ghana 800 -1000 • Equipped the army with iron weapons. • Muslim advisors appear at court as Islam continues to spread. • As the control and power of the Ghanaian empire began to erode, short-lived kingdoms vied for influence • http: //videos. howstuffw orks. com/discovery/294 91 -assignmentdiscovery-songhaiempire-video. htm

Kingdom of Mali 1200 -1400 • Takes over the Ghana Empire • Founder and Ruler of Kingdom of Mali is Sundiata Keita • Empire built on gold wealth – took over Ghana’s gold mines as well as others in West Africa • Controlled the salt trade in the north and many caravan routes • Traded extensively with Egypt and the copper mines to the East. • http: //videos. howstuffworks. com/ discovery/29491 -assignmentdiscovery-songhai-empirevideo. htm Timbuktu Gao

Kingdom of Mali 1200 -1400 Mansa Musa • Mansa Musa expands empire to the east and west • Mansa Musa was celebrated within & outside the kingdom. • Went on Haj and brought with him tons of gold – so much that the price of gold dropped along the route he took. Timbuktu Gao

Kingdom of Mali 1200 -1400 • Timbuktu and Gaomajor trading cities • 2 nd largest empire in the world, after the Mongolian empire in Asia Timbuktu Gao

Songhai Kingdom 1400 -1500 • Conquers eastern parts of Mali • Still mostly located on Niger River, but includes territories further east (the “savanna” – treeless or sparsely forested plain). • Short-lasting empire, still based on gold wealth and salt trade • Empire falls to Moroccan soldiers

Kingdom of Great Zimbabwe

Great Zimbabwe 1000 -1450 • Located between the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers • Capitol City – Great Zimbabwe • Empire also built on gold and the gold-salt trade to the North

Great Zimbabwe 1000 -1450 • Famous for its large walls surrounding its main city • Portuguese eventually attack and begin enslaving Africans for the New World