Transcript Classical Civilizations of Africa and the Americas

Classical Civilizations of
Africa and the Americas
MRS. FREEMAN
2014-2015
Early Civilizations of Africa
 Africa hosted numerous separate societies
 Environmental differences within the continent
 Mediterranean region
 Large deserts (Sahara and Kalahari)
 Savanna grasslands
 Tropical rain forests
 River valleys (Niger, Nile)
West Africa
 1500 BCE – farmers in West African river valleys
migrate south and east




Family of languages
Knowledge of agriculture & metallurgy
Bantu migrations – 2000 years
Gradually moved into areas occupied by nomads
WHY?
West Africa
 1500 BCE – farmers in West African river valleys migrate
south and east




Family of languages
Knowledge of agriculture & metallurgy
Bantu migrations – 2000 years
Gradually moved into areas occupied by nomads
WHY?
Climactic changes - conditions in Sahara
Find food – hospitable environments
Follow seasons & agricultural cycles
Avoid natural disasters
Overpopulation
Political conflict
Map of Bantu Migrations
 Check out the link at
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/socsci/ca/books/bkf
3/imaps/AC_06_206_bantu/AC_06_206_bantu.ht
ml
West Africa
 Not all Bantu-speakers moved away
 Jenne-Jeno – first city of sub-Saharan Africa
 250 BCE – 400 CE
 Urban density
 Architecture suggests not hierarchically organized
Early Mesoamerica
Early Mesoamerica
Early Mesoamerica
Olmec
Chavin
 Present-day Mexico
 Andes - Peru
 1500 B.C.E.-400 B.C.E.
 900- 200 B.C.E.
 Urban society - corn,
 Mostly agricultural but
beans, & squash
 polytheistic
had access to the coast
 Polytheistic
Early Mesoamerica
 Same pattern of development but different part of
the globe – had no contact with each other.
 Illustrates that developments within civilizations can
occur independently - not necessarily the result of
exposure to other civilizations.
 Neither developed in a river valley
Classical Mesoamerica - Mayans







300 B.C.E.- 800 C.E.
Present-day southern
Mexico and parts of
Central America
Collection of city-states
ruled by the same king
Pyramid-builders
Used hieroglyphics
Golden Age - complex
calendar
Tikal – 100,000
population
 Polytheistic
 Religious significance in
warfare
 No large animals
 Mostly peasant
population
 Advanced agricultural
techniques
Kush
(Nubia)
Dates group
was
dominant
Political
Structure
Core
Religious
Beliefs
Main
agricultural
practices
Trade
networks
Major
strength
Reason for
decline
Axum
Olmec
Chavin
Comparison Chart
Maya
Teotihuacan