1. CIVILIZATIONS OF AFRICA CHAPTER 11

2. African Geography

3. More Geography • Savanna- areas of grassland and scattered trees • Sahara- largest desert in the world(stretches across North Africa (Sub-Saharan is the area just below the desert) • Africa also has: • Lakes • Valley’s • Multiple mountain ranges

5. How Was Life Sustained?

6. Africa and the Bantu • Bantu- Stands for the people in the tribe and the languages they speak • Migration- movement from one region to another • Bantu history is tough to piece together • Think about how historians have been able to understand the history of civilizations, • Discuss with a classmate why Saharan and Sub-Saharan Africa may be hard to learn about

7. Bantu’s • Early Bantu’s were fishers, farmers, and herders • Villages made up of CLANS • What is a CLAN? • Maternal families (possessions passed down through Mothers side) • Each generation gradually migrated over the years • Helped them develop new crops and raise new animals

8. Spread of Bantu Culture • The Bantu moved and either assimilated or conquered. • Metal weapons • Better crops • Migrated all over Central and southern Africa • Why is the migration important to African growth?

9. Check for Understanding • Pg 315 • 1- (A/B) • 2- (A/B/C)

10. Kingdoms of West Africa • Ghana- another kingdom built on trade • Salt and Gold (why salt?) • Ghana was located on a major trade route • Mali- Powerful kingdom in West African Savanna • Sundiata founded the kingdom in 1230 AD • Mansa-Musa- king of Mali in 1312 • Major trade center (that’s how they got their wealth)(charged travel taxes)

11. Rise and Fall of Songhai • The leading empire of West Africa in the 1400’s • Power gained by trading gold and salt • Songhai gets overrun by the trading center of Tombouctou • 100 years later the society falls to the guns and cannons of the Moroccan armies in North Africa • This marks an end to the trading empires of Africa

12. Kingdoms of the Forest • The jungle tribes were polytheistic, whereas the savannah tribes were Muslim • The two most dominant of the jungle cities were Ile-Ife (EE Lay Fay) and Benin (BehNeen) • Wealth made through trade

13. Ile-Ife • 1000 AD Ile-Ife became a powerful center of trade • Leaders were called Onis (Oh Neez) • We know little about this city due to a lack of written info and artifacts • Modern city is on the old one • Artifacts are covered by jungle growth • Moisture has rotted wood and metal artifacts

14. Benin Rules • Large city in Africa, started in the 1200’s • Wealth came from copper, gold, and iron mines • Slave trade • Obas (leaders of the tribe) • 1500’s it was at it’s greatest size and power • Ruled most of Nigeria • Center for art and trade (similar art to Ile-Ife) • These artists influenced modern artists

15. Check for Understanding • Pg 323 • 1- (A/B) • 2-(A/B)