Transcript Slide 1
The most significant early civilizations in Africa were Egypt and Carthage. Both civilizations were located in N. Africa, along the Med., N. of the Sahara Desert. There were several other civilizations in Africa as well. Some of them existed long before 600C.E. Kush and Axum civ. Developed S. of Egypt in the upper reaches of the Nile. Kush developed about the same time as Ancient Egypt, and at one point around 750 B.C.E. actually conquered it. Less than 100 yrs. later they retreated back S. to their capital Meroe, where it became a center for ironworks and trade. After the Kush declined around 200 another empire rose. Axum - modern day S. Ethiopia They traded with many other civilizations with items including ivory and gold. In the 4th century they converted to Christianity. In the 7th century they converted to Islam. Religious conversions show that Axum were in constant contact with Med. Civ. Ethiopia's present day large Christian population is due to this contact. The E. coast of Africa was linked to India and S.E. Asia through shipping lanes of the Indian Ocean. The E. coast of Africa’s population was Bantu speaking people. These people settled into lives as farmers, fisherman, and merchants. This area was known as the Swahili Coast. The Swahili lang. is a mix of the original Bantu with supplements of Arabic. Trade with Muslims started in the 10th century. Swahili traders brought gold, slaves, ivory and other exotic items to the coast. Trade = Incredible wealth= large powerful kingdoms and trading cities. These trading cities became cultural and political centers. By the 15th century these cities were built up and the merchant elites and merchant classes converted to Islam (to facilitate relationships) but they maintained their own tradition. Eventually Islam spread through most of E. Africa. These cultures were located in W. Africa, S. of the Sahara. Before this point the desert was a barrier people did not want to deal with. However, Islamic traders began penetrating the desert and reached the fertile wealthy interior of Africa. Africans also started pushing N. for trade. This led to a trade explosion. At first the w. Africans were in search of salt, but when they found the Islamic traders they started trading much more. The Islamic traders were very interested in trade with these people because in Ghana (800-1000 c.e.) and Mali (1200-1450 c.e) there was tons of gold. Dealing with the conditions of the desert was worth it for these traders. The constant trade resulted in Islam spreading to Africa. In Ghana the result was devastating. The empire was subjected to a holy war led by an Islamic group intent on converting (or else killing) them. Ghana was able to defeat the Islamic forces, the empire fell into decline. By the time the Mali came to power the region had peacefully transitioned to Islam. One of the greatest Mali rulers Mansa Musa, built a capital at Timbuktu and expanded the kingdom way beyond Ghana. In 1307, Musa made a pilgrimage to Mecca complete with an entourage of hundreds of gold carrying servants and camels. The largest empire in W. Africa was formed in the mid 15th century . Songhai ruler Sonni Ali conquered the entire region and established Songhai Empire. It lasted until around 1600 C.E., and during it’s reign, Timbuktu became a major cultural center, complete with a university that drew scholars from around the Islamic world. The oral literature was an important part of life in most African communities. History and stories were passed from one generation to the next through storytelling. The stories were told in the fashion of a dramatic performance. The stories were told the same way for many generations so that many people knew the lines. Everyone was able to participate in the stories by reciting responses at the appropriate times. Early sub-Saharan African cultures are known for their sculptures, particularly out of pottery and bronze. The Benin culture (near present-day Nigeria) mastered a bronze sculpting technique. They made clay molds around wax carving, melted wax, filled the mold with melted bronze, and, after breaking the clay mold, revealed some of the most beautiful early bronze work created by any civilization.