Early History of Sub-Saharan Africa

Many years ago (not 2500…)• Climate became

hotter & drier in Northern Africa

plants destroyed, rivers evaporated

• People forced to move southward

• Nile Valley (Egypt) remained fertile and civilizations emerged along the Nile River Delta

African Kingdoms & Empires: A Preview

• Ghana - cultural hearth

• Large, effectively organized states existed in Africa for centuries before European contact

• The Great Bantu migration– Occurred in

waves starting about 5000 years ago

Ghana: The Kingdom of Gold• First great W. African trading empire (700 CE)• Gold was VERY plentiful here = $$$$$$$• Practiced traditional African religions, but very tolerant of

Muslim traders (to the north)• Power came from ability to use iron weapons to control

gold and salt trade– Taxed all trade—tax collection system put into

place• Weakened w/ Berber attacks enter Islam

SALT Berbers

GOLD

CAMEL CARAVANS!

Kingdom of Mali• Rose to power after Ghana (about twice

the size)• Most powerful under rule of Mansa Musa• Also became rich from the gold-for-salt

trade• Encouraged Islam (officials had to

read/write in Arabic)– Made the hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca,

Saudi Arabia

The Great Mosque at Djienne, Mali

Timbuktu & Major Trade Routes

Songhai Empire• Replaced Mali gradually• Islam became official religion• Expansion of lands• Ended in 1600s

Bantu Migrations• Had already established societies in central & southern

Africa during the “empire period” in the north• Historians estimated that Bantu spread over 1/3 of

continent CULTURAL DIFFUSION • How did they impact Africa then and today?

– Founded central African kingdoms (kingdom of Kongo/Congo)

– Iron tools allowed more efficient work– Established colony-like states– Absorbed other people into their society 60 to

150 million people speak a Bantu language today!– Influenced modern-day countries: Tanzania, Malawi,

Zambia and Zimbabwe

Swahili Trading States• Independent city-

states linked by:– Language

(Bantu)– Trade

• Traded gold, slaves, ivory, leopard skins, etc. with Persia, India, & China

– Religion (Islam)

• Height: 13th-16th century

Another Bantu grp.

European Arrival• Natural wealth of Africa Europeans

interested!• Began in 1200s, mainly by the

Portuguese• By 1600s & 1700s, Europeans were

trading gold, ivory, textiles (cotton) and SLAVES– Got the idea from Africans, actually! – (kings & chiefs of African kingdoms had

taken prisoners-of-war and traded them with Arabs….for a really long time)

The Slave Trade

Triangular Trade

Berlin Conference: 1884• How did the Industrial Rev. impact colonialism in Africa?

– Need cheap labor, raw materials, new markets, and competition b/w countries

• Why was the Berlin Conf. called?– On paper: legally divide continent between

European powers (sounds legit)– In reality: it was a power struggle to see who could

control slave trade, become SUPER rich off of Africa’s natural resources

• What was the doctrine of “effective occupation”?– To own coastal land, had to prove you were

capable of protecting freedom of trade & transit (wealthy and powerful enough to handle it). “Sphere of Influence”

Berlin Conference: A Summary• 14 European powers divided up Africa without any

consideration of cultures• Result of boundaries:

– Ignored cultures, divided homelands– Set African groups against each other by

European rule– Migration routes cut off– Small, local farms HUGE plantations for cash

crops (coffee & tea)– European missionaries promoted

Christianity/European culture weakening of African culture

• By 1914, all but two areas (Liberia & Ethiopia) were colonized by the Europeans

Which twoEuropeanpowers ruledmuch of Sub-Saharan Africa?

• British• French

Pros! Cons

• New educational opportunities

• Cities developed under European rule

• Economy set up to benefit the EUROPEANS, not the Africans

• No room for African involvement in government

• Not given an example for democracy

This is important! When these countries won independence later (after World War II), they didn’t know how to run themselves as a democratic government conflicts as different groups within countries competed for power

AFRICAN INDEPENDENCE

• Really took off after WWII – weakening of Europeans

• Used Africans for military-

• Larger group of educated Africans what impact did this have on independence?