African CivilizationsReview Unit 1 Section 5

Beginning of time…•First people were

nomads in Africa•Breakthrough: farming

allowed people to stay in one place rather than follow herds for food.

•This led to a rise in populations and interaction among tribes

Civilizations emerge•Civilizations raised extra food for surplus

and encourage people to specialize in their job.

•They developed governments to lead large tasks and social class systems.

•They also developed writing.

Bantu migrations•Sahara was once full of

water and provided a way of life for people

•When it turns to desert, people move south and east.

•These are called Bantu migrations because the language used came from the Bantu family.

Kingdoms of West Africa•Trade networks link farming communities to

the forest, send goods across the desert.•Camels are brought from Asia which allowed

for greater mobility.•Gold and salt become the most commonly

traded item in Africa.•Religions spread this way.

Kingdom of Ghana•Controlled salt-gold trade across West

Africa•“Land of gold”.•Islam is established and spread in region.•Influenced by Muslim art, technology, and

philosophy.

Decline of Ghana

•Berbers from N. Africa attack trade routes.•They destroy the capital then leave, and Ghana

was left vulnerable.•Eventually become part of new empire: Mali

Kingdom of Mali

•Took over gold mining and salt supplies of Sahara.

•Empire rose to nearly double the size of Ghana’s.

•Changed Africa by spreading its language, culture, and laws across Sahara.

Mansa Musa•Musa was the most powerful emperor of the

Mali Kingdom.•Converted to Islam and journeyed to Mecca•Impressed by the Muslim empire, he brought

scholars back to help Mali rise to power.

Decline of Mali

•Kings after Mansa Musa were unable to protect territory, not as powerful.

•Tribes began attacking empire from all sides.

•Eventually Mali is broken up into various smaller kingdoms.

Kingdom of Songhai•Took over some of

Mali’s territory•Largest empire in

western Africa•Controlled trade routes

and wealthy cities•Strong central

government, Muslim empire, and strict social classes.

Decline of Songhai•Many leaders began

to fight for control of empire.

•Civil war weakened the empire.

•Taken over by invasion from Morocco.

East Africa•East Africa was

important because it linked Europe, Africa, and India.

•Trade cities grew along coast as Europeans demand items from Asia and Africa.

•Crucial part of Arab trade routes.

•Trade became crucial as many empires relied on it for wealth and expansion.

•Europeans would eventually become frustrated with the high costs of trade routes established in Asia and Africa.

•They sought to find alternate routes to the source of spices, gold, and other items.