Transcript Chapter 3.1 Notes The Rise of African Civilizations

3.1 Class Notes: The Rise of African
Civilizations
I. Geography
1. Africa is the second largest continent.
2. It is made up of rainforest, grasslands
(savannas), large deserts, and coastal
areas.
3. The great rift valley has the earliest
human fossils.
4. The Nile, Niger, and Congo Rivers are
very important.
The Diversity of Africa
II. Africa Trading Empires
1.The Bantu people
(“the people”)
migrated from West
Africa south of the
Sahara Desert and
spread a common
culture (language,
religion, iron tools,
pottery).
Trans-Saharan Gold and Salt Trade
2. People called the Berbers
crossed the Sahara in
caravans to trade with West
Africa. They also brought
Islam and the Arabic
language.
3. They traded salt and cloth
from the north for gold and
ivory from West Africa.
They had a very important
system of trading called
the “Silent Barter.”
Rise of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai Kingdoms
4. Ghana, the “Land of Gold,” was located on gold and
salt trade routes on the Niger River. Traders had to
pay a tax. The army enforced this with iron weapons.
5. Powerful kings ruled the African kingdoms and
settled arguments, controlled trade, and protected
the empire. Many kings and traders accepted Islam
because it helped them trade with Muslim Arabs.
6. After Ghana declined, Mali was founded by a warrior
king, Sundiata Kieta, the “Lion Prince” who
conquered Ghana and the city of Timbuktu.
8. Mansa Musa, King of Mali, worked to spread
Islam. He made a pilgrimage to Mecca, with a
caravan of thousands of people and gold.
9. He convinced Islam’s finest architects, teachers,
and scholars to come back to Mali and he
brought fame to his kingdom.
7. Songhai King Sunni Ali drove the Berber invaders
out of Timbuktu and seized control of river trade
and Berber salt mines.
8. The Songhai empire became the largest in West
Africa and Timbuktu was a center of Islamic
learning and culture.
The city of Djenne
III. Other African Nations
1. Rain forest kingdoms enjoyed natural advantages
and traded their surplus of food.
2. They were the first to interact with Europeans.
3. Judaism, Christianity and Islam influenced East
Africa.
IV: Religion in Africa
IV: Religion in Africa
1. Many African groups believed one
supreme god ruled the world. They
worshipped the spirits of dead
relatives, called ancestor worship.
2. Ibn Battua, from Morocco, travelled
throughout Islamic lands for 30 years
and wrote a book: “The Journey.”
1. In East Africa, the Swahili culture and
language is a blend of African and Muslim
elements.
2. Arabic became an important language of
government and learning. Islam influenced
art and architecture (mosques).