African Empires

Zimbabwe

Location: South/Southeastern Africa

Started: 1000 A.D. – 1450 A.D.

Cities: ◦Great Zimbabwe◦Sofala

Zimbabwe

Government:Kingdom (feudal system)◦Mutuapa “The Great Conqueror”

Religion:◦Ancestral: Believe the ancestors watched over them with Mwari being the supreme being

Economy: Gold Mining and Trade

Zimbabwe

Acheivements:◦Great Zimbabwe was part of a trade network that reached across the Atlantic Ocean.

◦Kingdom was enclosed with rounded stones and a small gate Very strong and defensible

Aksum (Axum)

Location◦East Africa (Horn)

Start/End◦1000 B.C. to 750 A.D.

Major Cities◦Adulis: The greatest seaport. Connected Egypt, Arabia, Persia, India, and Rome

Aksum (Axum)

Government◦Major Leader: Ezana expanded the empire and converted to Christianity

◦Dynasty with kingsReligion◦Ancestral◦Christian

Economy◦Sea Trade with Egypt, Arabia, Persia, India, and Rome

Aksum (Axum)

Acheivements◦Only African kingdom to develop a written language

◦First African kingdom to create its own coins

◦Created Terrace Farming Growing crops on hills

Swahili

Location◦East Africa

Start/End◦1100 A.D. to 1488 A.D.

Major Cities◦Kilwa: Import city: Brought in manufactured goods while shipping out raw materials

Swahili

Government◦Muslim Empire

Religion◦Islam

Economy◦Based on Imports and Exports

Imported :porcelian, jewels, cotton Exported: Ivory, gold, and salt

Ghana

Location◦North West Africa

Start/End◦700 A.D. to 1076 A.D.

Major Cities◦Walata◦Koumbi Saleh

Ghana

Government◦Dynasty based on warfare (Ghana means war chief)

Religion◦Ancestral◦Converted to Islam

Economy◦Gold and Salt

Mali

Location◦North West Africa

Start/End◦1235 A.D. to 1353 A.D.

Major Cities◦Walata◦Timbuktu◦Gao◦Koumbi Saleh◦Niani

Mali

Government◦Empire

Ruled by Sundiata Expanded by Mansa Musa

Religion◦Islam

Economy◦Gold and Salt

Songhai

Location◦North West Africa

Start/End◦1400 A.D. to 1591 A.D.

Songhai

Major Cities◦Taghaza◦Walata◦Koumbi Saleh◦Niani◦Djenne◦Gao◦Timbuktu◦Kano◦Agades

Songhai

Government◦Empire

Ruled first by Sunni Ali who built the empire through military conquest and took over the city Djenne by marrying their queen to complete his conquest

Religion◦Islam

Economy◦Gold and Salt