ANCIENT ANCIENT AFRICAAFRICA

The Land and It’s PeopleThe Land and It’s People

Second largest continent behind AsiaSecond largest continent behind Asia12 million square miles12 million square milesEvery type of environment there- tropical Every type of environment there- tropical

rain forests, grasslands, vast deserts, rain forests, grasslands, vast deserts, snowy mountain ridgessnowy mountain ridges

Earliest known humans originated in AfricaEarliest known humans originated in Africa

More than 1000 languages spoken there More than 1000 languages spoken there by hundreds of various ethnic groups with by hundreds of various ethnic groups with unique cultures and histories. unique cultures and histories.

5 thousand years ago the world’s earliest 5 thousand years ago the world’s earliest civilizations developed in Egypt. civilizations developed in Egypt.

The Nile was the center of trade as it was The Nile was the center of trade as it was located at the juncture between Europe, located at the juncture between Europe, and Asiaand Asia

People started using camels to transport People started using camels to transport goods which expanded Africa’s trade goods which expanded Africa’s trade network. network.

The ancient Egyptians was one of the The ancient Egyptians was one of the world’s longest-lasting civilizations. world’s longest-lasting civilizations.

Ships used the Nile to transportShips used the Nile to transport

people and merchandise. people and merchandise. Egyptians had their own way of Egyptians had their own way of

writing which allowed them towriting which allowed them to

keep records. keep records.

Egyptian Social ClassesEgyptian Social Classes

Farmers and workers at the bottomFarmers and workers at the bottomMerchants and craft workers in the middleMerchants and craft workers in the middleLandowners, government officials, scribes Landowners, government officials, scribes

and priests at the topand priests at the topUnlike other societies, Unlike other societies,

those who were talentedthose who were talented

were able to rise throughwere able to rise through

the classesthe classes

South of the SaharaSouth of the Sahara

People lived in villages and grew their food People lived in villages and grew their food on small plots nearbyon small plots nearby

Trade created some sizable towns- Trade created some sizable towns- including Timbukto- which flourished as a including Timbukto- which flourished as a seat of learning as well as a commercial seat of learning as well as a commercial centercenter

Trade gave rise to empiresTrade gave rise to empires

Axum- which is now Ethiopia, gained fame Axum- which is now Ethiopia, gained fame around 300 B.C. as the greatest trade center of around 300 B.C. as the greatest trade center of northeastern Africanortheastern Africa

Ghana, was the intermediary between salt Ghana, was the intermediary between salt traders in the north and gold and ivory producers traders in the north and gold and ivory producers in the south. Flourished between the 9in the south. Flourished between the 9 thth-10-10thth centuries A.D.centuries A.D.

Songhai, located in what Songhai, located in what

is now Mali and parts of is now Mali and parts of

Niger and Nigeria, Niger and Nigeria,

controlled the Saharan controlled the Saharan

trade routes between trade routes between

1515thth-16-16thth centuries A.D. centuries A.D.

Traditions and BeliefsTraditions and Beliefs

Belief in the Afterlife- careful preparations Belief in the Afterlife- careful preparations were made for their time after Earth lifewere made for their time after Earth life

Royal families preserved their bodies as Royal families preserved their bodies as mummiesmummies

Burial places had pictures of everything Burial places had pictures of everything they might need in the afterlifethey might need in the afterlife

Primary responsibility for the king was to Primary responsibility for the king was to ensure good fortune for his peopleensure good fortune for his people

Belief in gods that represented natural Belief in gods that represented natural forces or animals, such as Re, the sun forces or animals, such as Re, the sun god; the falcon-headed Horus; the cat-god; the falcon-headed Horus; the cat-headed Baset.headed Baset.

Diversity in Africa resulted in a mixture of Diversity in Africa resulted in a mixture of religious systems- each with their own religious systems- each with their own gods, shrines, and ceremoniesgods, shrines, and ceremonies

Most recognized a supreme god as well as Most recognized a supreme god as well as many lesser gods and spirits. many lesser gods and spirits.

Christianity was the first foreign-born Christianity was the first foreign-born religion to take hold in Africa.religion to take hold in Africa.

The conquest of northern Africa by Arab The conquest of northern Africa by Arab Muslims, which began in A.D. 639, Muslims, which began in A.D. 639, reduced the number of Christians.reduced the number of Christians.

