Post on 22-Feb-2016
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Civilization in AfricaChapter 8Chapter 15
African Geography“Geography is the mother of history. Nowhere in the world is this more powerfully illustrated than in Africa. The most [powerful] force in Africa’s experience is Africa’s environment… Africa has been a continent of abundant life but speedy death. Partly because of this… Africa has been the first habitat of man but the last to become truly [livable].”
– Ali A. Mazrui (African scholar)
Sub-Saharan African Culture Animism : religion in which spirits play
an important role in regulating daily life Spirits are present in animals, plants, and
other natural forces, including the souls of dead ancestors
Lack of written language – oral history told by griots (storytellers)
Early West African Civilization Djenne-Djeno – oldest known city in
sub-Saharan Africa (250 BCE) Linked to other towns by the Niger River
and overland camel routes = bustling trading center
Nok people – earliest known culture (500 BCE – 200 CE) Smelted iron Skilled in sculpture and pottery
Aksum and East Africa (300-700 CE) Modern-day Ethiopia Ezana expanded the
kingdom into the Arabian peninsula
AD 451, a split in Christianity
Coptic Church Ethiopian Orthodox
Spread of Islam severed link to the rest of the Christian world, forced the decline of Aksum
Kingdom of Mali (1235-1400 CE) 1st emperor (mansa) is
Sundiata Promoted agriculture Re-established gold-
salt trade Mansa Musa (grand-
nephew) Most famous Muslim
mansa Made Timbuktu into the
major trading city in the empire
Visit of Ibn Battuta Traveled for 27 years Visited every country in
Muslim empire.
Bantu-speaking peoples Group of over 900 languages that
originated in central Africa Made one of the greatest migrations in
history and populated the southern third of the African continent
Effects of the Bantu Migration Territorial wars with the small groups
who had lived in southern Africa Intermingling of Bantu
culture/languages with “natives” = great diversity of culture
Similarities within the hundreds of Bantu languages = unifying influence in southern Africa