African Kingdoms :African Kingdoms 2000 BC – 1500 AD


African Kingdoms :African Kingdoms Africa developed kingdoms that had tremendous impact on other cultures. The early African kingdoms of Kush and Meroe influenced the development of ancient Egypt and likewise borrowed from ancient Egypt.


African Kingdoms :African Kingdoms Kush and Meroe existed in the region known as Nubia in what is today Sudan. Kush and Meroe were great trading centers for the Indian Ocean and northern Africa. Eventually, another kingdom would arise in the region known as Axum. A very wealthy and artistic kingdom. Axum eventually became a Christian kingdom.


African Kingdoms :African Kingdoms 500’s AD: great empires sprang up in western Africa: They were all trading kingdoms which understood that trade and economics are power. Their power and wealth came from the salt and gold trade across the Sahara desert.


African Kingdoms :African Kingdoms 400-1200 AD: Kingdom of Ghana Resources of iron and gold. Traded its gold for salt from northern Africa. The route was across the Sahara using camels as the mode of transportation. Berbers of North Africa conducted the trade.


African Kingdoms :African Kingdoms 1250-1450 AD: Kingdom of Mali Resources of gold. Continued to trade its gold for salt from northern Africa. King Mansa Musa doubled the size of the kingdom. Created a Muslim learning center at Timbuktu.


Islamic Civilization :Islamic Civilization Mosque of Mali.


African Kingdoms :African Kingdoms 1460 to 1600 AD: Kingdom of Songhai Still traded gold for salt. Gained control of all West African trade.


African Kingdoms :African Kingdoms Most Africans south of the Sahara were of the ethnic group known as “Bantu.” They spread from West Africa to central, south, and east Africa. Skilled at iron smelting and moulding.


African Kingdoms :African Kingdoms Bantu created the city of Great Zimbabwe in east Africa that dominated the coastal trade routes of East Africa. They took part in the trading network of the Indian Ocean and East Africa.


African Kingdoms :African Kingdoms Muslims from Arabia began to settle in East African ports in the 8th century (700’s). They create a mixed African and Arabian culture called Swahili. Swahili becomes the national language of Kenya and Tanzania.


African Kingdoms :African Kingdoms Muslims set up a string of trading ports: Mogadishu; Mombasa; and Kilwa. Built great mosques in all of them. Chinese porcelain shows up in Kilwa.


Slide 18:Arab traveler Ibn Battuta records the history of the period 1331 AD. He travelled around Africa; the Middle East and Asia.


African Kingdoms :African Kingdoms 1505 AD: the Portuguese enter the Indian Ocean region and destroy Kilwa, with their cannons on ships. Portuguese buy African slaves from Arabs and African tribal chiefs. Africa, south of the Sahara desert develops, a stateless society of independent villages under a local rulers.


Slide 20:End of Unit