Coptic Church of Egypt and the Ethiopian Coptic Church of Egypt and the Ethiopian Christian Church, both with very distinctive Christian Church, both with very distinctive forms of worship, continue to survive even forms of worship, continue to survive even today. today.

The influence of Islam was brought about The influence of Islam was brought about through trade and conquestthrough trade and conquest

Africans both north and south created Africans both north and south created magnificent and expressive visual art for a magnificent and expressive visual art for a variety of reasons:variety of reasons:

Religious ArtReligious Art Ceremonial ArtCeremonial Art Everyday ArtEveryday Art

Very diverse forms Very diverse forms

and materials usedand materials used

Ancient Egyptians were among the world’s Ancient Egyptians were among the world’s greatest architects-greatest architects-

No trees to build with so they mastered the No trees to build with so they mastered the use of stone, created pillared temples as use of stone, created pillared temples as well as the famous pyramidswell as the famous pyramids

Perhaps the world’s first tourists were Perhaps the world’s first tourists were those that came from Greece and those that came from Greece and Mesopotamia to see the wonders in EgyptMesopotamia to see the wonders in Egypt

Great palaces covered several acres of Great palaces covered several acres of ground.ground.

EntertainmentEntertainment

Religious and ceremonial dances and Religious and ceremonial dances and musicmusic

Drum was the most important African Drum was the most important African instrument- some made out of animal instrument- some made out of animal skins, others out of hollowed logsskins, others out of hollowed logs

Dancers used their performance Dancers used their performance movements in everyday life and movements in everyday life and interpreted the polyrhythm of the drumsinterpreted the polyrhythm of the drums

In West Africa and some parts of central In West Africa and some parts of central Africa, masked dances were a major part Africa, masked dances were a major part of ceremonial life. Occurred on/for:of ceremonial life. Occurred on/for:

Events in the agricultural yearEvents in the agricultural year Birth, adulthood, marriage deathBirth, adulthood, marriage death Secret societiesSecret societies Curing the sickCuring the sick

Performance were public but only dancers Performance were public but only dancers could see the masks outside of could see the masks outside of performanceperformance

Egyptian hieroglyphics combined Egyptian hieroglyphics combined pictures and symbols to represent pictures and symbols to represent soundssounds

Both carved in stone and written on Both carved in stone and written on paper- made by pounding papyrus paper- made by pounding papyrus togethertogether

Only the upper classes in ancient Egypt Only the upper classes in ancient Egypt could readcould read

Writing was done by scribes- Writing was done by scribes- associated with the royal courts and associated with the royal courts and templestemples

Most African languages were not written Most African languages were not written down until the arrival of Arabic and Roman down until the arrival of Arabic and Roman scripts. scripts.

Not including European languages Not including European languages introduced by colonizers, African introduced by colonizers, African languages can be grouped into 4 major languages can be grouped into 4 major language familieslanguage families

Afro-Asiatic (Northeast Africa)Afro-Asiatic (Northeast Africa) Niger-Congo (Northwest Africa)Niger-Congo (Northwest Africa) Nilo-Saharan (north central Africa)Nilo-Saharan (north central Africa) Khoisan (click-languages spoken in the far Khoisan (click-languages spoken in the far

south)south)

Things Fall ApartThings Fall Apart

By Chinua Achebe~ Nigerian authorBy Chinua Achebe~ Nigerian author

One of the first African novels written in One of the first African novels written in English to receive global critical acclaimEnglish to receive global critical acclaim

Title of the novel comes from William Title of the novel comes from William Butler Yeats’ poem “The Second Coming”Butler Yeats’ poem “The Second Coming”

Novel depicts the life of Okonkwo, who is Novel depicts the life of Okonkwo, who is a local leader and known wrestling a local leader and known wrestling champion in Umuofia (a fictional village in champion in Umuofia (a fictional village in Nigeria) inhabited by the Igbo.Nigeria) inhabited by the Igbo.

It focuses on his 3 wives, his 8 children, It focuses on his 3 wives, his 8 children, and the influence of British colonialism and and the influence of British colonialism and Christian missionaries on his traditional Christian missionaries on his traditional community during the late nineteenth community during the late nineteenth century. century.